Meat cooking over glowing coals with smoke drifting across the grill

The Journal

Notes from
four thousand backyards.

What our chefs have learned about fire, food and feeding twenty people in a garden.

A stacked onion volcano throwing a jet of flame on the flat-top The Show

July 29, 2026 · 4 min read

Anatomy of an onion volcano

Every chef builds it differently. We asked six of ours to explain the stack, the timing, and why it still gets a gasp after four thousand parties.

Someone in an apron laying black plates along a long linen-covered outdoor table Hosting

July 21, 2026 · 5 min read

How to lay a backyard table for twenty

The seating plan our chefs quietly wish every host used — where to put the table, how far it should sit from the grill, and which seats actually get the show.