License to grill: Man drives 700 MILES in 17 HOURS to pick up a sold out top-of-the-range £249 BBQ from Scotland
- Mark Whalley, from Solihull, went the extra mile to pick up a BBQ from Scotland
- Read More: Sussex woman goes on 508-mile round-trip to Yorkshire for haircut
A dedicated fan of alfresco dining has revealed he went to extreme lengths to secure the perfect barbecue by going on an epic 700-mile round trip.
Mark Whalley, 52, from Solihull, was a man on a mission when he discovered his dream barbecue kit was on sale a mere 350 miles away.
Explaining the decision, he said: ‘I really wanted the Ziggy 2 barbecue and I searched everywhere online and the only one I could find on sale in the country was at Cardwell Garden Centre.
‘I’ve had this particular model of gas barbecue for years, but it was getting a bit temperamental and it needed replacing.
‘I wanted to get the same model because it’s a great barbecue, it’s solidly built, allows us to grill or bake and we’ve always had great results with it. In fact, it’s never let us down.’
Mark Whalley from Solihull, (left) was a man on a mission when he discovered his dream barbecue kit was on sale a mere 350 miles and six hour drive away (seen here with a Cardwell Garden Centre employee)
While a 700-mile round trip to buy a barbecue may sound extreme, Mark knew he was prepared to go the extra mile to get the £249 model.
He continued: ‘It might seem a long way to go to buy a barbecue, but it was worth every mile and every minute travelling.
‘I left my house at 7.30 am and didn’t get home until 1 am the next day.
‘Both my wife Tracy and I enjoy our barbecues in the garden during the summer and I’m really looking forward to using my new barbecue this weekend with some friends.’
Cardwell’s retail general manager, Paul Carmichael said: ‘We’re delighted we were able to supply Mark with his favourite gas barbecue.
‘We really appreciate the effort Mark made driving all the way from Solihull to pick up his barbecue. That must have been the furthest anyone has travelled to buy anything thing from us.
‘We hope he has many years of enjoyment from the barbecue.’
Last summer, one Michelin-starred chef warned against using the BBQ every chance you get – suggesting some foods are completely ruined when cooked with the outdoor appliance.
Mark drove over 350 miles from Solihull to Cardwell Garden Centre in Scotland to pick up his dream BBQ before driving home again. The entire journey took over 17 hours with Mark leaving at 07:30 in the morning and getting back to the Midlands at 01:00 the following morning
Rohit Ghai is one of the culinary world’s most in-demand chefs following a successful decade on the London restaurant scene – having opened his first solo eatery, Kutir, in 2018. He also runs Mayfair’s Indian restaurant Manthan.
Speaking to FEMAIL, he explained that many seafood are spoiled if placed on the BBQ, because of how easy it is to overcook them.
Rohit said seafood when using a barbeque should largely be avoided – with the dishes easily overdone when placed on such a high heat.
Meanwhile, lamb is one meat that will become too dry when cooked outdoors.
And for vegetarians looking to avoid a barbeque in the sun this summer, avoid opting for tofu, warned the Michelin-starred chef.
This is because the food item is ‘far too delicate’ for the BBQ and will end up a complete mess rather than an edible meal.
Instead, Rohit suggested those enjoying a vegetarian diet should try using paneer when cooking on a barbeque.
The more ‘solid vegetarian option’ can be used as the base for plenty of delicious BBQ dishes, such as charred paneer skewers.
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