Hunter Gatherer

The Great British BBQ. A thing we Brits champion, the charred sausages, still-beating burgers and cremated buns, but it doesn’t have to be this way! Hunter Gatherer Cooking creator Alex Russon invites us to delve into his world of 
wild cooking.

“If you’re going to eat meat, eat good meat. Yes, you might have to spend a bit more for the quality, but it’s so worth it!”

After weeks of rescheduling due to the ever-changing British weather (it’s our fault, we mentioned the B B Q word..) we finally meet Alex, a Recruitment Consultant by day and fire-starting wild cooker by night, on a fine summer’s day. We convene at Sutton Ridge Vineyard, a simply stunning spot overlooking Blagdon Lake, not too far from Chew Valley. And whilst the backdrop is nothing short of breathtaking, we can’t help but be distracted by the waft of freshly brewed coffee and sausages waiting for us on the open fire; he’s cooked us breakfast. We sit down to learn more about Alex’s recipe for success and pull to the great outdoors.

“My main job means I’m based in the city most of the week, so getting out to places like this is a perfect escape for me,” Alex explains, as we dig into freshly baked bacon baps. So where did it all start?

“I was introduced to “proper BBQ’ing” about three years ago in my back garden, I had been given a gas BBQ for my 30th and had read that you could smoke on a gas BBQ, it could actually be done, and once I got started I found myself looking for the next challenge. I started getting up at 5am and doing some little low and slows which just created the most tender, delicious BBQ dishes. I then acquired a water smoker, which led to an offset smoker, and I just lost almost all the love for cooking indoors. There’s just something about being out in nature, around a fire and cooking your own food, you can’t beat it!” adds Alex.

With our unexpected breakfast polished off, Alex explains more about his wild cooking movement.

“Of course gas is easier to use, quicker and less “messy”, and we’ve become a society of fast living, so convenience is king. But charcoal is dirty, it’s fun, there’s more flavour, it’s visually better, and it sounds better. For me, that’s the smell of BBQ. Charcoal producers in the UK have really stepped up their game with both their products and with giving more back to the environment. A supplier I use plant trees for every item purchased, for example. Sustainability and animal welfare is also a huge part of what I’m about, being able to understand where food comes from and being educated about that is extremely important.”

As Alex starts mixing up a delicious batch of yoghurt dressing to dollop onto what is promising to be a more than adequate main to our full meat brekkie, he explains more.

“If you’re going to eat meat, eat good meat. Yes, you might have to spend a bit more for the quality, but it’s so worth it! I started to branch out and search for decent local farm shops and high-quality food suppliers and producers. For me, it’s not about not using supermarkets, it’s about supporting local businesses where possible. I would just love to get their food into people’s mouths, and if I’m able to do that on such a visual platform as Instagram to my following, that’s great! The people who run these local businesses are incredible, they put their heart and soul into what they do, and I like to think that what I’m doing marries up with their ethos. Look at how we used butchers, bakeries and other amazing small local businesses during lockdown! Most of the businesses flourished because people wanted to get back to shopping locally. There’s a certain standard in quality of meat and animal welfare that they hold that I think people are more aware of now.”

"The people who run these local businesses are incredible, they put their heart and soul into what they do, and I like to think that what I’m doing marries up with their ethos."

Watching Alex prepare each dish is not only mouth-watering, but visually mesmerising. It’s clear to see that this is a real passion for him, and as he sprinkles cracked black pepper over a giant Tomahawk, Salt Bae style, the Boardwalk Marketing Team let out a chorus of inaudible groans.

“I was bored of the traditional cuts we use like rib eyes and sirloins for example. It got me thinking, ok, what else can we use here? There are so many cuts that people might not traditionally go for when BBQ’ing, like lamb neck fillets which go beautifully with Padron peppers on a kebab skewer and slightly blackened, delicious! One of my favourite things to cook is a big piece of red meat, there’s something hypnotic about a big slab of meat. Cooking that directly on the coals gives it this amazing rustic finish and top that with some butter, garlic and herbs (I make my own butter candles), you just can’t go wrong! I do also love cooking fish though, a bit of rainbow trout with some lemon and salt is just perfect in the summertime!”

Dishes polished off and bellies full, we all gaze out towards the gorgeous green scenery and Alex explains why Bristol works so perfectly for what he offers.

“Bristol has such an incredible food network of these amazing restaurants, chefs, hotels, and bloggers, and I found just by talking to people you can learn so much and they are so open to supporting and collaborating in any way that they can. And BBQing really does allow for that more social side of networking. The British BBQ scene is on the increase and at times I think we do it better than the Americans, I think we are certainly more versatile and adventurous! There’s a magnetism towards fire, the old caveman’s TV, so there’s definitely something to being outside and getting back to nature. All I’m trying to do is have some fun with cooking, in the great outdoors in some breathtaking spots across the South West whilst learning along the way. Anywhere with a decent backdrop, that’s what I’m looking for, and this vineyard has almost everything, rolling green hills, a tranquil lake and a waterfall just down the road. Eating outside is all about enhancing the food experience. Good food, good location, good company.”