Kamado Professionnel.

What is a professional kamado?

Un kamado professionnel est un barbecue kamado en céramique épaisse, de forme ovoïde, inspiré d’un foyer japonais traditionnel ; le nom « kamado » vient d’ailleurs du japonais et désigne historiquement un type de foyer. Conçu pour un usage intensif en restauration, en hôtellerie ou en événementiel, il offre une excellente isolation thermique, ce qui permet de maintenir une température stable avec une faible consommation de charbon. Sa forme en œuf favorise une circulation de la chaleur régulière et une cuisson uniforme, un point décisif pour les professionnels.

This content is aimed at chefs, gourmet restaurants, private chefs, food trucks, hotels, event organisers and cooking schools who want to choose a kamado suitable for their activity. This type of equipment stands out for its tangible benefits: it allows for searing, smoking, low-temperature cooking or braising in a single device. It also allows for grilling and roasting with the same precision. A pro kamado thus replaces several outdoor appliances and simplifies cooking equipment.

Le contrôle de la température est un autre avantage clé. Il s’effectue via des aérations haute et basse, offrant une précision remarquable après un court temps d’apprentissage. L’étanchéité de la cuve limite les courants d’air inutiles, facilite la maîtrise du feu et aide à conserver l’humidité naturelle des aliments. La perte de poids pendant la cuisson est ainsi mieux maîtrisée. Que vous utilisiez un kamado professionnel en cuisine ou en extérieur, vous bénéficiez d’un outil fiable, performant et polyvalent pour des cuissons précises, rapides et créatives. Vous allez voir ici ce qu’est un kamado professionnel, dans quels usages il excelle, comment le choisir selon votre activité, quels modèles COEO considérer et quels services d’accompagnement peuvent faire la différence.

The uses of a kamado in a professional environment

The pro kamado finds its place in many professional environments. Its versatility and performance make it a tool well suited to both high gastronomy and more mobile or event formats.

Gourmet catering

In a gastronomic context, the kamado allows for perfect control of cooking. You can sear a piece of meat and then immediately switch to slow cooking without changing equipment. Smoking is also integrated, opening the door to unique flavour signatures.

Le restaurant étoilé Les Jardins de l'Opéra à Toulouse utilise le QUATRO M pour ses événements. À Lyon, le restaurant étoilé Saisons (école LYFE, ex Institut Paul Bocuse) utilise également le QUATRO M. Ces établissements illustrent l’intégration du kamado professionnel dans une cuisine d’excellence.

The QUATRO M kamado is now an essential tool for chefs working in varied environments, including the most demanding and constrained kitchens.

Particularly suited to small city centre kitchens, it naturally finds its place in establishments where every centimetre counts. In Montpellier, the restaurant Ripailles perfectly illustrates this use: the QUATRO M is integrated into a compact kitchen, while offering a level of performance worthy of the largest brigades.

Mais son adoption ne s’arrête pas aux contraintes d’espace. Le QUATRO M est également utilisé dans des restaurants gastronomiques, haut de gamme et étoilés, preuve de sa précision et de sa polyvalence. On le retrouve notamment à La Villa La Coste, sous l’impulsion d’Hélène Darroze, aux Terrasses de La Borie avec le chef Florian Chekroun, ainsi qu’au restaurant Saisons à l’Institut LYFE à Lyon.

Hospitality, brunch and event catering

In hospitality and events, the kamado brings a spectacular dimension through the cooking show. It allows cooking in front of clients while showcasing the chef's expertise, and also finds its place on professional terraces for outdoor services.

Un établissement utilise ainsi deux QUATRO Large chaque dimanche pour assurer un brunch d’environ 200 couverts. Le kamado devient un élément central de l’expérience client, combinant performance culinaire et mise en scène.

Le kamado QUATRO Large est aujourd’hui utilisé au quotidien par de nombreux restaurants, qui recherchent à la fois puissance, régularité et polyvalence dans leur outil de cuisson.

It is particularly prominent in specialised establishments such as the meat bars, where mastery of cooking and high temperatures is essential. In Montpellier, some meat bar concepts fully exploit the performance of the QUATRO Large to sear, grill, and smoke with precision over large volumes.

In the high-end hospitality sector, and particularly within Relais & Châteaux, the kamado becomes a central element of brunch and outdoor catering services. The Domaine de Verchant in Montpellier is a concrete example: the QUATRO Large is used during the Sunday brunch to serve a large number of covers while offering a visible and lively culinary experience.

The QUATRO Large can also be found in more casual yet equally demanding contexts, such as the guinguette of the Pullman restaurant in Toulouse, or on the terrace of the Flame, where it becomes a true culinary attraction. The kamado plays a dual role there: a high-performance production tool and a staging support for cooking shows.

Finally, its use is not limited to the outdoors. The QUATRO Large also finds its place indoors, such as at the Les Halles du Verger in Montpellier, where it is integrated into a professional kitchen for daily use.

How to choose your professional kamado?

The choice of a professional kamado depends on several essential technical criteria. The choice of a model depends on the service, the installation environment, and the expected features, with variations in design, materials, and equipment according to needs, for both domestic use and professional settings. An expert approach is essential to ensure an investment suitable for your activity.

Size according to the number of covers

The size of the kamado must be adapted to your service volume: it is first judged by the diameter of the grill, usually expressed in inches or centimetres.

• The QUATRO M (cooking diameter 35 cm) is close to a mini to intermediate size and is suitable for 1 to 4 people. It is ideal for use on a worktop or in a compact kitchen. It is widely adopted by private chefs and food trucks.

• The QUATRO Large (Ø 47 cm) is intended for larger services and is generally suitable for 4 to 6 people; on a large format, you can also cook 12 to 16 steaks or a 7 kg leg of lamb. For example, the Domaine de Verchant uses two QUATRO Large to serve around 200 covers for brunch.

In practice, the larger the format, the greater the production capacity, which facilitates the organisation of service according to the number of portions to be sent.

For a continuous catering activity, it is recommended to oversize your equipment or to use several kamados.

The cooking methods available on a kamado barbecue

A professional kamado allows for four main types of cooking:

• High temperature searing (steaks, fish)

• Low temperature slow cooking, with exceptional heat retention thanks to the ceramic, ideal for cuts like pulled pork

• Stewing (vegetables, casseroles)

• Hot or cold smoking, with the possible addition of wood chips to provide a more pronounced smoky note

Quality natural charcoal is to be preferred: a single load can burn for more than 8 to 12 hours in slow cooking, with consumption often lower than that of a steel barbecue.

It thus replaces several outdoor appliances and is equally effective for hot smoking as for cold smoking.

Temperature management is done via the vents, a system requiring a slight learning curve but offering remarkable precision and excellent heat circulation.

The speed of temperature rise

Speed is a crucial criterion in catering. The QUATRO M reaches over 200°C in less than 10 minutes, a decisive advantage for meeting service constraints. A kamado can also exceed 300 °C in under 15 minutes, ideal for grilling red meats. Thermal control allows for precise adjustment of the heat level, up to 400 °C, to quickly sear meats.

Essential complementary accessories

A professional kamado is used with accessories that multiply its potential:

• Deflectors for indirect cooking

• Specific grills, with an optional more durable stainless steel grill for intensive use

• Pizza stones, useful for cooking Neapolitan-style pizzas on stone in a few minutes

• Smoking accessories

• charcoal basket, practical for better fuel distribution and easier maintenance

These elements are essential to fully exploit the capabilities of your equipment. Also check the compatibility of each accessory according to the chosen model. A basket can also help organise the charcoal area according to the type of cooking. In outdoor cooking, a plancha is an interesting addition to diversify preparations. Finally, a cover protects the device between services, while a stable stand secures its installation.

Why choose a COEO professional kamado?

The QUATRO M and the QUATRO Large, chefs' kamados

COEO kamados are used by many renowned professionals:

• The Gardens of the Opera (Toulouse)

• Saisons (Lyon, LYFE school)

• A private chef in the South of France

• A food truck in the Czech Republic

• Denis Martin (La Belle Vie, starred, QUATRO Large)

• Hélène Darroze (Villa La Coste, QUATRO M)

• Bertrand Dubois (Halls of the Orchard, QUATRO Large)

• Domaine de Verchant (brunch)

Hundreds of professionals have already adopted the QUATRO, proof of its reliability and performance.

A French design in ceramic guaranteed for life, designed for performance

The COEO kamados are designed in France with industrial quality ceramic. This design guarantees:

• Optimal thermal insulation

• Rapid temperature rise

• Precise control

• Charcoal consumption up to 3 times lower than that of a traditional grill thanks to the insulation of the ceramic

• A lifespan of 15 to 20 years for a quality model, without warping or rusting with proper maintenance

• Outdoor use even in negative temperatures, with the ceramic remaining stable and performing

Maintenance remains simple, with about 20 minutes per week for a complete clean, a seal check to be scheduled every 3 to 5 years, regular maintenance of the grates according to their condition, and spare parts often in stock to extend longevity.

These features make the COEO pro kamado a tool perfectly suited to the demands of modern gastronomy, in a category where lifetime guaranteed ceramic also serves as a benchmark for reliability.

An award-winning design and a signature for your kitchen

COEO also stands out for its design, awarded by:

• IF Design Award 2024

• Red Dot Award

• German Design Award

Beyond performance, the kamado becomes a signature visual element in an open kitchen or outdoor space.

Support, customer service and services for professionals

Personalised advice according to your activity

The COEO team supports each professional according to their profile (fine dining, private chef, food truck, hospitality, cooking school), their volume of covers and their installation environment, with benchmarks on the main brands in the market. This support allows for the selection of a professional kamado perfectly suited to your constraints.

In this market, references such as kamado joe, Monolith, the bastard and Big Green Egg offer different approaches depending on usage and level of demand. Each model must be evaluated according to your needs, your professional uses and the acceptable price for your activity.

Comparing reviews remains useful to situate products and refine your purchase in a logic of sustainable investment, also taking into account the warranty and spare parts.

Demonstrations and training

COEO regularly organises demonstrations at trade shows and professional events, as well as dedicated training sessions.

These meetings allow you to discover the specifics of the kamado, test cooking methods, experience the QUATRO in real conditions before investment, and try different recipes, including bread and smoked preparations, in a return to controlled fire cooking.

These tests also help to verify compliance with cooking standards and consistency in service. Contact or request for a demonstration can also be made via the website.

What size of professional kamado should be chosen according to the number of covers?

The choice of size directly depends on your volume of activity and your service organisation.

A model like the QUATRO M (Ø 35 cm) is suitable for small productions (2 to 8 diners), ideal for compact kitchens, for a private chef or a food truck.

For larger services, a QUATRO Large (Ø 47 cm) is preferable. It allows for managing higher volumes, particularly in catering or brunch.

In practice, for intensive or continuous service, it is recommended to plan for several kamados or to oversize your installation to ensure fluidity and consistency.

What cooking methods does the professional kamado allow?

A professional kamado is extremely versatile and allows for four main types of cooking:

• High temperature searing (meats, fish)

• Low temperature slow cooking (brisket, pulled pork)

• Stewing (vegetables, casseroles)

• Hot or cold smoking

This versatility allows chefs to work the entirety of their menu with a single tool, while developing unique flavour signatures.

How long does it take for a pro kamado to reach temperature?

Temperature rise is a key criterion in catering.

A high-performing kamado like the QUATRO M can reach over 200°C in less than 10 minutes.

This speed allows for responding to service constraints, efficiently processing orders, and adjusting cooking in real time.

Kamado or brazier: what to choose for professional use?

The choice depends on your main use:

• The professional kamado is a technical and versatile tool, designed for precision, temperature control, and a variety of cooking methods (searing, smoking, low temperature). It is ideal for gourmet or structured cooking.

• The brazier is more oriented towards a visual and convivial experience, with direct fire cooking, often used for events or simple catering.

In summary, for demanding and regular professional use, the pro kamado is more complete and efficient. The brazier is complementary, but rarely sufficient on its own.

Is the kamado suitable for a gourmet restaurant?

Yes, perfectly. The professional kamado is now used in many gourmet and Michelin-starred restaurants.

It offers remarkable cooking precision, the ability to combine several techniques (searing + slow cooking), as well as controlled smoking.

High-end establishments like La Villa La Coste, Saisons (Institut LYFE), and other starred restaurants integrate it into their kitchens.

The kamado thus becomes a true tool for culinary creation, on par with traditional equipment.

What budget should be planned for a professional kamado?

The budget depends on the model, size, and necessary accessories.

For professional use, you should plan for:

• The investment in the kamado (depending on size and range)

• Essential accessories (deflectors, grills, stones, smoking)

• Possibly several units depending on the volume of activity

Rather than a simple cost, the kamado should be considered a sustainable investment: its low charcoal consumption, longevity, and versatility allow for optimising operating costs in the long term.