Outdoor Kitchens
Entertaining outside never tasted so good!
Australians have come a long way with our outdoor entertaining. There was once a time when a sausage on the barbie with a cold beer would suffice the crowds, but these days it seems our barbeque taste buds have become a little more discerning. Instead we prefer our gourmet pizzas straight from the wood fired oven, our steaks and shitakes sautéed under the stars, and... Well basically we just love to impress our friends and create fabulous meals to enjoy outside.
One of the great appeals for cooking in an outdoor kitchen is that the host doesn’t spend all their time shuffling items out from indoor spaces. So for frequent entertainers a fully equipped standalone kitchen is ideal. Some of the features you may wish to incorporate in your standalone kitchen are a sink, beverage refrigerator, cook top and extractor if near the house and possibly a small dishwasher – great for all those greasy hotplates. Waterproof cabinetry for pots, pans, woks, trays and all the essential cooking apparatus is also a great addition if you have the space. And for bench tops it is recommended that you select a durable surface such as granite or stainless steel.
Your Outdoor Kitchen Design
It can be as simple as a built in BBQ or as fully equipped as your indoor kitchen. But the most important thing is to ensure that your outdoor kitchen is well designed for your individual needs and cooking style as it can be a considerable investment and an area that you really want to enjoy using. Think about the best position for your kitchen and how often you intend to use it. Do you already have water and power connections? Do you plan on adding an outdoor television, fans or lighting on dimmer switches? If you are building a new home, think about the addition of capped off plumbing, gas and electrical points, as this will cost substantially less at construction stage than if you run these services in later.
You may wish to design your outdoor kitchen area as an extension or your home, in which case it is possible to consult your builder in the early design stages. But you can also consider a ‘pavilion style’ option where your kitchen zone is in a separate area of the backyard. Generally these structures are sheltered from the elements, but do ensure that the cooking area is well ventilated, particularly over the grill to reduce smoke. Flooring is another style statement that can also impact on your safety. It is important to select a surface such as timber decking or textured pavers to reduce the chance of slipping.
Cooking Options
When it comes to the business of cooking the barbeque grill is always a winner, but there are other options to consider. A wood fired oven is great for entertaining and provides great versatility when it comes to cooking everything from seafood, roasts, tangines, bread and or course homemade pizzas. These can be quite heavy so if you intend to mount one on your counter top it is important to ensure that you have adequate structural support. A more informal cooking option is a fire pit. These are ideal for cooking with rotisserie, skewers or grilling over the flame, but make sure you have a safety grate as these are not always a safe option where small children or active pets are concerned. But however you choose to cook your food, I’m sure you will agree that nothing tastes as good as a meal cooked outdoors, and the cosy ambience of your outdoor room is sure to keep you entertaining all year round.
