Longing to spend more time in the great outdoors? Every time you step outside and smell that ribeye steak sizzle and sweet corn scent wafting over from a nearby grill, does your mouth just water? Eager to throw on your chilli pepper apron and march out with your chosen weapon — the spatula — to grill your own tasty dinner?
It may be time for you to start planning for that patio and outdoor kitchen space you’ve been dreaming about. And you’re not alone in your quest to be the grill master. In fact, outdoor kitchens are the most desired addition to outdoor living spaces, according to 61% of respondents to a 2021 Fixr.com survey.
Let’s take a look at built-in gas grill options and accessories that can make your outdoor kitchen a place you want to cook all your meals.
Your regular dinner guests: Immediate family or a couple close friends
Just hosting regular small get-togethers with those who are closest to you? Then you want to build an intimate space for cooking and conversing.
But that doesn’t mean you have to settle for just a simple grill. Base your built-in gas grill choice on your cooking preferences.
If you are a T-bone fanatic, a traditional built-in gas grill can do the trick. But if you long to smoke fish or meats, you may be looking for something more like a barbecue smoker.
Do you adore Italian food (and when we say Italian food, we mean pizza)? Today, you can get the best woodfire-grilled, crunchy crust with an outdoor pizza oven right in your backyard.
As you’re bringing the inside out, also consider some conveniences like side burners for complementary dishes, a refrigerator for chilled accompaniments and a trash bin that blends in to your outdoor cabinets, hiding all your debris perfectly while you entertain.
Your entertaining preference: Extended family and friends
Are you spending a lot of time outside entertaining neighbors and extended family? Then you’ll want to take your outdoor kitchen up a notch to ensure you don’t have to keep running inside for ingredients and to refill drinks for your parched guests.
This means you’re also going to be cooking more food, so you need more space. Extending your countertops and built-in gas grill features can bring convenience and efficiency that you’ll use on the regular.
Your grill could include a griddle or burner — whatever you need to keep all the dishes moving. A larger refrigerator may be in order, as well as a wine or beverage cooler and ice maker. Outdoor lighting can ensure you can see what you’re doing into the evening hours. And a sink, faucet and cabinets will ensure you can store some utensils, cleaning supplies and more. After all, wouldn't you prefer to come inside and have no dishes left to do?
Your level: Barbecue and entertaining master
Do you want to grab the spatula any time you attend a BBQ and someone else is grilling? Do you fight to host all the summer sizzlers and barbecue blowouts to show off your new marinade recipe? You’re a gourmet griller, and you need the outdoor kitchen to match. A luxury space that you’re going to be spending a lot of time in.
In this case, you need to plan for all the additional space you’ll need. That means more room for cooking — a built-in gas grill that has more bells and whistles and grilling space. You may even need a secondary cooking option — a pizza oven or smoker, for instance, so you can accommodate all your outdoor diners. A fire pit could add to the ambiance of the space or a patio heater can extend your nights and even your season for maximum enjoyment.
Maybe you’re also a big football fan. This is the time to incorporate that outdoor television and extra seating into your backyard kitchen to create a comfortable place to watch the game while preparing the perfect made-to-order snacks for you and your guests.
Other design considerations
While your cooking preferences and entertaining schedule can match your regular activity to your outdoor kitchen space, you also have to think about a few other important factors.
Location is important. You’ll want an outdoor kitchen that is conveniently located right outside your back door so you can go in and out, grabbing food and cooking utensils. This is especially true if your outdoor kitchen is smaller. For larger outdoor kitchens, they should still be easy to get to from your back door, but since the space includes everything you need, they can be a little further to accommodate all of the patio square footage, entertainment seating, countertops and storage you need. Oh, and don’t forget the grill.
When cooking outdoors, you drum up a lot of smoke, fumes and grease. So you’ll want to check your clearance for anything above you, such as a pavilion, and you’ll want to add ventilation, like a vent hood, to keep the smoke and odor moving, as well as the heat created from the built-in gas grill fire.
Still stumped at what the best outdoor kitchen setup would be for you? We’ve designed countless outdoor kitchens in the Washington, D.C. area that were built specifically for our unique customers’ tastes and budgets, and we can help you, too. Contact Rossen Landscape. We’d love to bring our custom landscape design experience and eye to your outdoor kitchen. Learn more about gardens we’ve designed here or contact us for a consultation about how we can give you the perfect grilling space for your needs.
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