The man in the fog

Meeting Adam, the Aussie Smoker

Words by Martyn Odell aka The Lagom Chef

If you’ve read any of my other articles, you’ll know that every great foodie relationship in my life has started with saying yes to something. This is no exception.

I was travelling around Cornwall with the family, carefully delaying my social media posts so as not to be mobbed by the three fans I have down here when Adam the Aussie Smoker bypassed all the fan-girling and sent me a voice note that simply said: “Come and see us and have some food YEEEEEEW.” I didn’t know much about what he was doing, but I love Aussies, so I left the family behind and pointed the car towards his shed underneath an aqueduct just outside Falmouth.

It felt very much like I was driving into a horror film. It was pelting down with rain, the road went from small Cornish road to no-road Cornish road, and my brain started running through the catalogue: Wolf Creek. Wrong Turn. The Hills Have Eyes. Then, out of the fog, I saw him: the man, the myth, the legend. Adam. Gumboots on, smiling and waving in that classically excitable Aussie way. The next hour was spent laughing, eating and smelling every piece of his cooking kit.

I love anything smoked, so I was absolutely in my element. He served me a slow-cooked smoked pork belly focaccia with honey mustard mayo; it was unreal. Jordan, who worked for Adam, had baked the focaccia the night before. In that hour, I ate everything he put in front of me: ribs, pulled pork, smoked butter, smoked parmesan, rubs, sauces – every single thing left me wanting more.

This wasn’t a man doing this as a hobby. Adam is an absolute wizard with the smokers and BBQs. And it turned out to be the moody fog I’d been driving through! That was smoke from local Cornish oak, slowly smouldering a pork belly for a wedding that weekend. Adam had basically written the script.

I probably should have introduced him earlier, so here we go. Adam the Aussie Smoker, or Chief Pitmaster as he prefers to be known, has over four decades of BBQing experience from Western Australia. He’s been doing external catering for weddings, parties and events, as well as supplying his smoked goods to other caterers. When I posted that I’d been to visit him, I was flooded with messages and photos from people sharing stories about how brilliant he’d been at their weddings and events.

Fast forward two years and Adam has moved out of the horror-film shed and taken over a proper space in Penryn, a venue dedicated to bringing people together over great food and a laid-back atmosphere. Renowned for slow-smoked meats, vegan food made for meat eaters, and generous portions, The Aussie Smoker now offers private, fully catered venue hire, ideal for weddings, celebrations, corporate events, or just hanging with your ‘Framily’ (friends that are family). The walls are chalk-painted for the kids to get creative, and he’s even installed low-noise hand dryers in the toilets for sensitive little ears. The man thinks of everything.

I haven’t been to the new space yet, life getting in the way, but I’ve had several video calls with Adam showing it off, and it looks fantastic. I’m a yes man, and even though I briefly thought I might never see my family again at the start of this particular adventure, I left with a friend for life and my passion for smoking everything reignited.

What strikes me most about Adam is that he’s building a community, not just a business. He’s not just servicing his own success; he’s making sure other businesses get to profit from his talent too. That’s rare. That’s the kind of person you want to say yes to.

And one final tip from me: call ahead and make sure Adam is there. You want the full experience. I am sure he will be at every foodie festival this summer, so keep your eyes peeled! Struth. Crikey. Have a great day.

To enquire about venue hire: theaussiesmoker.co.uk/contact. Bookings are essential for lunch services and monthly events: exploretock.com/theaussiesmoker.

LAGOM CHEF
LagomChef
www.lagomchef.com

THE AUSSIE SMOKER
theaussiesmokercatering
8a, Kernick Road Industrial Estate
Penryn
TR10 9EP
www.theaussiesmoker.co.uk