Ninety percent of the time I cook with a small stove.

1) necessary if I get to a park/camping area and a fire ban is on
2) quicker to fire up
3) heat is easier to control
4) will light even when conditions are not ideal (e.g., day long rain).

The clear downside is the extra weight (which for me is mostly in the fuel--I carry a light weight stove).

All that said, I still love a camp fire and will occassionally use it for cooking.

dd