Custom Smoker Builder, Metal Fabricator, and Cook

My background is different from most custom smoker builders. Before becoming a metal fabricator, I was a professional cook and lifelong foodie, deeply involved in traditional cooking, live fire, and food craftsmanship.

Metal fabrication became the answer to a practical problem: I wanted to build cooking devices and smokers that I could not find on the market—tools that were either poorly designed, overpriced, or simply not built correctly. When the right tool didn’t exist, I built it.

A Function-First Approach to Smoker Fabrication

My approach to custom smoker fabrication is dictated entirely by functionality and performance. Every design decision starts with how the smoker cooks, not how it looks.

You will never see compromises that affect performance. There are no grill doors on fireboxes (that’s grilling, not smoking), no steel thinner than ¼-inch plate, and no shortcuts in airflow, heat retention, or fuel efficiency.

Once a smoker performs exactly as it should, only then does design come into play—custom legs, CNC-cut hinges, and refined details that enhance the build without compromising function.

From Italian Cooking to Live-Fire Craft

I am a lifelong maker and tinkerer, born and raised in Italy until the age of 34. My passion for cooking comes from my nonna, a private cook whose experience was rooted in traditional Italian and French cuisine long before “private chef” became a modern term.

At one point in my life, I became fascinated with Argentinian live-fire cooking and the discipline behind it. That curiosity led me to build my first Argentinian grill—and I never stopped. Soon came my first offset smoker, followed by an outdoor kitchen with a built-in griddle, and eventually fully custom smokers designed for serious cooks.

Culinary Experience That Shapes Every Build

Professional Cooking Background

I bring decades of hands-on culinary experience into every build, including years of pizza making, traditional Italian cuisine, smoked meats, barbecue, and live-fire cooking.

Charcuterie, Teaching, and Consulting

I am a trained charcutier and have worked as a cooking instructor and consultant for the food industry. This dual background—professional cooking and metal fabrication—is what defines every smoker I build. These are tools designed by someone who actually cooks on them.

Follow My Work

You can follow my ongoing builds, cooking projects, and live-fire work on Instagram: @portlandchef