Smoky flavours, grilled to perfection, juicy vegetables and fruit – all without the need for an open space or the chefs falling victim to a smoking grill? And with the ability to serve up to a hundred guests at once? It sounds incredible, but the Josper oven does just that.

A firm favourite in professional kitchens, the Josper combines the flavours of classic charcoal grilling with the efficiency of modern technology. It’s no wonder that on a Tuesday morning, 25th of February, a large crowd gathered in Coninvest’s showroom in Sóskút to see this unique kitchen appliance for themselves.

The Josper is not just an oven – it is a culinary experience that opens up new horizons in catering. Whether it’s a fine dining restaurant, a steakhouse, or a simpler, smaller restaurant or bistro, this appliance will stand the test of time and guarantee consistent, perfect results.

What did the professional guests expect from the Josper presentation?

Before the programme started, we asked the professional guests: why did they come, what do they expect from the show? Based on their answers, two broad groups emerged. Half of the participants came because they had only heard of the Josper oven before, but had never seen it in action. They were curious to see how this professional device would perform in real life. The other camp, on the other hand, had already had experience with the Josper and came to find out more about how it works and what it can do. There was also one guest who shared a surprising but all the more practical point of view. Unfortunately, he said, there have been several occasions when an unexpected power or gas cut in their kitchen has forced them to close the shutter that day and say “Closed for technical reasons.” In such a situation, Josper can be a real lifeline, as you don’t need electricity or gas to make it work – just quality charcoal, some cricket and a dose of know-how. What’s more, adding a candle to the food on the table during a power cut is not a forced solution, but rather an accompaniment to an intimate and special gastronomic experience. So Josper is not just a top-of-the-range charcoal oven – it’s a tool that can prove its worth even in unexpected situations.

Secrets behind the scenes – from the experts, first hand

At the beginning of the presentation, Mirjam Kertész, founder-owner of Coninvest, welcomes the participants and introduces the professionals who are now responsible for the management of the top charcoal oven, the Josper. Although one of the main protagonists of today’s event, the oven itself, is modestly in the background, those who work with it today are also worthy companions, as they are big names in their fields.

Rafael (Rafa) Martin, Josper’s Regional Sales Manager, has been travelling the world for five years to showcase this professional charcoal oven. Working alongside him is chef Sergio Povedano, who also has international experience. The two of them are on a mission to show the culinary wonders that this small yet powerful oven can produce. Today, for example, they are preparing a ten-course lunch menu for a group of 20 guests – all with the help of a single Josper.

Rafa begins his introduction in a sympathetic and direct style, “Our aim today is to prepare delicious food, while Sergio and I will show you the techniques that the Josper knows by heart – and performs perfectly every time.” He goes on to explain how the oven works: having previously filled its rumen with charcoal, he now demonstrates the two simple control knobs that operate the Josper. He points out that the key to success is the precise control of heat and charcoal burning – this is what gives the oven its unique character.

He compares the oven’s operation to a car’s pedal system:

• The lower knob controls the temperature,
• The upper knob controls the chimney opening through which steam and smoke escape.

Perfect harmony between these two elements ensures that the oven always operates at the optimum temperature and that the food cooked in it retains its unique smoky aroma.

So the demonstration is two in one: not just a spectacular cooking show, but also a hands-on training session that gives you an insight into the secrets of the Josper – first-hand, from the real experts in the oven.

Explanation of the perfect charcoal fire

The demonstration also reveals a small but important trick: professional chefs don’t just pour charcoal into the oven at random, they shape it deliberately. They start by building a small mountain out of the charcoal and then, when the flames reach the top, they scoop out the pile. This technique ensures an even, prolonged burn, which not only optimises cooking time but also guarantees the perfect smoky aroma of the food.

As Rafa shares these secrets, the first courses from the depths of the Josper arrive almost magically. A rich array of starters is brought to the table, followed by a soup of grilled vegetables that impresses everyone with its complex flavours. One of the most exciting dishes is a dish of mussels, which the chefs from Barcelona reveal a little behind-the-scenes secret: “At home we serve this dish without sauce, but now we have added a little sausage and Hungarian spices to bring it in line with the Hungarian flavour. We’re curious to see how it turns out.”

Every single dish is cooked to perfection, and not by coincidence. Rafa also tells us how the different ingredients are distributed in Josper:

• Some meat is cooked in the middle,
• some on the top grill,
• and some is cooked on the inside, directly above the coals.

The Josper combines three cooking techniques: direct flame cooking above the fire, an air circulation system in the middle, and the top grate where the heat from the combustion is used to cook the food.

Speed, efficiency and smoky perfection

The demonstration also shows that the Josper can run for up to 7 hours on a single charcoal charge. And the performance is amazing – while an aubergine can be cooked in 20-25 minutes in a conventional oven at 220°C, the Josper can do it in 8-9 minutes.

The name of this ingenious device also tells an interesting story: Josper was born from the names Josef and Pedro, two friends who knew each other through their shared passion for hunting. On one occasion, Pedro told him that he grills his food in a traditional oven, but that the embers are still usable at midday, but go out by evening, so he can’t work with them continuously. Josef then decided to design a closed space oven for him that would not have this problem and would retain all the benefits of charcoal cooking, providing a smoky, characterful flavour. The rest, as they say, is history.

While the food is coming out of the Josper one after the other, the tasting is not missing out either. The chefs in the professional audience comment approvingly, “This perch is crunching well” – a reference to the perfect texture of the fish in the oven.

Meanwhile, the secrets of timing are revealed:

• Chicken wing: just 4 minutes a side,
• Duck: 5-6 minutes for the perfect smoky flavour.

Professional tasters nod in satisfaction: “The smoke permeates the meat everywhere, the flavours are intense and full of character.” And finally, an important observation is made: “It really seems to be true: with this oven, a whole menu can be built up in the professional kitchen, from starters to main courses and desserts.”

At the Sóskút demonstration, Josper’s experts presented a delicious and spectacular range of dishes:

• toasted sourdough bread with smoked sour cream and salmon
• vichyssoise
• aubergine mousse with cottage cheese
• potato omelette in cocotte
• coconut milk and white wine mussels with chorizo
• sea bass with green asparagus and Josper sauce
• chicken wings with paprika sauce
• charcoal cooked rice with dried mushrooms and duck magret
• ribeye with roast potatoes
• grilled caramelized pineapple with vanilla ice cream

Cleaning, maintenance, replacement – the secret of Josper’s long life

Once the guests have tasted their dream dessert, the only question left is: how to clean and maintain this exceptional oven? Rafa is quick to share the most important rule: “It’s worth cleaning once a week – but only when the oven is completely cool.”

The process is simple, yet essential:

• Use the lower control lever to sweep the remaining ash onto the ash tray.
• The sturdy cast iron grates need to be thoroughly cleaned – and here’s a pro trick: always move them one space apart. Since the middle section is exposed to the most heat, the grates can be rotated for more even wear.

A Josper oven has a lifespan of around 20 years, but cast iron grates should be replaced every 5 to 6 years – especially if they have not been regularly repositioned during use. Size is not an obstacle either: the smallest Josper model used at the demonstration can serve a restaurant of 30-40 people, or even a whole menu based on its technology. A full 10-course menu for 20 people was prepared in 2 hours at the demonstration, and the smoky, unique flavours of the food are like nothing else – a real guest magnet, guaranteed.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=im7-lBeFXIA