Conference Winner All Fired Up Over New Crown Verity Grill

Bradley Fisher is the Executive Chef at the Berkshire Country Club in Reading, Pennsylvania. For the past three years, he’s attended the Chef To Chef Conference, an annual event put on by Club & Resort Magazine and sponsored by Crown Verity. The 2016 conference was held recently in San Diego. Fisher considers it a must-attend event for any professional chef who wants to up his or her game.

“It’s a great networking opportunity for executive chefs,” says Fisher. “The education portion, which consists of demonstrations and lectures, is absolutely invaluable to us.” The full two-day conference is capped off with a draw for a Crown Verity grill. Fisher was this year’s winner and he couldn’t be happier. (After talking with him to determine his professional grilling requirements, Brad decided to upgrade his win to a 60-inch model.)

“This is one incredible machine,” he says. “It’s so easy to move. You could tell how well it was made. And I love the locks and the swivel wheels.” What got Fisher even more excited, though, was how the grill was built. “I could tell they’ve really listened to chefs about how to design a commercial grill. They’ve done things no other grill company does”

There were two things that really stood out for Fisher: one was the water tray underneath the burners. “You really need these so you don’t get grill flare up. Crown Verity took this one step further by locking the tray in place and making it so easy to drain.” The second thing that Fisher noticed was lighting the pilot. “The pilot bars come out to the end on each side. You access these easily through small swinging cover doors that also block the wind. It’s so convenient.”

When it came to grilling, Fisher couldn’t believe his eyes. “I’ve never had a grill get up to 800 degrees in a matter of minutes before. This grill hit 1,000 degrees in no time flat.” That quick, high heat means everything to a chef, he says. It makes short work of caramelizing proteins and sugars in meat, meaning the meat cooks fast on the outside but won’t overcook on the inside. Separate heat controls for each burner offer even more options for cooking virtually anything outdoors: think low ‘n slow on one side, hot ‘n fast on the other. Fisher also appreciates the accessories. “I love the bun rack. Crown Verity made it adjustable so you can change the temperature of the food that you’re putting on it.”

His new Crown Verity, says Fisher, has literally opened up his outdoor cooking options. “There are so many applications and possibilities for me.” One of the first things that Fisher cooked on his new Crown Verity grill? Grilled Swordfish with Watermelon & Mango Salsa. He happily shared his recipe with us.