Don’t you just love summer days when you can get out onto the patio, set up the grill and invite some friends around and chill. Those smells, the flavors, the fun, that gorgeous food; surely it can’t be beat. Its little wonder that in most outdoor cooking equipment surveys its grilling that most people enjoy the most.

Now hold on a minute. This is absolutely true, but if you want a really successful and enjoyable outdoor cooking experience then you need a well thought through outdoor kitchen.

The scale of your outdoor kitchen will be down to available funds but ideally you should aim to have the big seven in your outdoor kitchen: a grill and a stove; a cabinet for storage; a work top, a sink; a refrigerator and a well positioned seating with table area.

With an outdoor kitchen come so many benefits. Think of it. There will be no more lugging things in and out every time you want to have a BBQ; you’ll get more time to spend with the family & friends who will be impressed and you’ll have everything to hand when you need it… that is of course, if you’ve planned things well.

Choosing your grill and your stove is a real big question and one you must get right. My advice is, don’t go ‘cheap’; it will neither pay off in the short or the long term! Getting this right can make or break your outdoor cooking experience!

So, to help you sort out some of the basics here are some guidelines:

1. Before doing anything, first ask yourself some really basic questions. Where will it be best to site our outdoor kitchen? How is the outdoor kitchen going to work in terms of the family, the house and the garden in the wider context? What about our privacy when we’re eating? What permissions are going to be needed? Where is the sun in the afternoon and evening? What protection from the sun, wind and rain are we in need of? And, if you’re going to use your decking, will it take the weight?

2. What will I be cooking? Do I need a stove or a grill or both? Usually people say that they regretted not thinking this one through first off; most families need both.

3. If we go for a stove, as well as a grill, what type is going to be best? A 1, 2 or 3 burner unit? Or should I go all in and buy a ceramic grill? I’ve heard that they are really good and produce exceptionally flavorsome and juicy food because of the special way a ceramic grill cooks. I suggest that you look online at the many bargains and think about exactly what you’re going to be cooking and buy accordingly.

4. What sort of cooking will I be doing? How big a grill or stove, how many and what sort of stockpots, Dutch ovens or Jambalaya pots etc. do I need? How many people are we regularly going to be cooking for? Should I go for Aluminum or stainless steel?

5. Should I chose a grill with gas or charcoal? Ask yourself, will the family prefer food beautifully flavored with charcoal smoke and enjoy the fun of cooking with charcoal or do I prefer the simplicity and cleanliness of gas? Or maybe I could be really sophisticated and go for a wood smoker? But then again maybe the ceramic grill will cover this option for me?

6. Are we going to go for stainless steel throughout making everything a long term, easy to clean, great looking investment?

Take simple precautions and plan your way forward and the you’ll find the design and purchase of an outdoor kitchen is quite straight forward; here are some important guidelines to bear in mind:

1. Establishing an outdoor kitchen on your decking or on the patio is perhaps the natural choice but is it right? Before deciding consider matters in the longer term and in view of points already considered in this article;

2. Make sure the cooking area is covered given the likely prospect of the occasional shower or two;

3. If you’re thinking of having a stove and deep frying avoid placing this on a wooden floor or decking in case the oil spills and you have a fire!

4. Money spent on outdoor lighting is usually a good investment. Nice lighting creates ambiance enhancing everyones sense of occasion; it also allows your evening to go on well into the night as you so wish;

6. If you’re going to have a refrigerator make sure you buy one that is dedicated for use outdoors and it has a lock;

7. If you want a fully functioning outdoor kitchen then a sink is a must but must be planned for from the outset as you need a water supply and a waste outlet Sinks are so useful for washing, food preparation, supplying water for drinks and for washing up saving you having to run in and out of the house, time & time and again;

7. Its important everything in your kitchen is waterproof and weather tight; especially storage areas;to avoid problems try to invest in dedicated outdoor equipment; and

8. Make sure there are no combustible materials close to the grill

Good luck in all your outdoor cooking adventures

S. R. Kember