Mastering Your Fusion Griddle: How to Get Even Heat Every Time

If you're new to cooking on a Fusion Griddle, there's a short learning curve — and once you get past it, you'll wonder how you ever grilled without one. A few quick technique adjustments can make a big difference in how evenly your griddle cooks. Please try these techniques and watch the videos below before you decide something's wrong with your griddle. This will hopefully help you get better acquainted with it.

A Quick Word on Fusion Griddle's French Roots

Fusion Griddles are handcrafted in France from 304 stainless steel, using the same patented dual-plate cooking system — a stainless steel cooktop bonded to a cast-iron subplate — that put Le Griddle on the map. Le Griddle and Fusion share that same French origin and factory heritage. Today, Le Griddle has moved its manufacturing to Texas and produces the Le Griddle Pro line at a higher price point, while Fusion Griddles continue to be handcrafted in the original French factory. (We'll link to the new Le Griddle Pro lineup here once it's live on our site.)

1. Preheat on Medium or Medium-Low — Not High

Give your griddle at least 20 minutes to preheat on medium or medium-low heat. Cranking it to high doesn't get you cooking faster — it just makes the center scorching hot while the rest of the surface lags behind. Medium or medium-low is plenty of heat for the vast majority of what you'll cook.

2. Understand Your Hot and Cool Zones

Every griddle has a hot zone (typically the center, right over the burners) and cooler zones toward the edges. This isn't a defect — it's how flat-top cooking works, and it's actually an advantage once you know how to use it.

In this video, skip to 4:58–6:48 to see the hot and cool zones explained, and 12:38 for a bread test that shows heat is naturally highest in the center. Notice how he uses the cooler side zones as resting areas for food rather than trying to cook everything dead center.

3. Cook Hot Foods in the Center, Use the Sides to Hold and Melt

Here's the technique in practice: sear your burgers, steaks, or proteins in the hottest part of the griddle, then slide them to a cooler side zone to rest, hold, or melt cheese — while the next batch goes on the hot zone.

At 8:04, watch him cook burgers on medium-low — plenty of heat for a perfect burger — using the hottest area to sear and the cooler sides to melt the cheese.

Note: these videos feature a double-burner griddle, but the same heat pattern applies all Fusion Griddles — heat is more concentrated around the burners, and the same zone strategy works no matter the size.

4. Learn Your Griddle

The Flat Top King, who appears in both videos above, always reminds viewers to learn your griddle — every one behaves a little differently. It's also worth remembering that cooking on stainless steel is a different experience than cooking on cast iron. Give yourself a few cooks to get a feel for how your Fusion Griddle heats and responds before making changes to technique or hardware.

Shop Fusion Griddles

Ready to put these tips to work, or shopping for your first Fusion Griddle? Browse the full Fusion Griddle lineup at NTX BBQ Supply, including the GFE75 2-Burner Gas Griddle, carts, lids, and accessories.

Still having trouble after trying these techniques? Please contact us and we'll help you get it dialed in.