Mike Riddle | Executive Chef & Founder of OWN THE FIRE® | Our Story

OUR STORY

Mike Riddle: Executive Chef, Founder of OWN THE FIRE®

Where fire meets steel, legends are forged

The Beginning

I didn't grow up with a silver spoon. I grew up in restaurants. They were in my family, in my bloodline. I was in them before I knew what to call them.

I washed dishes early. Worked every position, front and back. Watched the line cooks and felt the heat, the rhythm, the fire. That kitchen was my first classroom, teaching me that excellence isn't given. It's forged.

I went to culinary school. Then at 20, I packed up and moved to New York, working my way up to Executive Chef at a high-end Italian restaurant that did everything from scratch.

"That kitchen was my first forge. Every burn, every rush, every lesson hammered into steel."
Mike Riddle, Executive Chef and Founder of OWN THE FIRE®

The Climb

I rose through the ranks in NYC kitchens, learning the hard lessons, and sharpening not just my knives but my skills, my taste, and my fire. 20+ years in professional kitchens taught me what it means to forge every skill you earn.

I was on the verge of buying a restaurant of my own. The property fell through. I pivoted into promotional marketing, a career that has now spanned over 25 years. Today, I'm a Regional Sales Manager and Vice President of Promotional Marketing, managing national accounts and building brands with the same obsession I brought to the kitchen.

This combination of Executive Chef experience and professional marketing expertise is what lets me build empires, not just content. The lessons from those kitchens never left me. The attention to detail. The commitment to quality. The understanding that tools matter when the stakes are high.

Then the climb reached its peak. My first five posts on Reddit all hit #1 on r/BBQ, reaching 1.7 million people combined. No paid promotion. No celebrity backing. Just decades of earned expertise meeting a community hungry for real knowledge.

The climb never stops, but the view from here is extraordinary.

Mike Riddle, Reddit Top 1% creator, 1.7M+ views on r/BBQ

The Obsession

What started as a love for live-fire cooking has become a full-blown obsession. OWN THE FIRE® - A Culinary Experience by Mike Riddle isn't just a brand. It's the forge where ordinary cooks become extraordinary masters.

From Brazilian-sourced knives to custom-built grills, every product we create is something I personally select, test, and stake my reputation on. This line is made for those who understand that mastery isn't given. It's forged in fire and shaped by steel.

But products are just tools. What I realized is that people don't need more gadgets. They need transformation. They need someone who's been through the fire to show them the way.

"1.7 million+ Reddit views proved I wasn't alone in this obsession. There's an army of fire lovers ready to forge their legacy."
Mike Riddle, Founder of OWN THE FIRE® A Culinary Experience
Our Story - OWN THE FIRE™ - A Culinary Experience by Mike Riddle

OUR STORY

Mike Riddle: Executive Chef • Marketing VP • Culinary Forge Master

Where fire meets steel, legends are forged

The Beginning

Mike Riddle didn't grow up with a silver spoon or a trust fund. I started in the back of a pizzeria — 16 years old, broke, and elbow-deep in dishes. But even then, I knew I wanted more.

I watched the line cooks and felt the heat. The rhythm. The fire. That kitchen was my first classroom, teaching me that excellence isn't given — it's forged.

As a classically trained chef who earned every skill through professional fire, Mike Riddle learned that shortcuts don't exist in real kitchens. I earned my stripes the old-school way: sweating in hot kitchens, going to culinary school, and moving to New York City with nothing but a chef's coat and some grit.

I packed up and moved to New York at 20, working my way up to Executive Chef at a high-end Italian restaurant that did everything from scratch.

"That kitchen was my first forge. Every burn, every rush, every lesson hammered into steel."
Mike Riddle Chef - Executive Chef

The Climb

Mike Riddle rose through the ranks in NYC kitchens, learning the hard lessons, and sharpening not just his knives — but his skills, his taste, and his fire. His executive chef experience taught him what it means to forge every skill you earn.

When a restaurant purchase fell through, I pivoted into promotional marketing — a career that has now spanned over 25 years. Today, I'm a Regional Sales Manager and Vice President of Promotional Marketing, managing national accounts and building brands with the same obsession I brought to the kitchen.

This unique combination of executive chef experience and professional marketing expertise allows me to build empires, not just content. The lessons from those kitchens never left me — the attention to detail, the commitment to quality, the understanding that tools matter when the stakes are high.

Then the climb reached its peak: my first five posts on Reddit all hit #1 on r/BBQ, reaching 1.7 million people combined. No paid promotion. No celebrity backing. Just decades of earned expertise meeting a community hungry for real knowledge.

The same principles that earned Michelin consideration in professional kitchens now earn community validation at scale. The climb never stops, but the view from here is extraordinary.

Reddit Success - Back-to-Back #1 Posts

Fire Changed Everything

"Out here, it's not about stainless steel or Michelin stars. It's about wood, steel, heat, and heart. But it wasn't until I stepped outside the kitchen — and into the smoke — that I discovered what I was really meant to forge."

The Obsession

What started as a love for live-fire cooking has become a full-blown obsession. OWN THE FIRE™ - A Culinary Experience by Mike Riddle isn't just a brand — it's the forge where ordinary cooks become extraordinary masters.

From Brazilian-sourced knives to custom-built grills, every product we create is something I personally select, test, and stake my reputation on. This line is made for those who understand that mastery isn't given — it's forged in fire and shaped by steel.

But products are just tools. What I realized is that people don't need more gadgets — they need transformation. They need someone who's been through the fire to show them the way.

"1.7 million+ Reddit views proved I wasn't alone in this obsession. There's an army of fire lovers ready to forge their legacy."
Mike Riddle - Own The Fire Culinary Experience

The Member Vault

Twenty years in professional New York kitchens. Every technique earned under pressure. Every recipe forged in real fire. Now available for one single payment.

80+
Professional Recipes
8
Complete Categories
1.7M+
People Reached
Top 1%
r/BBQ & r/cooking

This isn't a recipe collection. It is a complete culinary education built by someone who spent two decades behind the line in kitchens that did not tolerate mediocrity. Live fire, Argentine asado, cured meats, whole animal technique, soups, sauces, rubs, and desserts. Everything in one place. No subscription. No expiration. Yours permanently.

$29.95
One-time payment
No subscription
No recurring charges
New recipes added monthly
Unlock The Vault See Free Recipes First

Mike Riddle Forges What He Teaches

Every technique, every tool, every lesson comes straight from my journey — dishwasher to executive chef to marketing VP to culinary forge master.

Battle-Tested Methods

These aren't YouTube theories or forum folklore. Every technique was forged in professional kitchens where failure meant closure, then refined over thousands of cooks.

Fire-Forged Equipment

Each knife, each tool, each piece of gear is personally selected from Brazilian craftsmen, tested in my own pit, and proven worthy before it ever reaches yours.

Steel-Grade Standards

No celebrity endorsements. No shortcuts. Just 25 years of burns turned into blueprints, lessons forged into legacy, and ordinary cooks transformed into culinary masters.

"Most people spend years hoping to get better. You're about to spend months becoming unstoppable."

THIS IS WHERE YOUR LEGACY BEGINS

Enter The Vault

Built for Real People. Loved by Real Cooks.

Real Reviews • Real Results • Real Fire
Verified Facebook Review
" I recently purchased a leather apron from Own The Fire and I absolutely love it. It's easy to tell by the look and feel that all the products at Own The Fire are super high quality and hand crafted. Mike knows his way around the kitchen, BBQ pit, and open fire. His knowledge and passion shine through his content and the products he develops.
ZT
Zack of All Trades
Artisan Leather Apron Customer
Verified Facebook Review
" Mike is an excellent teacher when it comes to learning the techniques and tricks of cooking. There's lots of information out there — this is the next level.
JS
Jonathan Steffany
Verified Facebook Review
Verified Facebook Review
" Own The Fire has changed my BBQ experience. I am confident and willing to take risks when I cook. The step-by-step instructions is exactly what I need in order to build my skills in front of the grill. So straight forward. I'm ready to host in my own backyard. Get involved and see what you can do with the guidance of Own The Fire.
PW
Poppy Winters
Verified Member
Verified Facebook Review
" I don't usually leave reviews, but I had to drop a note after getting my gear from Own The Fire. Picked up a gold knife, silver knife, the tongs, forks, and bear claws — and every single piece feels like it was made to last a lifetime. The knives are razor-sharp and balanced beautifully. This is the kind of gear that makes you look forward to firing up the pit.
DD
David D.
Premium Tool Collection Customer
Verified Customer Review
" Just got my custom knife from Own The Fire and I'm seriously impressed. This thing is a beast — razor sharp, perfectly balanced, and built like a tank. I've used a lot of knives over the years, but nothing comes close to this. Used it last night on a brisket and it sliced through like butter. Worth every penny.
AC
Anthony C.
Custom Brazilian Knife Customer
Verified Customer Review
" I love my Santa Maria style cooker from Own The Fire! Mike and the team are wonderful people and extremely down to earth. They treated me like we were old friends. If you like supporting small businesses and appreciate craftsmanship, these are the people you want building your new grill or completely custom dream smoker.
JN
Jen N.
Custom Santa Maria Grill Customer
Verified Facebook Review
" Been using these knives for a bit now and honestly, they're solid. Super sharp, feel good in the hand, and make prep way easier. Didn't think I'd care that much, but now I use 'em every cook. Definitely a step up from the cheap ones I had before.
SC
Scott C.
Brazilian Knife Customer

WEAPON ARSENAL

Built for Battle • Forged for Fire • Designed to Dominate
BEAST MODE

Custom 250 Reverse Flow Smoker

w/ Insulated Firebox

Built for serious pitmasters. Featuring even heat distribution, double-walled heat retention, and ¼-inch steel construction, it delivers clean burns, rich smoke, and all-day control. With custom details and an optional trailer mount, it's made to perform—whether you're catering, competing, or cooking for a crowd.

FIRE BEAST

66" x 30" Santa Maria Grill

Where power meets precision.

This oversized beast gives you full control over live-fire cooking with a hand-crank system that raises and lowers the grates over open flame. Built from heavy-gauge steel and designed to handle anything from whole primal cuts to rows of ribs, it's the ultimate weapon for bold, open-air grilling.

TANK

Weber Summit Kamado

Precision meets primal. Built like a tank. Cooks like a dream.

This isn't your average backyard egg — it's a double-walled, insulated steel beast that locks in heat and airflow with surgical precision. From low-and-slow smoking to steakhouse-level searing, the Summit delivers flawless control, faster heat-up times, and rock-steady temps without the ceramic fuss. Once you fire it up, there's no going back.

POWERHOUSE

Weber Summit 6-Burner Gas Grill

Professional-grade firepower. Built to feed a crowd.

This is your outdoor kitchen powerhouse — six high-performance burners, dedicated sear zone, rear infrared rotisserie, and a built-in smoker box for that extra layer of flavor. With massive grilling real estate and precise heat control across the board, the Summit turns backyard cooking into a full-on production. Whether it's 2 steaks or 20, this rig handles it with ease.

COMMAND CENTER

Custom 55x30 BBQ Table

w/ Built-In Gas Grill - Function meets firepower.

This handcrafted BBQ table is more than a prep station — it's a full-service command center. With a built-in 2-burner gas grill seamlessly integrated into a 55" x 30" butcher block surface, you get instant heat, rock-solid workspace, and the freedom to sear, sauté, or smoke without leaving the station. Steel frame. Clean lines. Built to cook and built to last.

AUTHENTIC

Brazilian & Hand-Forged Tool Collection

Hand-forged tradition. Live-fire precision.

This collection brings together the raw craftsmanship of Brazil's finest bladesmiths and the power of purpose-built BBQ gear. Each piece — from full-tang knives to forged tongs, skewers, and carving tools — is made for fire-first cooking. Built by hand. Backed by steel. Designed to dominate the flame with authenticity and style.