Preorder Man on Fire: Steven Raichlen’s New Memoir

Books

By Steven Raichlen, 5-time James Beard Award-winner and Barbecue Hall of Famer

April 21, 2026

You know him as the “Gladiator of the Grill,” but before the PBS shows and the Barbecue Hall of Fame, Steven was just a kid from Baltimore with a French literature degree and a fascination with fire. This memoir tracks the unlikely path of how he launched a global barbecue revolution.

Inside, Steven shares the stories behind the recipes, including:

• The Tokyo Showdown: What it was really like to battle the Iron Chef (and win).
• The Global Search: Go behind the scenes of the world tours that inspired The Barbecue Bible and Planet Barbecue.
• The TV Challenge: How he pushed past a fear of the camera to create a staple of PBS cooking programming.
• Life & Business: Personal stories of overcoming tragedy and Steven’s ten principles for building a career as an entrepreneur.
• The Recipes: 25 of Steven’s personal favorites that have never been published before—including those legendary ribs that beat the Iron Chef and Quebec maple sriracha chicken wings.

Why Preorder?
Preorders are the lifeblood of a new book. They tell bookstores and libraries that readers are ready, which helps determine how many copies are printed and stocked.

To show his appreciation, Steven is offering two exclusive rewards for everyone who preorders a copy:

1. A Private Recipe Booklet: Steven’s three all-time favorite recipes that have never appeared in any of his books.
2. A Bonus Chapter: An exclusive look at Steven’s secrets for cooking big-flavored food that remains remarkably healthy.

How to claim your rewards:

1. Order the book: Grab your copy through the Simon and Schuster website or your favorite online bookseller.
2. Submit your info: Click here to enter your order number and claim your bonus recipes and chapter.

Barbecuebible.com and Steven thank you for the support. Happy reading and grill on!