Must-Haves for Every Outdoor Kitchen

Must-Haves for Every Outdoor Kitchen
Mar 30, 2020

If you like to entertain outdoors during the warm summer months, then you know the misery of sweating in a hot kitchen, all by yourself, bustling food in and out while everyone else enjoys the party.  Even if you’re manning an outdoor grill, you’re probably suffering under the blistering sun, or alternately, working under poor outdoor lighting conditions after dark, making food for hours on a too-small cooking surface.

It’s time to say goodbye to the problems inherent to cooking for backyard events.  With a modern outdoor kitchen in your Sioux Center, Iowa yard, you’ll have everything you need for fun and entertaining on hand, letting you join the party and feed your guests with ease.  Here are just a few must-haves every outdoor kitchen should include.

Cooking Options

Outdoor kitchens are intended to make cooking for outdoor events easier, but you need to have the right elements in place, including a grill surface, a cooktop for pots and pans, and even a small oven.  If you’re really into entertaining, you might also want to add gourmet extras like warming drawers, or consider installing a fire feature where you can roast or smoke meats, for example.

Refrigeration

Unless you want to run in and out of the house to grab needed items from your fridge, it’s not a bad idea to have at least a small refrigerator outdoors to minimize trips between your kitchens.  At the very least, you should consider adding a drink fridge outside where you can stock water bottles, sodas, beers, and other beverages for your summertime parties.

Prep Surfaces and a Sink

These food prep essentials should not be a second thought.  Consider how you use your own kitchen and you’ll see the logic in installing a sink for rinsing food or cleaning up messes.  You’ll also be happy you added plenty of counter space.  Even if you don’t use it all for food prep, you can add barstools to create an intimate seating area for family members or guests who want to socialize with the chef.

Storage

You might not see the point in purchasing a full extra set of dinnerware (plates, cups, utensils, etc.) for outdoors, but you’ll be happy to have paper plates, napkins, serving platters, and cooking tools (pots and pans, grill tools, and so on) when you’re busy creating summertime feasts for a yard full of guests.

Coverage and Lighting

You don’t necessarily need the coverage of a site structure like a pavilion to shade your outdoor kitchen, but when you think of the countless hours you’re likely to spend laboring over a grill or crafting platters of hors d’oeuvres, having protection from sun and rain could certainly come in handy.  As for outdoor lighting, you could rely on the single bulb over the back door, but seeing what you’re chopping and cooking can save you from cuts, not to mention food poisoning.

When you decide to install an outdoor kitchen in your Rock Valley, Iowa backyard, you can certainly set it up however you like, but with the right must-have features in place, you’ll make cooking and entertaining outdoors fun and convenient.