Three Years with Our Igneus Pizza Oven: How Outdoor Cooking Became a Way of Life

From Client Request to Personal Discovery

Three years ago, outdoor cooking wasn’t even on my radar. As a garden designer, I was asked by a client to create an outdoor kitchen with a canopy — complete with a pizza oven. At the time, I wasn’t convinced. Would a pizza oven really be practical, or was it just another passing trend?

That question lingered until Lyn and I visited the Harrogate Homebuilding & Renovating Show. There, we stumbled across The Pizza Oven Shop stand. Their team explained the versatility of wood‑fired ovens — not just pizzas, but breads, roasts, and even desserts. I left impressed, and for the first time, curious.

Designing Our Own Outdoor Kitchen

Back at home, Lyn and I began to wonder: could we make this work for ourselves? Lyn’s office roof projects out 1.8 metres — part of my original design, but never intended as an outdoor kitchen. Still, it sparked an idea.

Within days, I sketched a layout for a cooking space. With the help of Wood Stock Timber Yard, we built a frame and had it installed. Then came the big step: ordering our Igneus Pizza Oven. It arrived just in time for Christmas, and from that moment, everything changed.

A Lifestyle Transformation

Since that first firing, the oven has become the heart of our weekends. Whatever the weather — rain, frost, or sunshine — we’ve cooked outside. Pizzas, slow‑roasted meats, fresh bread, and even desserts have all found their way into our routine.

It’s not just about the food. It’s about the experience: lighting the fire, preparing the dough, experimenting with recipes, and gathering together. Cooking outdoors has given us a new rhythm, a new way to enjoy our home, and a new appreciation for simple pleasures.

Three Years On

This Christmas marks three years since we installed our Igneus pizza oven, and I can say in all honesty that it has changed our lives. What started as a client’s request has become one of the best decisions we’ve ever made.

Outdoor cooking isn’t a fad. For us, it’s a way of life.

🎧 Listen to the Podcast

In this episode, I share the full story — from that first conversation at Harrogate to three years of cooking outdoors, whatever the weather. Tune in to hear how one oven transformed our weekends and why outdoor living has become such a joy.

Three Years with Our Igneus Pizza Oven: How Outdoor Cooking Became a Way of Life

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Three Years with Our Igneus Pizza Oven: How Outdoor Cooking Became a Way of Life