The Live Fire Report | Episode 1: German Engineering Meets Live Fire — The Grillrost Story

The Live Fire Report with Frederic Casagrande Episode 1

What happens when engineering meets live-fire cooking?

In the premiere episode of The Live Fire Report, BBQ champion and pitmaster Frederic Casagrande travels to Château Grillrost in France to sit down with the family behind Grillrost—one of Europe's most innovative live-fire cooking companies.

Rather than competing with the biggest grill manufacturers, Grillrost has built its reputation by solving the problems pitmasters encounter every day. From patented accessories and modular cooking systems to products designed to last for generations, every piece begins with one question:

How can we make grilling better?

Frederic explores the company's unique family culture, German engineering philosophy, rapid product innovation, and why quality—not price—continues to drive every decision they make.

This conversation isn't just about barbecue equipment.

It's about craftsmanship, independent thinking, and the people pushing live-fire cooking forward.

In this episode:

• How Grillrost grew from a single custom grill into an international brand

• Why family ownership fuels faster innovation

• The philosophy behind German engineering

• Designing products that last a lifetime

• Competing with industry giants by improving—not replacing—the grill

• Why the future of barbecue may actually return to its roots: real fire

About

The Live Fire Report

The Live Fire Report is a WITM Original hosted by BBQ champion Frederic Casagrande, exploring the people, craftsmanship, innovation, and culture shaping the world of live-fire cooking. Each episode features conversations with pitmasters, chefs, manufacturers, and industry leaders from around the globe who are advancing barbecue through passion, engineering, and tradition.