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Yea or Nay? A Communal Barbecuing Table

Every cook for him/herself

By Rain Noe - August 8, 2016

in Furniture Design | Food

We Americans don't have much time left to barbecue, because summer's almost over and because our election cycle is leading towards the end of the world. (That's what they tell me on Facebook, anyway.) But that doesn't mean we can't still get in a few good Yea-or-Nays before everything goes to hell in a handbasket. So here's one for you, and it's barbecue-related.

First off, consider how a barbecue works (and if yours go differently than what I'm describing, do let us know below). You've got one guy working the Weber. Among the barbecues I have with my friends, this person controls the tempo of the meal, timing the batches so everyone can eat at the same time. (This is why I can't do it, as timing three well-dones, five mediums and two medium-rares to all come out at the same time reminds me of my miserable days as a short-order cook.)

That's if your grillmaster's a pro. In my mind, the amateur barbecues are the ones where the food comes out willy-nilly, and you've got people eating while talking to people who aren't eating, like we're all a bunch of savages. So there's my bias.

Finally, here's the product in question: The Jag Grill, a kind of communal-yet-every-man-for-himself outdoor dining table with built-in grilling stations:

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Whaddaya think? At first glance I thought it was cool, then started thinking about the actual UX and changed my mind. Here's why my needle swings to Nay:

1. Seems like it requires a lot more briquettes, as each diner needs their own batch.

2. I'll happily take a wire brush to a single grill, but I don't wanna clean eight of 'em, and I certainly don't want to be the guy stuck with cleaning out the center bin.

3. If you've got eight diners, you need eight pairs of tongs.

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4. As the wind changes, diners will take turns eating amidst facefuls of smoke.

5. In terms of culinary competence, my friends range from masterful to do-not-let-him-touch-the-stove. I have no confidence everyone's meal with be of the same quality.

6. Maybe my friends and I are a bunch of uncoordinated degenerates, but every barbecue or picnic I'm at, some butterfingers knocks a beer over at least once, and this table's pit would definitely see its share of Miller Lite.

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I've said nothing about the potential safety, as I realize not everyone's friends may get drunk enough to carelessly put their hand in the wrong place.

So, what do you all think? Do you like the idea of decentralized cooking? Do prefer your barbecues (and please name your region) to be affairs where everyone eats at once, or food is doled out piecemeal? Would you buy one of these, and if so, what do you see as the pluses?

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O Studio

8 years ago

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Aside from all the other comments, how about the heat? Isn't it going to be hot enough already in the summer that you don't want to be blinking your eyes through the sweat and smoke to see your pals' stinkin sweaty face screaming at you from across the table, "what? we're out of charcoal already?"

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Alex Ambridge

8 years ago

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I see it as one of those great ideas on paper, terrible idea in practice. The smoke alone would make it quite unpleasant. Similar problem to the ice-trough in picnic table you wrote an article a couple of weeks ago.

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Momo H

8 years ago

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I had a similar concept to this in college although it was more geared towards popularizing indoor grilling that's common in Japan and Korea. There's definitely an unnecessary amount of grill plates on this design and they need to go find a Japanese or Korean BBQ spot that have tables with built-in grills. Best "research" assignment ever!

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Mark Thomas

8 years ago

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A lot of "grilling" isn't about cooking and food, it's a social thing. Maybe this appeals to some in that regard, but from a food and cooking perspective, this thing is just absurd.

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Jason Pokines

8 years ago

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I say "nay" as well, for all the above reasons and for my own following contribution:
1. Part of grilling is the mastery of heat zones. You're supposed to have one hot side and one cool side, and it looks like this requires you to steal hot coals from other people, killing their hot zones. Or maybe the top center is supposed to be a communal hot zone, but it seems way too big/far away to provide worthwhile heat for your cool zone.
2. There's a giant octagonal table in the way of your reach EVERYWHERE. I get it; it's supposed to be like a hibachi grill where everyone gets a front row seat to the cooking action, but they forgot that part where the chef gets in close to do the actual cooking. And it's not a hibachi.
3. There's no lid. How on earth can you slow cook anything if all of your hot air is escaping?
4. It's giant. I'd rather have a table that big and a normal grill. And those handles sticking out over the table ring are not going to stay cool. I foresee a lot of accidentally burnt elbows.
5. I don't see a final price, but it's $500 for the deposit. For $100, I could find a fairly kickass grill. For another $100, I could seat 8 people pretty well. Already I'm saving $300 off the deposit alone. That's a lot of beer. #justsaying

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