Roger Mooking:The Man of Man,Fire ,Food

Chef Roger Mooking truly is an adenturous cook. This Trinidad born , Toronto raised chef has a new show on the Food Network Man Fire Food. He travels around the US , obsrving and participating in fire based cooking techniques.It's an interesting culinary ride, especially when he gets to try pine needles. Foodie Pantry was honored to have a recent interview with him

Foodie Pantry-What exactly is the show about?Who thought of the concept? Who is your audience?

Roger Mooking:Man Fire Food is all about cooking with fire in its various ways – we smoke, we grill, we bake, we boil; everything you could imagine and then everything you couldn’t imagine as well. The show was born from the brain of Irene Wong of Irene Wong Productions, the Executive Producer and more than occasional Director of the series. I got involved when the Cooking Channel brain trust put us together. Our audience is very broad, I get a lot of emails and social media comments from all walks of life, broad range of ages, gender, race, income, and any other kind of marker. Food is universal and man has been cooking with fire for a VERY LONG time now.

FP: What was the most unusual fire cooking method you’ve seen on the show so far?
RM:There are too many to hone down into one definitive answer but later this season you will see some truly unusual techniques. No spoilers.
FP:What was the most dangerous?
RM:Fire is potentially always dangerous so I suppose they all are in some way.

FP: What were the most unusual ingredients used? Did you try them?
RM:Pine Needles. And of course I did.

FP: What was the most low tech grilling method? The most hi tech sophisticated one?
RM:Low tech was also Pine Needles, you will have to keep watching to see that one; its pretty amazing actually. Most high tech was...not sure you can get very high tech when cooking with fire. There have been some impressive contraptions but Im not sure I would call them high tech. No rocket launcher chicken...yet.

FP: Who was the best griller on the show? Did you like his or her offering?
RM:This is a loaded question but we don’t just cover grilling. I do all things with fire from grilling, smoking, steaming, direct coal cooking, etc...Cant just limit the scope to grilling.

FP: Did you pick up any marinating or grilling tips?
RM:Countless. The universal one being – put the cold thing on the hot thing and take it off when its done. All cooking can basically be summed up into this idea. Check out my social media feed and I;m posting weekly grilling tips. Check 'em out.

FP: I have to ask this - did you finish any meals with s”mores?
RM:Not yet. Not yet.


Man ,Fire ,Food will be on the Food Network Monday night at 8PM EST.