The renowned living magazine Raum und Wohnen dedicates a double page spread in its new issue to us, telling the story of azado, from the origin of the idea to the successful young company. Enjoy reading.

When a mechanical engineer needs something that doesn't exist, he builds it himself. This principle led to the creation of a truly sophisticated grill a few years ago in rural St. Gallen, which is now causing a sensation worldwide.

A day to remember for a lifetime - that was, for Andreas Nöckl from St. Gallen, the wedding of a friend to an Argentinian about ten years ago. As is customary in the land of gauchos and tango, there was an asado - a traditional Argentinian barbecue, grilled over an open fire. "I was thrilled and thought: This is something you should offer as catering in Switzerland," he recounts, remembering the emotions this meal evoked in the guests. "I wanted to achieve that too." Good meat was no problem; having grown up as the son of innkeepers, Nöckl was familiar with it. But a truly good grill based on the Argentinian model was nowhere to be found. And what does a mechanical engineer like Andreas Nöckl do in such a case? He tinkers. He draws. He optimizes. And he orders steel profiles - in this case, a full six meters.

You can almost guess the rest: Andreas Nöckl developed and built a grill as it should be: with a crank so that the grate can be continuously adjusted in height with one hand, and with V-shaped grill ribs that collect fat so it doesn't drip into the embers. As a true mechanical engineer, he thought the matter through to the end: "The grill ribs are angled at 5 degrees so that the fat really drains off and can be collected in a container," he explains. The result was the perfect symbiosis of Argentinian tradition and Swiss quality: stable, durable, easy to clean, and with a clear design. He built three prototypes. "It quickly became clear that far more people were interested in such a grill than in the actual catering service," Nöckl recalls. So he changed course and, together with a friend, officially founded the company azado, which produces grills based on the Argentinian model in Switzerland. To protect their brand name, they changed one letter in the Argentinian term for traditional barbecue: "s" became "z," and Andreas Nöckl and his friend Manuel Würth became young entrepreneurs.

Since 2017, they have been producing their grills from stainless steel, with more than three-quarters of the parts coming from the canton of St.Gallen. The product range has long since grown, yet remained clear: azado grills are available in three sizes - depending on whether you usually grill for two, like to invite friends, or want to cater for a whole party. And in terms of style, these ambassadors of Argentinian grilling culture blend perfectly into Swiss gardens - you can choose which native wood, such as core ash or walnut, the handle or the storage tray should be made from. For all those who turn their garden into a kitchen in summer, azado also offers its grills as an extended outdoor kitchen, where you can choose between different styles. Nöckl and Würth have added another - very Swiss - element to the grills, specifically a typical Helvetian compromise: on request, they are also available with the option of gas operation. "The most contentious question in grilling, namely charcoal or gas, is peacefully resolved by our grill," says Andreas Nöckl. And beyond any discussion, this creates a tangible advantage, because the gas can also be used to light the charcoal: then, promises mechanical engineer Nöckl, it only takes six minutes for the grate to glow.

The development from Lömmenschwil is not only appreciated in Switzerland, but international customers are also enthusiastic about the Swiss-South American product: Nöckl and his team have already delivered to various countries, including a grill with elements of pure gold and shelves and handles made of crystal to Dubai. "But that's an absolute exception," says Nöckl, "80 percent of our customers really find what they need in our normal product range." But he wouldn't be a true mechanical engineer if tinkering with individual projects didn't hold a very special appeal for him. He reveals that a two-meter-long grill for a yacht in Zurich is currently being built. Furthermore, some masters of the barbecue scene - including Fredy Zwimpfer from "Bernerhof" in Gstaad - grill on an azado. But mechanical engineer Nöckl himself also stands at the azado now and then, for example at barbecue evenings directly on the Ruggisberg, where his parents' restaurant is located. Or elsewhere in Switzerland, because by now he, his team, and of course an azado can also be booked for a traditional Argentinian barbecue.

Text: Barbara Hallmann, Raum und Wohnen 10•11/21

Share this story