The ‘Godfather of Fire’ | Francis Mallmann at Horizontal Festival
There are people who cook over fire, and then there’s Francis Mallmann.
The Argentine chef has spent more than four decades building a reputation as the world’s foremost live-fire cook. Seven restaurants. Three continents. A James Beard Award. A Netflix special. And a philosophy that treats fire not as a technique, but as a way of living.
This October, he comes to Australia’s east coast for the first time in fifteen years. And the Bowral Southern Highlands will be the place he lights the match.
Horizontal Festival, Centennial Vineyards
Horizontal Festival returns to Centennial Vineyards in Bowral across the October long weekend, 2 to 4 October 2026. It is part food and wine festival, part cultural event, and part curated sensory experience in one of NSW’s most beautiful regional destinations.
The program spans live music, chef demonstrations, wine tasting, producers’ markets and intimate cooking workshops. Francis Mallmann headlines it all.
We’re proud to be part of it. Smokin’ Gauchos will be on the ground, with our equipment at the heart of the fire cooking activation across the weekend.
🔥 Fire Cooking Workshops — Our Food Stories
Friday 2, Saturday 3 & Sunday 4 October | Centennial Vineyards, Bowral
This is the most intimate access you will get to Francis Mallmann anywhere in Australia. Small-group, hands-on workshops centred around fire. Not a stage demonstration. Not a masterclass from a distance. Francis cooks, you gather close, and the food comes slowly from the coals.
These workshops are ticketed separately and sessions across all three days are available. If you want to understand how fire actually works as a cooking tool, this is where you learn it from the best in the world.
Book Your Francis Mallmann Workshop Ticket
🍷 Maldon Salt Culinary Stage
Saturday 3 October | Festival Hub, Centennial Vineyards, Bowral
The Culinary Stage is included with your Festival Hub entry pass. Francis will cook a 30-minute live demonstration alongside some of Australia’s finest chefs: Matt Moran, Mindy Woods, Mark Best, and Simon Evans. Free with your session ticket and a great way to experience the full weekend beyond the workshops.
Get Your Festival Hub Session Ticket
🥩 Fiesta del Fuego — Osborn House
Monday 5 October | Osborn House, Bundanoon | Waitlist only
The festival extends into Monday with Fiesta del Fuego at Osborn House in Bundanoon. A multi-course Argentine-inspired feast, live fire from start to finish, wine pairings, cocktails on arrival, and live music. Francis hosts. This one is waitlist only now, but it is worth getting your name on the list.
Those who follow us will know Osborn House well. Our equipment is already part of that kitchen. It’s a special place for a very special lunch.
Join the Fiesta del Fuego Waitlist
Why This Matters to Us
We’ve spent years building equipment that belongs around a fire like this. Our La Parrilla and Little Hell will be on-site at the Francis Mallmann workshops all weekend, doing exactly what they were made for.
Watching the world’s greatest live-fire cook work over equipment we built is not something you take lightly. For us, this partnership with Horizontal Festival is about more than brand presence. It is a chance to put our work in context, alongside someone who has given his life to this craft.
We’ll be there on Sunday. Come and say hello.