Nicholas Gavin is the Culinary Creative Director of ChefSteps, where he develops recipes and is responsible for making all the food look beautiful. Nick has worked at ChefSteps for over a decade; he and ChefSteps co-founder Grant Crilly worked together at Modernist Cuisine. Nick has worked in professional kitchens both in the United States and abroad, most notably at Mugaritz in San Sebastian, Spain.

Nicholas Gavin

Our favorite thing about Korean barbecue? It’s all about community. In this colorful, casual tradition, family and friends gather ’round an open grill and cook together—each diner preparing his or her own food, bite by bite. Meals often last for two or three hours, beginning with a salad and culminating with a plethora of marinated meats, sauces, sides (called banchan), and various other offerings, depending on the restaurant or host. Seasoned diners tend to coach newbies on Korean barbecue procedure and etiquette, passing traditions on from person to person.For a recent <a href="/activities/chefsteps-family-meal-vietnamese-spring-rolls">ChefSteps family meal</a>, Software Engineer Huy Nguyen and Development Chef Nick Gavin decided to show the rest of the team the ropes. They used a binchotan grill (a tiny Japanese charcoal grill) instead of the traditional table-set grill for cooking, and they served up tons of tasty banchan and sauces. Read on for their tips for throwing your own Korean barbecue, and remember, when putting together a spread, you can always mix it up and add your own flair.NOTE: Charcoal grills produce harmful carbon monoxide. Don’t burn charcoal inside unless you have plenty of ventilation.

Family Meal: Korean Barbecue