Outdoor kitchens give you the luxury of cooking gourmet meals to enjoy outside with your guests on a beautiful day. You will no longer have to miss most of the party because you are cooking inside, while your friends and family are gathering outside. Outdoor kitchens run the gamut from a simple grill space to a full-blown professional kitchen. Follow along to learn how to plan for your outdoor cooking experience.
Choosing Components
When choosing the components for your kitchen, make sure you choose things that are rated for outside use. Indoor components will not last long outside. They are not built to withstand temperature fluctuations or winds that fling sand and dirt at them. Outdoor components are a little more expensive, but you should not have to replace them for many years.
Roof or No Roof
Does your kitchen need a roof? It is less expensive not to build a roof, but that limits the kitchen’s utility. A roof protects your components from rain, snow, and sunlight. It also means a little precipitation doesn’t ruin your food – or your party. Some components, such as high-end ovens and stoves, really can’t survive without a roof even if you buy outside versions. If you will use your outdoor kitchen at least once a week then, you may want to consider covering to maximize your enjoyment and ability to use the space.
Choices
Planning an outdoor kitchen can be fun. There are many choices to make, though, so here are some ideas about what can go in your outdoor kitchen.
Appliances
Before looking for appliances, make a list of the type of food you will be cooking outside. That list will dictate the type of appliances you buy for your outdoor kitchen. It is best to focus on appliances that will be consistently used. It is not necessary to get a wine fridge if you don’t drink wine or a rotisserie if you don’t eat a lot of chicken. Choose the appliances that your family will use regularly to get the most value out of your outdoor kitchen.
Grill
BBQ lovers will want a grill to work on. This can be a movable BBQ grill or one that is built into an island with a countertop. Built-in units are the best for a stunning design, especially if you use them a lot. If you are a part-time griller, then a moveable unit may be ok. You also get to choose the type of fuel you use. You can use wood, charcoal, or gas. When deciding where to place the grill in your outdoor space consider the direction that you will be facing while cooking and try to orient it towards the living area so that you can interact with your guest. You should also consider the views from the inside of the house. There will be a lot of times that you won’t be out there and you don’t want to look straight out the window and a bulky grill. Try to tuck the grill island in corners if possible.
Side Burner
If you cook stir-fries frequently, you will want to get a side burner to do that on. These get very hot very quickly to sear the flavor into vegetables, meats, and other food. They are usually gas-powered and can be a nice touch for the avid BBQ master.
Fire Table
This can be a table that has gas burners embedded in it. Guests can sit at the table and visit while watching you cook. After the cooking is done, you can leave the gas on and light up the night with fire or turn it off and use the table without the flame.
Refrigerator
Keep all your food cold in a refrigerator. That keeps you from having to carry items out from the house while entertaining. It keeps the beers cold during the party, too. Fridges are usually a good investment as they tend to be used a lot by adults and children to keep drinks handy and nearby.
Wine Refrigerator
Wine aficionados will want to include a wine refrigerator in their list of appliances. These keep your wine at just the right temperature. They also leave the refrigerator space for the food.
Ice Trough
Parties demand lots of ice. While it is not wise to put an ice machine outdoors in our cold climate, you can have a dedicated place to keep the ice during the party. An ice trough helps store the ice, so it is out of the way until you need it, and you can fill it with sodas and beers for your guests to have easy access to cold beverages.
Sink
Sinks are nice for cleanup. Unfortunately, the pipes tend to freeze in the winter and would need to be winterized in our Midwest climate. It may not be worth the investment if you don’t think you will use them regularly.
Seating
Everyone needs a place to sit while eating. We often design bar type seating into our outdoor kitchens to provide additional space for guests when hosting a large event or a place to use for serving station or set drinks.
Sports Experience
Sports watching parties are an honored tradition in KC. BBQ and football or baseball are serious events here in our city. We can install a large outdoor television so you can watch the game while grilling and entertaining outdoors. We have to consider the location of the TV so everyone can watch the game, but the TV doesn’t get too hot from the cooking flames. We also want to make sure there will not be a glare on the TV where we place it. Finally, we have to consider the availability of electrical for the TV and where we can run power to it. Once all these factors are considered you will find the perfect spot for displaying the game for your crowd of fans.
Storage
You need to consider what kind of storage you need in your outdoor kitchen. Will you keep a complete set of pots, pans, and utensils outdoors to use when cooking? You will need cabinets to put them in. You will at least have some tongs and tools for grilling along with miscellaneous items for serving and cleaning. We can help you find the best storage options to fit your needs.
Materials
The extremes of heat and cold your cabinets will be exposed to make concrete block and stone the most popular materials to use. We can also incorporate wood, composite, or steel in the design. We just have to be more careful to consider how the heat from the cooking surfaces may affect these material choices.
Countertops are usually made from limestone slabs that are chiseled or bullnosed on the edge and polished on the top. Another option would be concrete countertops that can be custom made for color and even have flakes or epoxy added in for an extra flare. Granite can also be used, but it is a thinner material at about 1″ thickness that doesn’t fit the outdoor scale quite as good at the thicker 2 1/4″ limestone or concrete options that we prefer.
Electrical and Lighting
Most likely you will want to incorporate a few outlets for a blender or charging a phone or speaker outdoors. So it is best to think this through when laying out your outdoor kitchen space. Lighting is also important since you will be outdoors and often entertaining after dark. Think about lighting up the space for your guests and don’t forget about the cook. Their job is much easier when they can see what they are doing.
Bringing It All Together
You want your outdoor kitchen to be a place where cooking, eating, and entertaining all come together. At Royal Creations, we can work with you to design exactly what you need for what you want to do. Our Blue Crew can then install it for you with the appliances you have picked out. Winter is a great time to plan spring projects. Contact Royal Creations Architectural Landscaping today to be ready to watch baseball in your outdoor kitchen this spring.
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