Throughout the world, various cultures engage in a social custom that entails some form of outdoor cooking. Nowhere is such activity more proudly celebrated than in South Africa, however, where the word "braai", meaning "barbeque", has become synonymous with summer. During the warm months, the weekend braai can almost be considered the national pastime as the air is filled with the smell of sizzling steaks, boerewors (sausages), chops and sosaties (kebabs).

The word "braai" is used as a verb when describing the act of cooking the food on an open fire and serves as a noun when referring to the cooking equipment – usually a grill. Traditionally, a braai consists of a gathering of friends or family around an outdoor grill over a fire fuelled either by wood or charcoal. Various types and cuts of meat are then cooked over the fire and served with a variety of salads and other side dishes.

These days, there is also a variety of gas braais or barbeques available to choose from, including built-in gas barbeques and mobile ones, LPG (liquid propane gas) and NG (natural gas) ones, open grill style and lidded kettle style barbeques. With so many options, it is possible to cook virtually anything on a barbeque, in any number of different ways. You can braai, bake, grill, roast, boil, stew or fry your food – your options are limited only by your imagination.

A modern gas barbeque is basically an outdoor kitchen that allows you the freedom to enjoy the company of your guests while you cook. Many can accommodate optional extras such as smoker boxes griddle plates, cast iron casseroles dishes and braai pans. A gas barbeque is reliable and easy to use, cooks your food faster and generally doesn’t make as much smoke as a wood or charcoal fire does – smoke that would otherwise have drifted into your house and seeped into your clothes, curtains and furniture.

Syam is a manufacturer and distributor of precision-crafted, state-of-the-art steel products, including a premium range of built-in and mobile gas barbeques. Our Cuisine built-in barbeque units come standard with a back burner fitted with flame failure, double layered cooker dome and rotisserie kit. All units are operable off either a 9kg (minimum) LPG cylinder or a new gas installation certified by a QCC gas installer. A mobile unit can also be run on natural gas but must then be operated as a fixed installation, not a mobile barbeque.