VOLUME 1: Why I Built My Dream Smoker (And How It Became NY BBQ Guys)
Why I Built My Dream Smoker (And How It Became NY BBQ Guys)
The search for the perfect smoker that led to custom builds, live fire obsession, and the birth of the OWN THE FIRE™ movement
It All Started with a Dream
I had a vision. A specific, detailed vision of the perfect smoker that lived in my head for months. I could see every dimension, every feature, exactly how the airflow would work, where the temperature gauges would sit, how the firebox would connect to the cooking chamber.
There was just one problem: it didn't exist.
I searched everywhere. Online retailers, custom fabricators, BBQ shops across New York and beyond. Nothing came close to what I needed. Everything was either too small, poorly designed, or built with materials that wouldn't last through a Northeast winter.
That's when I realized something that would change everything: if you can dream it, we can build it.
This was the first step toward what would become OWN THE FIRE™ - the understanding that true mastery means creating your own path, not following someone else's blueprint.
So that's exactly what I did.
Building the Dream Smoker
I wasn't a professional fabricator when I started. I was a guy with 25 years of executive chef experience in high-end restaurants, a marketing career, and an obsession with getting BBQ right. But I had something more valuable than welding credentials - I knew exactly what I wanted and why I wanted it.
This is what OWN THE FIRE™ is all about - not accepting what's available, but forging what's needed.
Working with local metal fabricators, I started turning my vision into reality. We're talking about a serious piece of equipment here - a custom 250-gallon reverse-flow smoker with an insulated firebox. This wasn't some weekend project; this was engineering a solution to every BBQ frustration I'd ever had.
The specs that mattered:
- Reverse-flow design for even heat distribution
- Heavy-gauge steel that would retain heat and last decades
- Insulated firebox for all-day temperature control
- Proper airflow management with adjustable dampers
- Positioned oven on top for maximum versatility
Every detail was intentional. Every measurement was calculated. This smoker was going to work exactly the way BBQ should work - consistently, predictably, and beautifully.
The Leftover Steel That Changed Everything
Here's where the story gets interesting. After finishing my dream smoker, we had leftover steel. Good steel. Steel that was too valuable to waste.
"What should we do with this?" I asked.
That's when someone suggested building a Santa Maria grill.
I'd heard about Santa Maria-style BBQ but had never experienced it firsthand. The concept was simple - suspended grates over live fire, adjustable height, pure open-flame cooking. But simple doesn't mean easy.
We built that Santa Maria grill from the leftover steel, and the first time I fired it up, something clicked. This wasn't just another way to cook - this was live fire at its purest form. No barriers between the meat and the flame. No hiding behind technology or gadgets. Just fire, steel, and skill.
I fell in love immediately.
This was the moment OWN THE FIRE™ was truly born. Not as a brand or a slogan, but as a philosophy - the understanding that after decades of cooking, you don't just use fire, you command it. You OWN THE FIRE™.
The Journey to True Asado
That Santa Maria grill opened a door I didn't know existed. I became obsessed with understanding live-fire cooking at its roots. Not the American interpretation, not the commercialized version - the real thing.
This obsession led me on a journey to Argentina and Brazil to learn the true asado way of life.
What I discovered there changed how I think about BBQ forever. This wasn't just about cooking techniques - it was about culture, tradition, and a relationship with fire that goes back generations. The gauchos didn't have temperature controllers or digital thermometers. They had knowledge passed down through families, an understanding of fire that you can't learn from YouTube videos.
These masters embodied what OWN THE FIRE™ represents - complete dominance over the flame earned through years of dedication. They didn't follow recipes; they commanded the fire through instinct and experience.
These were the international fire methods that would later become a cornerstone of what we teach at NY Fire & Steel Academy. Watching these masters work, I understood that to truly OWN THE FIRE™, you need more than equipment - you need to forge a relationship with the flame itself.
Forging Relationships, Finding Tools
During my time learning from South American pitmasters, I discovered something that blew my mind: hand-crafted knives and asado tools that put anything available in the U.S. to shame.
These weren't mass-produced kitchen knives or generic BBQ tools. These were pieces forged by artisans who understood that the tool is as important as the technique. Knives that held an edge like nothing I'd ever used. Tools designed specifically for live-fire cooking by people who cook over fire every day.
I started building relationships with these craftsmen. Not as a customer, but as someone who respected their craft and wanted to learn. These relationships became the foundation for bringing authentic South American BBQ tools to the United States.
What makes these tools different:
- Hand-forged construction by master craftsmen
- Steel selection optimized for BBQ and butchery tasks
- Traditional designs refined over generations
- Authentic provenance direct from South American artisans
A Couple of NY Guys Hanging Around My BBQ
By this time, something organic was happening. Friends would come over to see the custom smoker. They'd stay for the Santa Maria grill demonstrations. Word spread about the South American tools I was bringing back.
People started asking: "Where can I get equipment like this?"
The answer was: "You can't. Not unless you build it yourself or know someone in Argentina."
That's when NY BBQ Guys was really born. We were just a couple of NY guys hanging around my BBQ, but we were solving problems that nobody else was solving. We were building equipment that nobody else was building. We were sourcing tools that nobody else could source.
From Personal Passion to "If You Can Dream It, We Can Build It"
What started as one guy's search for the perfect smoker evolved into something bigger:
Custom Equipment Builds
- Designing smokers for specific spaces and needs
- Santa Maria grills for live-fire enthusiasts
- BBQ tables and outdoor kitchen integration
- Equipment that actually works in Northeast weather
Authentic Tool Sourcing
- Direct relationships with South American craftsmen
- Hand-forged knives built for BBQ and butchery
- Traditional asado tools unavailable elsewhere
- Quality that puts mass-produced equipment to shame
Real Knowledge Sharing
- Techniques learned from Argentine and Brazilian masters
- Live-fire cooking methods that most Americans never see
- Equipment knowledge from building and testing everything ourselves
- Professional kitchen insights forged through 25 years of restaurant experience
The Philosophy That Drives Everything
Through this entire journey - from dream smoker to custom builds to South American connections - one philosophy has remained constant:
"If you can dream it, we can build it."
This isn't marketing copy. This is how we actually work. When someone comes to us with a vision for their perfect BBQ setup, we don't try to sell them something close. We listen to what they actually need, then we figure out how to build it.
But beyond the builds, there's something deeper - the OWN THE FIRE™ movement. After 40 years at the flame, it's time to claim your dominance. This isn't about ego; it's about recognizing that true mastery has been earned. When you OWN THE FIRE™, you're not just following techniques - you're creating them.
Maybe it's a smoker that fits a specific rooftop space in Manhattan. Maybe it's a Santa Maria grill designed for a particular family gathering style. Maybe it's sourcing a specific type of knife that a serious pitmaster has been searching for.
Whatever the dream is, we start with one question: "How do we make this happen?"
Because when you OWN THE FIRE™, settling for "good enough" isn't in your vocabulary.
Why This Story Matters
I'm sharing this story because I want you to understand what NY BBQ Guys really is. We're not a company that started with a business plan and market research. We're not trying to scale up and become the next big BBQ brand.
We're a group of people who fell in love with fire, steel, and the craft of building things that actually work. We're connected to South American artisans who still forge tools by hand. We're focused on solving real problems for people who care about doing BBQ right.
This is about authenticity over appearance. Craft over convenience. Building relationships over building sales.
And most importantly, this is about the OWN THE FIRE™ movement - recognizing that after years, maybe decades, of dedication to the craft, you've earned the right to declare your mastery. You don't just cook with fire anymore. You OWN THE FIRE™.
What's Next for NY BBQ Guys
The journey that started with my dream smoker continues to evolve. We're still building custom equipment for people who have specific visions. We're still sourcing authentic tools from our South American connections. We're still a couple of NY guys who happen to have access to some incredible BBQ resources.
But we're also expanding how we share this knowledge. Through NY Fire & Steel Academy, we're teaching the techniques we've learned from Argentine and Brazilian masters. We're sharing the professional chef insights earned through 25 years in high-end restaurant kitchens. Through our custom builds, we're solving equipment problems for serious pitmasters across the Northeast and beyond.
And now, the OWN THE FIRE™ movement is growing. It's a recognition that there's a difference between weekend grillers and those who've dedicated their lives to mastering the flame. It's gear forged for fire owners. It's a philosophy that says after 40 years at the flame, it's time to claim your dominance.
The core mission remains the same: if you can dream it, we can build it.
Whether that's a piece of custom equipment, sourcing a specific tool, connecting you with fire-forged techniques, or joining the OWN THE FIRE™ movement, we're here to make it happen.
Ready to Build Your Dream BBQ Setup?
The same obsession that drove me to build my perfect smoker drives everything we do at NY BBQ Guys. If you have a vision for your BBQ setup - whether it's custom equipment, authentic tools, or learning professional-grade techniques that go beyond the basics - let's talk.
This isn't about selling you something we already have. This is about understanding what you actually need and figuring out how to make it happen. Because when you OWN THE FIRE™, you deserve equipment and knowledge that matches your mastery.
[CONTACT US FOR YOUR CUSTOM BUILD CONSULTATION →]
Or if you want to learn the fire-forged techniques that changed my entire approach to BBQ, explore what we're teaching through NY Fire & Steel Academy - where the OWN THE FIRE™ philosophy comes to life.
[EXPLORE NY FIRE & STEEL ACADEMY →]
Ready to join the OWN THE FIRE™ movement? After years at the flame, it's time to declare your dominance.
Mike Riddle is the founder of NY BBQ Guys and creator of NY Fire & Steel Academy. His journey from searching for the perfect smoker to building custom equipment and sourcing authentic South American tools has made NY BBQ Guys a unique resource for serious pitmasters who want equipment and knowledge forged in professional fire.
"We take the ordinary and turn it into extraordinary." - NY BBQ Guys
OWN THE FIRE™ - After 40 years at the flame, it's time to claim your dominance.