YOU wonder if Jamie Oliver expected America to punch back quite so hard when he hit Hollywood with his latest food revolution TV series.

Perhaps so, as the young visionary has sent a replacement to keep us on our cooking toes while he's fighting the American fast food establishment.

It’s his newest friend and business partner, the Manhattan barbecue king Adam Perry Lang, who’s signed up to improve British barbecue cooking.

Taking a leaf out of Oliver’s book, this summer he’ll be challenging our outdoor cooking preconceptions with new campaign Beat My BBQ, run in association with Red Tractor (simplybeefandlamb.co.uk).

And we definitely have something to learn from our American cousins. In the States, flame-cooked food is a bloody, competitive business. Succulent baby back ribs, pulled-pork rolls and “burnt ends” (brisket off-cuts) line the picnic table accompanied by sauces made from closely-guarded family recipes. In comparison, Brits are often quicker to embrace the gas-fuelled barbie, 10-pack of burgers and shop-bought coleslaw.

“The barbecue is probably one of the few cuisines that America can really call its own,” he says – although no doubt the Aussies will disagree.

“It changes wherever you go; in the southern states, BBQ means cooking low and slow with less direct heat, in the north east it means more direct grilling over an intense heat.”

Controversially, in Adam’s experience women make the better barbecuers.

“Often when I get new male chefs, they’ll think they’ve got it and immediately start poking the fire and pushing it around. Women listen a little more at the start and typically get it a lot quicker.”

The main difference between cooking on an open flame and using an oven, says Adam, is dealing with variables.

“Cooking with live fire is a little unruly. But the advantage is flavour. It’s also more engaging for people when they cook with a fire, as opposed to turning on an oven.”

So, as a friend, is Adam worried Oliver’s currently bitten off more than he can chew?

“He’s actually been hugely successful,” he says, jumping to Oliver's defence. “He’s made tremendous waves there.”

While Jamie gets a grilling Stateside, try these barbecue recipes, which come courtesy of Red Tractor (redtractor.org.uk).