Ask most people what the grill is for and they’ll probably say cheese on toast or browning the top of a casserole. I use mine for much more than that.

In fact, the Grill function has become another cooking method in its own right. Whether it’s pizza, naan bread, prawns, Balmain bugs or charred vegetables, I often reach for the grill because I enjoy what direct radiant heat does to food. Unlike Fan Grill, which combines circulating air with the grill element, the Grill function uses direct heat from above — on my Miele oven it also reaches 300°C, making it the hottest function available. That extra heat opens up cooking opportunities that simply aren’t possible with many other oven programmes.

Why I Like It

For me, the biggest advantage isn’t just the higher temperature — it’s the character of the heat. Direct radiant heat produces blistering, caramelisation and light charring that fan-assisted cooking deliberately softens, and sometimes that’s exactly what I’m looking for.

Pizza is probably the best example. Rather than baking evenly from all directions, the intense top heat quickly colours the toppings while helping develop those little charred spots that remind me of a wood-fired pizza. Naan bread behaves much the same way, developing bubbles and toasted patches that give it far more character than an ordinary bake.

Seafood also benefits. If the barbecue isn’t an option, I’ll often grill prawns or Balmain bugs instead — the direct heat gives them beautiful colour while keeping the cooking time short, helping preserve their natural sweetness. The same approach works wonderfully with vegetables, encouraging caramelisation and those slightly charred edges that add another layer of flavour.

Shelf Position Is Part of the Recipe

One thing I’ve learnt over time is that shelf position becomes another cooking control. Move the food closer to the grill and the colour develops more quickly; drop it down a shelf or two and the browning becomes gentler without changing the temperature. I think of shelf position almost as another ingredient — it allows me to adjust the intensity of the finish without constantly changing oven settings.

Not Just for Finishing

Of course, the Grill function is excellent for finishing a gratin or giving a lasagne that final golden crust. But I don’t see it as a function that’s only switched on for the last few minutes — sometimes the grill is the main cooking method from the beginning, other times it provides the final flourish after Fan Grill or Moisture Plus has done most of the work. Like so many oven functions, it’s about choosing the right heat for the result you’re trying to achieve.

Why It Works for Me

The more I’ve cooked, the more I’ve realised that different types of heat create different flavours and textures. Fan-assisted cooking gives me evenness, Moisture Plus gives me control over humidity, Intensive Bake gives me a crisp pastry base, and the Grill gives me colour, blistering and caramelisation that can’t be achieved any other way.

That’s why it appears so often in my kitchen — not because every dish needs intense heat, but because sometimes only direct radiant heat will produce the finish I’m looking for.