Derrick Riches

Expertise: Outdoor cooking, grilling, smoking, barbecue, meat

Derrick Riches is an outdoor cooking expert and food lover with a passion for grilling and all things meat.

Highlights

Judge for world championship barbecue competitions
Reporter about and for the outdoor cooking industry
Teaches outdoor cooking classes
Co-author of "The Rotisserie Grilling Cookbook" and "Kebabs: 75 Recipes for Grilling"

Experience

Derrick Riches is a former writer for The Spruce who contributed articles and recipes about all things barbecue for 20 years. Derrick discovered barbecue and began experimenting with smoke cooking at an early age. He is an expert on the history of the open flame and an avid collector of fire makers and outdoor cooking equipment. He has also written for several publications on everything from custom barbecue design to party planning, as well as provided consulting within the grill industry, and teaching outdoor cooking classes.

Derrick has been quoted by the Wall Street Journal, Huffington Post, and BBC. He served as Spokesperson for the Hearth, Patio, and Barbecue Association's May is National Barbecue Month. He regularly appears on barbecue related radio programs, webcasts, and podcasts.

Education

Derrick has attended culinary school and holds Bachelor's Degrees from the University of Utah in history and philosophy.

Awards and Publications

"The Rotisserie Grilling Cookbook: Surefire Recipes and Foolproof Techniques" (Harvard Common Press, 2017)
"Kebabs: 75 Recipes for Grilling" (Harvard Common Press, 2017)

About The Spruce Eats

The Spruce Eats, a Dotdash brand, is a food and drink website offering more than 15,000 tested recipes, 1,200 how-to videos, informative articles, trustworthy product recommendations, and the inspiration to help you make your best meal. Learn more about us and our editorial process.