10 spectacular open-fire feasts and cooking experiences to book this summer

Cooking over fire has become a defining trend in restaurants across the UK, with chefs using flame, smoke and embers to bring out the best in seasonal ingredients.

Come summer, the most evocative way to experience fire-led cooking is to head outside for communal feasts or try your hand yourself, whether it’s learning the secrets of the South American asado, mastering fish and seafood over fire, or exploring techniques from smoking to pit-roasting.

For more summer food and travel inspiration, check out our reviews of the best new restaurants in London and our round up of the best UK summer travel ideas.

10 of the UK's best fire-led feasts to book this summer

Best for dining

Ashcombe Estate x Carousel, Wiltshire

Film director Guy Ritchie opens his country estate for weekends of fireside food, wild swimming, sauna sessions and yoga. In collaboration with London’s acclaimed Carousel, expect celebrated names cooking up fire-led feasts, including Chris Golding (NIJŪ, London) and Alex Claridge (The Wilderness, Birmingham). Arrive on the Friday for dinner in the Old Brewery with dishes such as lemon sole and cockles before Saturday’s feast which takes place by the lake. The menu depends on who’s cooking but each dish is prepared over fire and introduced by the chef. Hosting just 20 guests, the vibe is private country-house party, with chic rooms to rest your head.

Runs on selected weekends until the end of September. Double rooms from £375 per night (min two-night stay). Dinner, £175pp. carousel-london.com/ashcombe-estate/

The Fire Club at The Walled Garden, Surrey

Simon Stallard has built a loyal following with the fire-cooked feasts he serves at Cornwall's The Hidden Hut. Now he's bringing the concept to Surrey with The Fire Club, a long-term residency at The Walled Garden in Cobham.

After a drink from the Glasshouse Magnum Bar, head to the 200-seat communal table for dishes such as Mirabeau-sprayed St Mawes scallops, fillet of Cornish Longhorn beef cooked over beech charcoal and apple wood smoke, burnt Basque cheesecake and baked Cornish brie. Menus change with each event – a Spanish garden party brings wood-fired paella and a Cornish seafood special.

The fillet of beef dinner takes place 25-26 July, £95pp. Spanish garden party, 15 August, £75pp. walledgardencobham.com

Jupiter Artland, Wild Dining, Edinburgh

The Jupiter Artland estate in Wilkieston is renowned for its sculpture garden with works by the likes of Anish Kapoor and Antony Gormley, but it is just as magical after dark with its wild dining experience.

After a walk through the estate, settle in for canapés on the terrace. As night falls, take your place at a candlelit table seating 30 beneath the trees, where a three-course menu celebrates local ingredients cooked over open flame, complemented by an optional wine pairing. It’s a sociable evening where you can wrap up under blankets as the stars emerge.

Runs fortnightly until October. Non-members £60pp, £85pp with wine pairing. jupiterartland.org

Wild Dining Experience at Inverlonan, Oban

Surrounded by the beauty of the Highlands, Inverlonan offers fire-led dining overseen by chef Tim Kensett, whose CV includes London’s River Cafe and New York’s Storico. The eight-course menu showcases the best of the surrounding landscape, with meat from the estate’s farm, vegetables from the gardens and sustainably-sourced seafood from Oban’s waters.

Dishes change with the seasons, but past highlights have included red deer with ember dressing and Hebridean mutton with black cabbage. With a maximum of 12 guests per sitting, it’s an intimate affair, made even more special by the option to stay overnight in a lochside bothy.

Tuesdays to Saturdays, 7pm. Eight course set menu, £95pp. inverlonan.com

Garden Gatherings at The Woodland Table, Down Hall, Essex

Sunday lunch moves outdoors at Down Hall in summer, where guests dine among the gardens at The Woodland Table. Long communal seating, crafted from trees felled on the estate, sets the scene for a seasonal four-course feast with produce from the kitchen garden and local suppliers.

Menus are revealed only on the day, adding an element of surprise, though previous dishes have included lamb rump with truffle mascarpone, and wood-charred Chalk Farm trout. Garden-inspired cocktails made with Down Hall’s own vodka and gin are served alongside live music, creating a relaxed summer atmosphere.

Various Sundays until September, £90pp. downhall.co.uk

Best for learning

High Grange, Devon

Set in woodland near the Jurassic Coast, High Grange is the fire-cooking venture of chef and food writer Luke Vandore-Mackay. Its flagship Signature Fire School teaches the fundamentals of grilling, smoking and pit-roasting, with participants cooking everything from local shellfish to large cuts of meat. The day ends with a shared feast around a grand oak table.

If you prefer to leave the cooking to someone else, High Grange also hosts Fire Feasts, relaxed Fire Suppers and special collaborations such as Fire + Fizz, held among the vines at Kenton Park Estate.

Various dates running through to the end of September. Signature Fire School £265pp; Fire Suppers £60pp; Fire + Fizz (21 August) £75pp. highgrangedevon.com

Fire Made, Somerset

Inspired by her South American heritage, Ana Ortiz and her husband Tom Bray set up Fire Made to bring the traditions of asado cooking to the UK. They specialise in creating bespoke fire kitchens for chefs including Jamie Oliver and Gordon Ramsay, as well as hosting immersive classes at Westcombe Farm.

In groups of 10 to 20, guests step into the role of the asador, learning how to manage flame and master traditional techniques. Expect a full day of cooking and feasting, with dishes including whole lamb a la cruz, beef ribs, salt-baked fish and fire-roasted vegetables, plus insider tips on salmuera, the essential asado basting sauce.

Various dates, next available course 28 September, £200pp. firemade.co.uk

Fish Cooking Over Fire at The Jericho Kitchen, Oxfordshire

Set in a rural barn surrounded by rolling countryside, The Jericho Kitchen masterclass delves into the art of making fish and seafood dishes over wood and charcoal. Limited to just 12 guests working in pairs around simple fire pits, the relaxed afternoon combines expert tuition with an exploration of seasonal ingredients sourced from trusted fishermen and small-scale producers.

You’ll learn a range of live-fire techniques while preparing dishes such as grilled sardines with gooseberry sauce, hot-smoked salmon, whole bream and Thai-spiced mussels, before gathering together to enjoy a generous communal feast.

12 September, £140pp. jerichokitchen.co.uk

Bristol Fire School

One of the UK’s most acclaimed fire cooks, Genevieve Taylor is on a mission to show that barbecue is much more than meat. Her friendly classes, held in her garden just outside Bristol, cover a range of techniques and have a maximum of nine students, with courses tailored to different skill levels. Themed sessions, meanwhile, range from cooking curry over fire to a festive Christmas Fire School.

Genevieve also hosts Fire Light Sessions at the Belmont Estate, offering a fire-cooked feast of local ingredients, including Belmont beef paired with organic Portuguese wines.

Classes run throughout the year, £175pp. Fire Light Sessions 24-25 July, £75pp. genevievetaylor.co.uk

Hang Fire BBQ, Wales

Barbecue pioneers Sam Evans and Shauna Guinn run hands-on workshops from their outdoor kitchen in South Wales, covering everything from essential fire skills to cuisine-led masterclasses. Groups of eight to ten ensure it’s a relaxed and personal experience. Themes span a wide range of styles, including American barbecue, Latin American and modern British cooking.

This summer, you can also catch the duo at Feast at the Quay in Pembrokeshire, where they will showcase Welsh produce in dishes such as smoked and confit beef featherblade, Pembrokeshire chicken with Alabama white sauce, and honey-butter cornbread.

Classes run throughout the year. Better BBQ Course £175pp. samandshauna.com
Feast at the Quay, 10-11 July.