Cooking rice on a fire pit vs gas burner

Question

It is widely believed in East Asia that cooking rice on a fire pit, with firewood as fuel, allows one to make the most tasty rice. Both Cantonese pot rice and Japanese kamameshi, for example, call for cooking in firewood-lit fire for best taste.

Is there a scientific explanation to why cooking rice on a pot in a fire pit, with firewood as fuel, allows one to cook rice better than e.g. on a gas fire, or using a rice cooker?

Answer 1

The simple explanation is firewood produces smoke and other sources of heat don't. Smoke imparts aroma and flavor to the dish. Firewood doesn't cook the rice any better than a gas or induction range or a rice cooker, it's just about the smoke.