Why Outdoor Cooking Doesn’t Have To End In Summer

The moment summer ends, outdoor cooking tends to go into hibernation. The grill gets covered, the garden furniture disappears, and suddenly cooking outside feels like something you won’t do again until spring. But why should a little cold weather put an end to dinner over an open flame?

There’s something about cooking outside that makes even a simple meal feel like an event. Add a glowing fire, crisp evening air and the smell of something roasting, and staying in starts to feel a little overrated. With the right setup, winter can be just as good a time to cook outdoors as summer. Gozney’s new Dome Gen 2 series is designed to make that idea easier to embrace.

More Than a Pizza Night

Gozney built its reputation around live-fire cooking, and the original Dome, launched in 2021, helped bring the pizza-oven experience beyond professional kitchens. Now, the Dome Gen 2 and larger Dome XL Gen 2 offer more room to experiment, whether you’re hosting friends, trying a new recipe or simply looking for an excuse to make dinner a little more interesting.

The larger cooking space is one of the biggest changes. Depending on the model, there’s room for three 10-inch pizzas at once or a single 18-inch pizza, alongside space for other dishes. That means you’re not limited to making one pizza after another while everyone else waits to eat. You can build a whole meal around the oven instead.

And no, it doesn’t have to be pizza every time. Think roasted vegetables, flatbreads, slow-cooked dishes and meals that benefit from the intense heat and distinctive flavor of cooking over fire. The idea is to make the oven part of your outdoor routine rather than saving it for the occasional pizza party.

Need some inspiration for your next fire-cooked meal? Explore Gozney’s recipe collection for ideas that go beyond pizza.

Let the Fire Do Its Thing

Cooking with fire is part of the appeal, but getting the temperature right can make all the difference. The Dome Gen 2 works with wood, gas or charcoal, giving you different ways to approach a meal depending on the flavor and level of control you want.

An adjustable burner creates a rolling flame along the side of the oven, while an integrated digital display tracks the air and floor temperatures. Two meat probes and a timer help keep an eye on dishes that need more precise cooking. For anyone who prefers wood, the optional Wood-Fire Control Kit offers additional control over airflow and heat output.

These features might sound technical, but the point is simple: more control means more room to try things beyond the usual pizza routine. You can experiment with different ingredients, play around with cooking temperatures and take on recipes that need a little more attention.

And when it’s cold outside, there’s something especially satisfying about having a fire to tend. Instead of rushing through dinner, you have a reason to slow down, stay outside a little longer and make the cooking itself part of the evening.

A Winter Setup Worth Keeping

The Dome Gen 2 series comes in two sizes, the Dome Gen 2 and Dome XL Gen 2, with the larger model offering up to 90% more cooking capacity than the original Dome. Both are available in Bone and Off Black, keeping the look understated enough to fit into different outdoor spaces.

Gozney has also designed the ovens with repairable and upgradable components, a useful consideration for a piece of equipment intended to stay in use for years. The new series was developed with input from chefs Chris Bianco, Dalad Kambhu and Rasheed Philips, each bringing their own perspective on cooking with fire.

The Dome Gen 2 and Dome XL Gen 2 are available from October 15 through selected retailers and Gozney’s website. Prices start at €1,999.99 for the Dome Gen 2 and €2,499.99 for the Dome XL Gen 2.

Making Winter an Outdoor Cooking Season

Of course, no oven can make standing outside in freezing weather feel like a summer afternoon. But that’s not really the point. Winter cooking has its own appeal: the contrast between cold air and intense heat, the glow of a flame after dark, and the excuse to gather around food that takes a little more time and attention.

With its larger cooking space and multiple fuel options, Gozney’s Dome Gen 2 makes a case for keeping outdoor cooking part of your routine long after summer ends. Because sometimes the best reason to head outside is dinner.