Welcome to Barbecue Lifestyle!
Hi there, my name is Benoit Lacroix and I am a French guy who has been barbecuing for more than 30 years now!
I remember it as if it were yesterday. The first time my dad allowed me to lighten up the grill I was 12 years old and really excited about the idea of playing with the fire. From that moment I became the one in charge of starting the barbecue. Over the years, I learnt how to manage the flames and cook the meat. To be perfectly honest, even though I loved doing it, I wouldn’t barbecue that often and I was just an average BBQ cook.
But recently I moved to Cape Town in South Africa and I suddenly realised that barbecuing is so much more than just grilling the meat. Often, when Capetownians invite you over, they usually “braai”, meaning they will grill or smoke the meat, sometimes for hours, until it is perfectly cooked. And, indeed, the meat is amazing over here.
I was hooked again and wanted to give barbecue another shot. The problem is that I live in a flat and charcoal grilling is not allowed in the building. So I started researching and found out about hybrid, gas and electrical grills and smokers (they also turned out to be healthier and more sustainable, which suits me as I’ve been trying to live more responsibly since my little one was born two years ago). Finally, I opted for a gas smoker grill combo and, more often than never, I’m in charge of cooking the meat, which I can do on my balcony while sipping a glass of wine. Obviously I keep grilling the traditional way whenever I get the chance!
As I got more and more into grills, smokers and BBQ accessories, I felt the urge to share my learnings with fellow barbecue foodies and that’s why I created this site.
My mission here is simply to help you take your barbecue skills to the next level in a healthier and more sustainable way.
How Do I Create Content?
I am the chief editor of this website, meaning that I plan and edit all the content posted here. I either write the articles myself or use freelance writers to help me putting content together. Whenever this is the case, I thoroughly review the articles and nothing goes live without my approving. I want to make sure all the information I publish is accurate so you can rely your purchase decisions on my tests and reviews.
As much as possible we try every piece of gear we review just to have an hands-on experience of them. Whenever this is not possible, I rely on extensive online feedback from real customers. I also spend a lot of time in the local shops, discussing with the staff so I get to know all the items that come out and which ones may be of interest to you.
Why Should You Read Barbecue Lifestyle?
I would say the main reason you would want to check us out is because you would like to dramatically improve your barbecue skills in a more responsible way.
So if you want to:
- cook meat like a chef
- know everything about the science of BBQ
- barbecue in a healthier and more sustainable way
- get gear advice based on customer real-life experience and not commercial sales pages
you’ll most certainly enjoy the content you find on this site.
If you are on board with this, I look forward to having you read our guides and tests. You can start getting prepared for your next barbecue by clicking here.
Ben Lacroix
Founder and Editor at Barbecue Lifestyle