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BRITISH BARBEQUERS GET A GRILLING: BRITS DEEMED AMONGST WORST IN WORLD

• Global research by Aldi reveals best and worst BBQing countries, with UK perceived amongst the worst
• A third of international respondents slam UK barbequers for being ‘unskilled’ while others believe Brits grill classics like fish & chips and roast dinners in the rain
• Aldi has teamed up with celebrity chefs Judy Joo and Mike Reid to launch Raising The Barbeque to help inspire Brits to become gourmet grillers this summer

The UK has been voted one of the worst BBQ nations in the world, coming ninth out of ten, in new global research.

The study by supermarket Aldi found that among 3,500 people across the globe, 15% think Brits cook fish and chips on the BBQ – while 1 in 10 believe the Great British Sunday Roast is a regular feature on UK barbies.

The research also reveals:

• 40% of those surveyed in Portugal believe Brits lack skill at the grill and 1 in 10 say UK BBQs are ‘boring’
• A quarter of respondents from ‘King of the Grill’ USA, which came top in the ranking, believe the Great British BBQ consists of burgers and sausages only, and 1 in 10 said they would decline an invitation to a British barbeque if they received one
• Down Under, a third of Australians believe the British wet weather dampens barbequers’ chances to become at all skilled in the art of grilling, and 1 in 10 believe that when Brits do get a chance, they embarrassingly incinerate their food
• The USA and Australia both claim they boss the BBQ feasting on an average of six different grilled goodies each time (10% of Aussies cook more than15), boasting an impressive repertoire of exotic treats such as alligator, kangaroo and rabbit

When it comes to Brits’ barbeque blunders:

• 1 in 4 admit they lack basic knowledge such as knowing how to  fire up the barbie – while almost half (48%) say they regularly burn food
• A fifth confess they lack confidence when it comes to barbequing, which sees some preferring to cook food in the oven and simply ‘finishing’ the job on the barbeque.
• Others confess they use the microwave to avoid serving up undercooked food – a reality for one in five
• Speciality diets also cause angst; 47% of Brits lack confidence in catering for vegans, while 36% are unsure of how to accommodate coeliacs.

However, things are set to sizzle in the UK – following a fired up summer in 2020, during which 40% more barbeque meals were enjoyed than in 2019[i]. 47% have pimped up – or plan to pimp up – outdoor spaces ahead of events such as the Euros and Olympics, and the easing of lockdown – and a third claim they plan to have a barbeque every time it’s sunny. What’s more, a third of Brits claim they would like to develop a license to grill by becoming more adventurous.

The research results are behind Aldi teaming up with celebrity chefs Judy Joo and Mike Reid, to launch Raising The Barbeque, a new summer-long campaign to help turn Brits from pit-iful grillers to gourmet barbeque masters this summer.

Julie Ashfield, Managing Director of Buying at Aldi UK, said: “The UK is known and respected worldwide for our gastro culinary skills, but when it comes to barbequing, there is a little work to be done reputation-wise.

“We’ve launched Raising The Barbeque to help Brits up their grill game, with the help of Judy Joo and Mike Reid who are both passionate and experienced in the subject of barbequing.

“We hope that together, we can inspire a nation of gourmet grillers with expert hints, tips and recipe ideas that help redefine the British barbeque as one of the world’s best.”

Judy is a TV chef and barbeque extraordinaire, taking influence from the world-renowned grills of America and Korea. Whilst Mike appears on Ready Steady Cook and is culinary director of Gaucho, one of the country’s most coveted steakhouses inspired by the asados of Argentina.

Judy Joo, Celebrity Chef and Restaurateur, added: “As a Korean-American Londoner, barbequing has always been a big influence in my cooking. Whether it’s experimenting with flavours and flames for one of my restaurants or enjoying ‘Umma’s Dak Gogi’, or Mom’s BBQ Chicken, at a family barbeque, the method of cooking has inspired many dishes of mine.  

“With my easy to follow recipes with influence from around the world, plus hints and tips to become a barbeque pro, I want to show that producing fine dining dishes on the grill doesn’t have to be complicated. In fact, it can be quite simple.” 

Aldi’s Raising The Barbeque hub offers recipes, hints and tips, as well as drinks inspiration for the ultimate British barbeque. Shoppers looking to up their grill skills should head to www.aldi.co.uk/summer-bbq to find out more.

-ENDS-

For further information, images or to request a sample, please contact the Aldi press team on: alditeam@clarioncomms.co.uk

020 7479 0910

www.facebook.com/AldiUK

www.twitter.com/AldiUK

www.instagram.com/AldiUk

Please contact the Aldi team at Clarion to confirm product details and availability prior to print.

Notes to editors:

Mortar Research polled 3,500 respondents on the 9^th April 2021 as part of Aldi’s barbeque study.

Countries surveyed included the USA, Australia, Portugal and the UK.

[i] https://www.thegrocer.co.uk/footer-navigation/focus-on-barbecue-27-march/653560.article