Epic Camping and Outdoor Cooking in West Kootenay, Canada with Brent from GOSO Cookware

What this episode covers

On this week’s episode of The RV Atlas Podcast, we head north for a conversation that combines three of our favorite things: camping in Canada, outdoor cooking, and meeting passionate small business owners who are building something meaningful in the outdoor space.We’re joined by Brent from GOSO Cookware, a camper, snowboarder, mountain biker, former outdoor guide—and now founder of a young cookware company that’s making some of the most beautiful carbon steel pans we’ve ever used at the campground. This episode unfolds in three parts: first, Brent’s story and the origin of GOSO Cookware; second, six of his favorite campgrounds in British Columbia’s West Kootenay region; and finally, a handful of simple, delicious recipes that prove you don’t have to settle for mediocre meals just because you’re cooking outside. To listen to our interview with Brent from GOSO Cookware please click on the media player above or subscribe to the RV Atlas wherever you get your favorite shows. From South Africa to Ontario to the Mountains of British Columbia Brent’s love of camping and cooking didn’t start as a trend or a business idea. It started at home. His parents immigrated to Canada from South Africa, where outdoor cooking and gathering around food were already a big part of their culture. Once in Canada, they embraced canoe tripping and camping as an affordable way to explore their new country. Brent grew up camping, cooking outdoors, and learning how to make meals better—even when the camp menu felt “just okay.” That instinct followed him into adulthood. He worked as an outdoor guide, ran youth trips, and even earned a university degree in outdoor recreation, parks, and tourism. Camping wasn’t a hobby—it was a through line in his life. But the moment that truly pushed him into entrepreneurship came after his mom passed away unexpectedly. He shared that her death forced him to look at his own timeline and ask a hard question: If life is shorter than we think, what dreams am I waiting on? GOSO Cookware was the answer to that question. The Problem With Most Camp Cookware If you’ve ever bought a “camping pan” from a big-box store, you know the feeling: it’s lightweight, it packs small… and it cooks terribly. Brent described being frustrated for years by cookware that felt flimsy, had clunky removable handles, or just didn’t perform like the pans in his home kitchen. On the other end of the spectrum was cast iron—beautiful to cook with, but heavy, awkward to maneuver, and slow to cool down. What he wanted was simple: A pan that cooked like professional kitchen equipment. Something compact enough for camping. A removable handle that didn’t feel unstable. A product that could last decades. So he built it. Why Carbon Steel (And Why It’s Different From Cast Iron) If you’re familiar with cast iron but new to carbon steel, here’s the short version: it gives you many of the same benefits, with some key advantages for camping. Carbon steel is naturally non-toxic and develops a seasoned surface like cast iron. But it’s significantly lighter, heats up faster, and cools down faster. That last part is especially important at the campground, where you don’t want a blazing-hot pan sitting on a lightweight camp table long after dinner is done. Brent’s pans are made from thick 14-gauge carbon steel in the United States and shaped like traditional professional frying pans—with smooth curves that make it easy to manipulate food. The real innovation, though, is the removable handle. Instead of feeling loose and janky, the handle clicks securely into place and feels like a full restaurant-quality handle when attached. It’s ergonomic, stable,