A Step-by-Step Guide to Great Meals Outside
Summer’s just around the corner…time to fire up the grill, grab a cold one and remember how great food tastes when you cook it outside. This year, why not take the next step and create a complete outdoor kitchen. It’s not that difficult. Just follow these easy steps:
- Step one—Think about what you want to put in the space. What types of cooking surfaces do you want? A gas or charcoal grill (or a combo)? A flattop? A pellet grill/smoker? Will you do all the prep outside? If so, you’ll want adequate work space. Will you have a refrigerator in the outdoor kitchen? If so, you may want to consider some type of roof on the kitchen. Determine the amount of floor space you need for all the appliances and any workstation and add room to move around. Get the tape measure out and find a spot that will meets all your needs.
- Step two—Find the right space. The ideal space is both large enough to accommodate the essentials and conveniently located. Consider the traffic flow around the kitchen. You want easy access, but you don’t want it in a high traffic zone. Where will you eat the food you cook? How easy will access be from the kitchen to the table?
- Step three—Determine how much you want to spend. Start with a budget and get estimates on everything before you start. If the total cost of your dream kitchen exceeds your budget, make a list of your priorities. Consider building your kitchen in phases, if necessary.
- Step four—Identify what you can do yourself and what you need done by a professional. You can typically save about a third of the cost for things that you do on your own. That can help you determine exactly what you want. For example, instead of pouring cement, which might require a professional, you could lay down patio bricks, which you could do yourself.
- Step five—Determine whether you need a building permit. This depends on the extent of your project. Contact your local building authority and tell them what you plan to do. They will let you know if you need a permit.
- Step six—Build the framework, buy the components and start cooking!
