Some 42 years after the iconic Weber Kettle was introduced into Aussie homes, the barbecue leaders have unveiled the country’s first Grill Academy, right where it all began.
In 1978, Adelaide man Ross McDonald began selling the Chicago-born kettle barbecues in Australia.
Despite Weber having unsuccessfully tried to launch the brand here prior, McDonald found great success introducing the nation to lid-down cooking and now the brand is synonymous with Aussie summer barbecuing.
Fast-forward four decades and Weber Barbecues Australia has announced another first for the country, the opening of the $1.5 million Grill Academy, located in Adelaide’s Rose Park.
Michael McDonald, managing director at Weber Australia and NZ, said the Weber Grill Academy has been part of the company’s vision for some time.
“We just needed the perfect site and were fortunate enough to find it at 142 Fullarton Road in a space that was conveniently able to also accommodate our national head office,” he said.
“The Grill Academy is the perfect extension to our brand – it enables the guest to enjoy an entirely new level of interactivity with Weber.”
But this isn’t just for locals and barbecue enthusiasts, the venue offers a range of interactive group experiences and spaces for private corporate events, including a large 120-square-metre all-weather balcony complete with the full range of Weber barbecues.
An adjacent indoor space offers a full bar and catering facilities plus audio visual equipment, and can be closed off for visual presentations or meetings.
Former MasterChef Australia contestant Adam Mizzi heads up the academy as manager, after achieving more than 1,000 barbecue hours with Weber.
The ‘Hands on Tongs’ corporate experiences run for about three to four hours and include an interactive barbecue and dining experience with one the venue’s grill specialists.
Jakki Govan from Clockwise Consulting representing Weber Grill Academy said interest is already high for corporate groups.
“Already, a number of bookings for groups from 12-90 have been secured and given the agility of the venue’s offering, each event remains quite unique for hosts and their guests,” she said.
