Australia’s love affair with grilled meat runs deep – from Summer backyard barbies to smoking brisket low and slow, the nation’s food culture has long embraced the flame.
In recent years, a new trend has begun to fire up the local culinary scene: the rise of the asador – a traditional South American method of open-fire cooking that celebrates simplicity, patience and the primal joy of grilling meat over flames.

Rooted in Argentinian and Uruguayan tradition, asado is more than just a cooking technique – it’s a social ritual. The term asador refers both to the cook who tends the fire and to the metal cross or frame used to cook large cuts of meat vertically beside hot coals.
This method of cooking allows for slow roasting over several hours, resulting in deeply flavoured, tender meat kissed with smoke and char. It’s a celebration of quality produce, honest technique and fire-driven flavour – all things that resonate with Australian palates.
Aussies have always loved grilling – it’s a cornerstone of our food identity. Whether it’s lamb chops, snags or fresh seafood, the barbeque is a place of community, tradition and relaxed entertaining.
It’s no surprise, then, that the ethos of the asador has found a natural home here. The resurgence of wood-fired cooking, nose-to-tail dining and interest in global techniques has set the perfect stage for the asado style to take root in Australia’s dining scene.

Across the country, Chefs and venues are embracing this bold, rustic way of cooking. From fire pits in regional paddocks to dramatic open-fire kitchens in high-end urban restaurants, the asador is becoming a symbol of authenticity and culinary craftsmanship.
These venues often build entire menus around whole beasts – lamb, pig, beef – suspended on iron crosses and cooked low and slow for hours until the meat falls off the bone.
What makes the asador so appealing to Australians is its back-to-basics honesty. There’s no hiding behind fancy sauces or techniques – it’s about smoke, salt, fat and flame. It brings people together, encourages slow dining and delivers a sensory experience that’s both theatrical and deeply satisfying.

There’s also a growing appreciation for the sustainability and tradition embedded in the asado. It honours the whole animal, champions local produce and echoes the cultural pride found in many First Nations and multicultural fire-cooking practices across the country.
In a time where food trends often come and go quickly, the asador represents something elemental and enduring. It connects Australians with their love of the land, their enthusiasm for outdoor living and their never-ending appetite for expertly grilled meat.
Whether it’s enjoyed at a modern Latin grillhouse, a winery long lunch or your own backyard, the rise of the asador in Australia proves one thing: fire is universal and Aussies will always gather around it for a good feed.