Hello everyone, and welcome.

I’m Fred, founder and President of the Middle East Live Fire Cooking Society. I wanted to take a moment to introduce myself: My relationship with fire started long before competitions, festivals, or brands. Like many of you, it began with curiosity: learning how heat behaves, how ingredients respond, and how patience often matters more than force. Over time, live fire cooking became less about results and more about process: discipline, restraint, and respect for what fire can (and cannot) do.

This Society was created to give live fire cooking in the Middle East a serious home. Not as a trend, not as entertainment, but as a craft worth learning, sharing, and protecting. Whether you cook in your backyard, on a competition circuit, or in a professional kitchen, what matters here is your willingness to engage thoughtfully, cook responsibly, and contribute to a culture built on standards rather than shortcuts.

These forums are meant to feel like a working firepit, a place to ask good questions, share real experience, challenge assumptions, and keep learning. You don’t need to impress anyone here. You just need to be honest about where you are in your journey.

I’m genuinely looking forward to learning from you all as this community grows.

Please introduce yourself below: Who you are, where you cook, and what live fire means to you.

Welcome to the circle.

Fred “The Ace of Flames” Casagrande