La Caja China started in 1985 when Roberto Guerra was laboring over a pig roast with a makeshift cooker. His father recalled childhood memories in Cuba and how the family easily roasted whole pigs in a “Chinese Box”. They reconstructed the simple design: a wooden box on a stand with an aluminum interior and a coal tray for a lid. The heat radiates into the cookbox and the lid seals it off, keeping the meat moist.

La Caja China gained popularity and today they produce several models, some with metal sides instead of wood, and a variety of spices, marinades and accessories.