Questions to Ask Yourself When Planning an Outdoor Kitchen
Adding a kitchen to your outdoor space is a great way to extend your living area and spend time with friends and family. It also gives you the chance to create some delicious meals. When it comes to creating the ultimate outdoor cooking space, before developing outdoor kitchen plans, there are some questions you’ll need to ask.
What will you cook outside?
The first thing you’ll need to consider is what you will be cooking outside. It will help you decide which appliances you should add to your outdoor kitchen plans. If you plan on cooking only hamburgers, chicken or brats, then you may not need more than a grilling surface.
However, if you plan on getting fancy and want to cook in a wood-burning oven, then this is something you’ll need to know when developing your plans. You can also add a flat-top cooking surface if you want. You can cook any dish outside, as long as you have the right amenities. Thus, knowing what you will be cooking will help you create the perfect outdoor kitchen.
Will you be Doing Prep Work Outside?
Not only do you need to know what you will be cooking, but it’s a good idea to know how long each dish will take to prepare and how much of the prep work you plan on doing outside. You always have the option of getting the food ready in your home and then taking it out. However, if you don’t want to add any extra steps to the process, then you’ll need to decide how much counter space your outdoor kitchen needs and if a sink would be beneficial.
You’ll also need to consider how much trash you’ll make when you are cooking outside, and keeping it contained will keep your yard clean. You’ll also need to ask yourself where you will store the food. Again, you can always keep it inside, but if you prefer it close, then you’ll probably need to add a fridge to your outdoor kitchen plans.
As part of this question, you’ll also need to decide what utensils you’ll need and where they will be stored. If you want them outside, then you’ll need to consider how much storage space you’ll need so that you can add it to your plans.
Who Will You Have in the Area?
When it comes to designing your outdoor kitchen, you need to think about who will be in the area. You have the option of the space doubling as a seating/party area, but if you do this, then you need to be aware of where people will be seated and how they will move through the area.
For example, if you plan on having a fridge that will hold food as well as beverages that anyone can access, then it’s a good idea to keep this away from hot surfaces. You’ll also need to be aware of where the smoke from the grill blows. People don’t want this in their eyes when they are sitting outside and enjoying the weather.
Having a kitchen outside is a great way to create the ultimate party space. Before you put any plans together, make sure you ask yourself some questions and talk to a professional so that you can create the kitchen that will accommodate all of your wants and needs.
