You can also do seafood and other kinds of meats, but Juhl suggests cooking the meat on the grill first, then adding the veggies.

Juhl said the idea is to load the grill up, cook it quickly and let guests take what they want and smother it with their melted cheese. Then as everyone's eating, restock the grill for the next round. Dessert can be something light, like a mint sorbet.

The Swissmar Co. suggests using the grill to cook other things: French toast, grilled cheese sandwiches and numerous frozen appetizers, such as mini-quiches or mini-pizzas, that could also be smothered in melted cheese.

One caution: The grill draws a lot of electricity, Juhl said. At her deli, each of the grills must have a separate outlet for the tableside cooking.

So what's the attraction for modern-day diners? It's a novelty that gets your guests mingling, and like a barbecue, it's party food. But also, "There's a fascination with European culture and an appreciation of quality foods," said Juhl. "Americans are now thinking this is a good thing — good cheese and good-quality meats."

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E-mail: vphillips@desnews.com