The Weber name is inextricably tied to backyard barbecues, but that wasn’t always the case. In 1952, fed up with ruined meals, George Stephen set out to make a better grill. At the time, the popular design was an open charcoal brazier. The appliance was composed of a metal box or tray to hold the coals with a grid iron resting above. But the open-top design of these devices left the meat vulnerable to weather. Big winds could kick up ash or set the precious meat ablaze, and rain would fill the grills with water. Even worse, backyard chefs had to breathe in the excessive smoke from the grill top and the meat rarely had an even cook.
George Stephen returned to Weber Brothers Metal Works (which his father ran) in 1958, after several successful years of selling his grill. He scraped up enough money to buy out his father’s] partner and changed the company name to Weber-Stephen—keeping the “Weber” name in case the barbecue venture went up in flames. And the rest, as they say, is history.
I’ve been a summertime griller for years and settled on charcoal as my favorite cooking fuel. A few years ago I was caught drooling in my local hardware store over Weber’s new kettle grills, eventually getting one as a birthday present. And so it began with my new Weber Performer…
I’ll be adding to this page soon…stop by again!
Bruce McClure, Certified Interior Decorator 