A carne-val of fiery flavours – FUME’s autumnal meat feast delivers a sizzling array of offerings
I arrived as early as I could for the midday opening and found the staff to be incredibly welcoming- even giving me free sauces and a goodie bag. Now in its fifth year, FUME promised to bring even more vendors and international flair- this time with two Texans (Dayne’s and KG BBQ- more on those later).
Starting with the Kingston-based Poor Boys, I had a sensational brisket donut and chicken crackling. I wolfed these down, having arrived deliberately famished, whilst watching a live demonstration onstage of sweetbread being baked with bone marrow. An absolute belter of a start. And the feeling I’d peaked too soon.
Right. Back to the meats. Following a free shot of Kraken cherry cola rum I went to the first Texan vendor- Dayne’s from Aledo, TX- for a pricey but tender slab of brisket that was delicious, however it was let down by being paired with the limpest slice of white bread I’ve ever eaten. I thought they’d run out of literally any other bread but this does appear to be deliberate, according to their website menu.
Next up was the chili cheese sausage with chimichurri, and pork belly burnt ends from St Albans’ Craft and Cleaver. The burnt ends were so sweet with sticky sauce- fantastically melting in my mouth. The sausage was packed with flavor and spice I don’t think it needed any accompaniments. Then onto Devon’s Smoke on the Waters- chicken skewers (the owner’s fave to make – I asked), and a slightly deconstructed Philly brisket cheesesteak. The chicken genuinely stood out with a gooey glaze that elevated the perfectly grilled chicken. The sour dash of lime really cut through the sweetness perfectly.
Now, Canterbury’s Korean Cowgirl are known for being multi award-winning – they even put their trophies at the booth! I opted for their famous cherry char sui back ribs and to say it was a religious experience was an understatement. The mix of texture, glaze, fruitiness and smokiness were superb. The meat just fell of the bone it was so tender. Again, I asked and this too was the owner’s favourite to make – it’s easy to see why this is a champion dish.
It was at this point, after my Efes pint, that my metabolic rate was fighting me and I had to slow down. I finished off the carnal proceedings having checked the pitmaster leaderboard for who currently had the most votes. KG BBQ – a Texan-Egyptian vendor (yes, really). It also had one of the longest queues, though audiences were entertained by a metal cooking contraption that was both fascinatingly kinetic and flame-grilled. It was mesmerizing to watch the meats get flipped continuously in some sort of fairground cage dreamt up by an Iron Maiden production designer. I opted for the lamb chop and although the meat was prepared excellently, it didn’t have the wow factor the hype seemed to imply. I finished off the day with a massive brookie (brownie-cookie) from Proper Brownies in the indoor section. An amazing live band playing country versions of modern hits and classics created a great vibe.
There were many other vendors, some selling food, drinks, snacks, homewares and even a mechanical bull to ride. I would have appreciated a more diverse drinks offering other than Efes and limited cocktails. I would have also liked to see more traditional BBQ food- I couldn’t find anyone selling cornbread, for example, which is such a BBQ staple and a veggie alterative, or beans, slaw and other staples such as mac n cheese. There’s lot of potential and it’s great that international vendors are starting to attend, though. FUME are definitely one to watch as they increase their offerings nationwide.
Woolwich Works- 26-28th September 2025