Outdoor kitchens

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1. Outdoor kitchens

Outdoor kitchens are the latest trend in a bid to embrace outdoor living. Slaving over a hot stove has never been so good, so instead of fighting to get out of the kitchen, you’ll be fighting to get into it.

Barbie bonanza

An outdoor kitchen is not just any old BBQ area – it hosts a gamut of accessories and appliances to make your outdoor cooking experience a breeze. Most kitchens come as a standard unit, but outdoor cooks can add to them as they please. The sky really is the limit when it comes to these barbie beauties.

Greg Porter from Terry Hayes Agencies says units come as a 5-burner base model, but they can be custom made to include accessories such as a work top, sink, stainless steel cupboard and drawers – whatever your heart desires – it’s only limited by your imagination. Read on for your guide to the ultimate outdoor cook-fest.

The cook top

Fuel
Most outdoor kitchens use either natural or bottled gas as a fuel source. Gas cooking is fast, effective and saves cutting wood or waiting for briquettes or charcoal to heat. Using gas is also environmentally friendly, as trees are not fuelling your BBQ – not to mention the mess and pollution from the coals.

Briquettes are a good choice for those who want to cook large cuts of meat slowly over a long time. Usually only used in a kettle BBQ, the new outdoor kitchens would certainly cater for the ‘kettle-loving’ cook.

Electric hot plates are also an option, but can be slow to heat, which could prove to be a good safety feature when small children are around. They are not suitable for larger scale barbecuing.

Wood is a more traditional fuel, but has gone out of fashion over the years. Your council may also enforce clean air restrictions that forbid you from firing up your timber barbie. Timber products could also produce noxious fumes. Outdoor kitchens traditionally host only electric or gas cook tops.

Burners

Bigger appears to be better when it comes to the outdoor kitchen. Burner selection ranges from five to a whopping 15. But unless you’re cooking for a footy team, own a restaurant, or just want to show-off, a 15-burner BBQ is not necessary. Greg Porter says their base units come with five burners, but people don’t have to settle for that.

Rotisserie
If you plan to host large parties, consider the addition of a rotisserie. It plugs into a power outlet and rotates large cuts of meat above the heat. Some outdoor kitchens feature a separate infra-red element, similar to the heating mechanism found at a souvlaki or kebab shop.

Teppanyaki
We’ve all seen the professional Teppanyaki chefs in action, slicing and dicing the food in front of our eyes and creating an amazing feast amidst a flurry of activity. The teppanyaki bar would be a great addition to any outdoor kitchen – not only enabling cooks to practice their knife juggling skills – but it’s a great way to cook healthy food with an Asian flavour.

Wok burner
A wok burner truly blends the indoor kitchen with the outdoor cook top. Wok burners have been a feature in trolley barbecues for many years, so the addition of a wok burner to an outdoor kitchen is an obvious choice. Even if you’re not barbecuing, the outdoor wok can make cooking during the warmer months a cooler experience.

Accessories

Bar fridge
The outdoor kitchen can come complete with a fridge, or wine chiller (or beer chiller for those who prefer fermented hops to fermented grapes), eliminate walking back and forth to the indoor kitchen.

Sink
A kitchen is not complete without a sink. For the ultimate in outdoor cleanliness, install a sink in your outdoor kitchen and never step back inside again! This could prove to be a good way to get the kids interested in helping with the dishes.

Workbench
The outdoor kitchen’s workbench is usually made from stainless steel and can be as large as needed.

Storage space
Cupboards and drawers are great storage additions to the outdoor kitchen separating the BBQ ‘tools of the trade’ from the indoor kitchen essentials. The storage space is generally made from stainless steel.

Décor
Outdoor areas usually adopt a specific style and feel that reflects the owners’ personalities and lifestyle. Outdoor kitchens can be made to reflect the current styles and colours, and are not only available in stainless steel.

Greg Porter says that although the outdoor kitchens from Terry Hayes Agencies look like they are surrounded by rendered concrete, it is only a lightweight material. The weight of the units is not much more than a traditional BBQ, which won’t compromise timber decks.

Cost
The outdoor kitchens from Terry Hayes Agencies start from $5900.