When Chef Andy Husbands plans event menus, he likes to focus on a theme—seasonal ingredients, perhaps, or the cuisine of a specific region. For a recent backyard soiree in West Newbury, Massachusetts, the theme was all about cooking signature dishes from his cookbooks over life fire on the iconic Big Green Egg, the elliptical, ceramic charcoal grill celebrating its 50th anniversary this year.
“My goal was to showcase different uses of the Big Green Egg,” says Husbands, an award-winning chef and the owner of The Smoke Shop, a barbecue restaurant with four locations in and around Boston. “It’s not just a grill—there are all sorts of things that you can do with it.”
For the fall backyard gathering, those things included cooking fried rice in a sizzling hot wok, and even baking cornbread, using the convEGGtor insert, which adjusts the circulation of air to create oven-like heat. The showstopper, attendees agree, was the reverse-seared steak, cooked low and slow to absorb the smoky flavors of the fire, seared over a hot flame for a perfectly charred crust, and then plated atop a smear of ranch-infused butter to give the meat a final kick of flavor.
The meal finished with simple but revelatory cheese-topped, thin-crust pizzas, which came out “phenomenal” because of the grill’s ability to reach temperatures over 700 degrees, says Husbands, the proud owner of more than one of the distinctive grills.
“The Big Green Egg helps me accomplish a really great pizza,” the chef says.
But there was so much more to the gathering than the delicious and masterful menu, say those who attended: The presence of the Big Green Egg elevated what could’ve been a conventional cookout into something much more memorable and enduring.
“Watching our chef craft incredible flavors over an open flame added a sense of drama and excitement that drew everyone into the process,” says Rick Sedler, the party host and president and CEO of RMS Media, which publishes Northshore, Ocean Home, and Luxury Pools magazines. “It transformed what could have been a simple outdoor gathering into a culinary event to remember.”
The Big Green Egg of today may be heading into its sixth decade, but it has its origins thousands of years ago, when the idea of an enclosed clay cooker first took hold in Asia. The concept made its way to the United States after World War II, when soldiers who had been stationed in Japan brought these “kamado” cookers home with them.
Then, in 1974, entrepreneur Ed Fisher launched a business importing and selling them to a wider audience. As they caught on, he decided to have them manufactured himself, so he could better control the quality. He chose a signature color, added a lifetime warranty, and changed the name from the generic “kamado” to the now-iconic Big Green Egg.
Over the years, a dedicated community of fans has grown up around the grill. The keys to its popularity include its precision temperature control, range of accessories for different styles of cooking, and the state-of-the-art ceramic technology that holds heat in and creates an extremely durable exterior. Fueled with all-natural lump charcoal, the EGG imparts a kiss of smoke to food which gives every meal a delicious and distinctive flavor.
Seeing the grill in action opened up new possibilities for guest Anna Rossi, a local TV host and food and entertainment influencer. “There’s something about charcoal grilling that can be a little intimidating,” she says. “But I was really impressed by how easy it was to use.”
At Sedler’s party, the Big Green Egg itself became part of the event, as guests gathered around to learn about its unexpected functions and features. People had questions about the accessories, the temperature controls, and how it could possibly cook so many different foods so well.
“It’s just cool-looking, right? It doesn’t look like a standard grill,” Husbands says. “People are really curious about how it works. People were just fascinated by how I was able to do all these different things so quickly.”
In the end, the Big Green Egg was a centerpiece for an unforgettable evening of food, fire, and friends that guests have been raving about ever since.
“It was a day filled with delicious flavors, meaningful connections, and moments of pure joy,” Sedler says. “I feel so fortunate to have been part of this experience and to share it with such wonderful company.”
