It all began in a legendary restaurant in Brooklyn: the Peter Luger Steakhouse. This is where Frank Hecker didn’t just eat any old steak, it was THE steak. A mundane meal it was not; it was an epiphany. Frank Hecker, being quite a smart chap, thought to himself that this experience could not be allowed to be a one-time deal. No way. He wanted to enjoy this divine moment as often as possible during his earthly existence. So, he resolved to find out the secret behind THE steak.
Without going into all the analysis that followed, along with the investigative ‘grilling’ by Frank Hecker; the key question that drove Frank’s desire was this: ‘What makes the perfect steak?’ And, bottom line, it’s this: 1,500°. That’s right, Fifteen hundred degrees Fahrenheit! That’s the key to the unmistakable taste, the deliciously caramelized crust and just the right grill flavor.
So to major steakhouses with major equipment, this was no secret. The problem for Frank was that it wasn’t readily available to the rest of us! This is where his old school friend Marc Kirwald entered the equation: together they puzzled over a powerful grill that could reach 1,500 degrees in private households. That was no easy task. But it was helpful that Marc Kirwald was in the industry. He was actually the plant manager of a company that – without revealing too much – would eventually produce the burners for The Beefer.
Frank and Marc toiled long and hard over a prototype, their vision of the perfect grill. They took immense delight in the first successful test run with bacon and rump steak. But there was still one critical ingredient missing in The Beefer story: Frantz Konzen, another ole friend from school. Frantz ran a metalworking business and ultimately gave The Beefer the iconic and timeless design it features today.
Everything then began to take off. Frantz Konzen designed a number of test models for the team and friends to work with and gather input, and then settled in on the ideal design and features that are now built into every Beefer.
The Beefer company was set up in Königswinter, Germany, and the most protracted hurdle thus far – the EU examination – was passed successfully. Then we received CE certification (the requirement for commercial sale) so we could finally get started!
At first, The Beefer was sold through word of mouth only – and it was remarkable to note that all of early Beefer customers were completely thrilled! Frank, who in real life has also worked as a TV director for various cooking shows, put his relationships to work and brought the invention to the attention of top chef and grill enthusiast Tim Mälzer. Tim then became one of the first and biggest Beefer fans of them all.
Subsequently, many more top chefs followed Tim’s example and The Beefer gradually established itself as a true benchmark grill for perfect home barbeques. It is known throughout Europe as the preferred choice for searing the perfect steak. Or as we like to call it, “Beefing.” And now, as we introduce The Beefer to Americans, we can’t wait to see what the next chapter for our company will entail. But one thing is for sure: for passionate grillers, “Beefing” is going to become SEARIOUS business. Join us! Find your perfect Beefer grill, and “Let’s Beef!”
Beefer Grillgeraete GmbH is based in the “Seven Hills region” near Bonn, the former capital of Germany. All the housing components as well as the burner are produced in the region. The Beefer is also assembled and inspected exclusively by hand here, in our factory in Bad Honnef and in the “Bonn Workshops”. This also forms part of our philosophy of ‘moving from quantity to quality’. The Beefer has changed the BBQ Scene a lot – this is what we intended: The Beefer: A perfect Tool for perfect food.