Can You Cook on a Gas Fire Pit or Fire Table?
It's one of the first questions people ask about a fire feature: can I cook on it? For a gas fire table, bowl or pit like the ones we make at Prime, the honest answer is no — and that's by design. Here's why, and how to think about cooking outdoors alongside a fire feature built for ambience.
Why you shouldn't cook on a gas fire feature
A Prime piece is a precision object, hand-cast in glass-fibre reinforced concrete (GFRC) around a clean-burning gas burner. It's engineered to do one thing beautifully: produce a steady, sculptural flame for warmth and atmosphere. Cooking works against all of that:
- Grease and food damage the burner. Drips clog the ports that keep the flame even, and the residue is difficult to clean out of a gas burner designed for fuel, not food.
- Staining the GFRC. Oils and char can mark the hand-applied finish — the very thing that makes the piece look architectural rather than utilitarian.
- It's not a controlled cooking surface. Gas fire features are built for ambience, not for the heat zones and food-safe surfaces real outdoor cooking needs.
In other words, the same things that make a Prime fire table a refined centrepiece are the reasons it isn't a grill.
The better way to think about it
A fire feature and an outdoor kitchen do different jobs. Let your fire table or fire bowl be the place people gather, talk and unwind — and keep cooking to equipment designed for it. The two complement each other: prep and grill at the kitchen, then move everyone to the fire for the part of the evening that lingers.
Caring for the flame
To keep your piece looking and performing its best:
- Keep food, grease and lighter fluid away from the burner.
- Use a fitted cover when the piece isn't in use, especially through heavy weather.
- Have any gas-line connection handled by a qualified professional.
Want a piece that becomes the natural heart of your evenings outside? Explore the collection, or take our 2-minute fit finder to find the Prime fire feature that suits your space.
