OUR STORY
Built in South Africa. Shaped by years of charcoal-oven experience.
INFERNO began with a simple idea: take everything learned from selling, using and studying charcoal ovens, then build a better one in South Africa.
The story starts with José Gomez in 2014. What followed was years of working with imported ovens, visiting kitchens across Europe, learning where existing products performed well and where they failed, and turning that experience into a South African-designed charcoal oven built for demanding commercial kitchens.
2014 — Where it started
José saw his first charcoal oven while travelling in Spain in 2014 and immediately saw the potential.
He found the Spanish brand PIRA CHARCOAL OVENS and introduced it to the South African market as a sole agent between 2014 and 2019
Selling the products was only the beginning. José started studying how the ovens behaved in real service, travelling through Europe to see them working in different kitchens and speaking directly with owners about their strengths, weaknesses and maintenance requirements
Learning what South African kitchens needed
Years of selling imported ovens exposed more than product differences. It showed José where the ownership experience could break down.
Language barriers could make communication with overseas manufacturers difficult. Replacement parts had to travel long distances. Repairs could take too long, and when an oven went down during a busy service period, the cost to a hospitality business could be substantial.
By then, José had built his own customer base and spent years working hands-on with the equipment. He had seen what worked, what failed and what could be improved.
The idea for INFERNO grew from that experience: create a charcoal oven in South Africa that could compete internationally, while being easier to support locally.
2019 — The first attempt
In 2019, José approached a steel fabricator in Gauteng to begin turning his design into a physical oven.
The process took almost a year of calls, emails and development work, but the fabricator was ultimately unable to complete the project. The design, however, kept moving forward.
2020 — INFERNO takes shape in Cape Town
In February 2020, a small metal fabricator in Cape Town contacted José about possible upcoming work. José had already been designing and selling grills locally, and saw the opportunity to continue developing the oven.
Then lockdown arrived.
Physical progress slowed, but the design work did not. José continued researching materials, components and finishes, refining the oven through repeated communication and, once restrictions eased, hands-on visits to the fabricator.
The first INFERNO was not the result of a single drawing. It came from years of working with charcoal ovens, fixing faults, adjusting components and understanding how heat, airflow, structure and service requirements work together.
That development process produced the first generation INFERNO CHARCOAL OVEN.
June 2020 — The first INFERNO ALTO is sold
The first INFERNO ALTO was made and sold in June 2020.
It was an important milestone, but not the end of the development process. The oven still needed changes and improvements to meet the standard José wanted while retaining the local character of a South African-built product.
Those changes led into the second generation.
Putting INFERNO in front of chefs
José opened a cooking studio in Cape Town and began demonstrating INFERNO to people across the restaurant, hotel and entertainment industries.
Among the chefs who experienced the oven were Jason Whitehead and MasterChef South Africa judge Pete Goffe-Wood. Restaurateurs travelled from Namibia, Gauteng, the Free State and George to see the oven working and test it for themselves.
According to José’s account, eight units were sold within a matter of weeks.
That early response gave INFERNO something more useful than theory: feedback from people using and evaluating the oven in a professional food environment.
Improving the product and protecting the design
As demand increased, the existing manufacturing arrangement could no longer deliver the consistency, production capacity and after-sales support INFERNO required.
José decided the brand needed a more controlled path forward. The INFERNO design was registered, protecting the work already invested in the product and creating a clearer foundation for future development.
A qualified engineer was then brought in to work through the oven in detail. The design was refined again, building on the original Gauteng work, the Cape Town development period and José’s own changes from years of hands-on experience.
The next phase improved the oven’s appearance, construction, functionality and performance while addressing issues found in the earlier generations. The range also expanded with additional sizes and colour options.
Finding the right South African manufacturing partner
The next challenge was manufacturing.
INFERNO had been approached by international manufacturers, but José wanted the brand to remain South African-made. After evaluating a number of local companies, INFERNO found a manufacturing partner in Johannesburg with the equipment, capacity and production standards needed for the next stage of the business.
Documents were signed and production began.
From South Africa to international markets
The third generation of INFERNO ovens opened a new chapter for the brand.
Today, INFERNO charcoal ovens are sold to restaurants and hotels across 3 continents. As Africa’s leading manufacturer of commercial charcoal ovens, INFERNO remains the premier choice for restaurants, hotels, game lodges, and private homes throughout South Africa.
What started as an idea shaped by imported ovens has become a South African-designed and manufactured product with a proven global market
Proudly made in South Africa
INFERNO’s development has never been separate from the people who use the ovens.
Years of selling, repairing, testing and refining charcoal ovens shaped the product long before the current generation reached production. The goal was to take that experience and build an oven here, with local manufacturing and local support, while meeting the expectations of professional kitchens.
From the early development work to the current manufacturing operation in Johannesburg, INFERNO has remained committed to building its ovens in South Africa.
Proudly South African. Built for serious kitchens.
Explore the INFERNO range
Next step
The art of fire. Engineered to perform.
World-class commercial charcoal ovens, proudly designed and manufactured in South Africa.