What makes sense to have in an outdoor kitchen in a UK garden?

Outdoor kitchens are stunning on Instagram, but in a UK garden, they will have to withstand rain, wind, and those months when you’re not cooking al fresco every day. The most reality-based way is to keep it simple, then move on up.

Start with the “core.”

Here are some components of an outdoor kitchen that make it practical for most homes:

High Quality BBQ (gas, charcoal, or hybrid)

A prep surface (a worktop with storage underneath)

Outdoor storage for utensils, the cover, and fuel

An area that is flat and firm (patio or paving) with plenty of space to navigate.

As long as you can fit what you’re cooking well and serve it without running back and forth to the indoor kitchen, you’ve won. For help from Landscapers Gloucester, contact https://phoenixgardenersgloucester.co.uk/services/landscaping

What’s worth adding (and when)

UK-eligible upgrades:

Something that covers the cooking area and is either a pergola or a canopy

Exterior lighting so you can use it in the evening

A mini-fridge that’s safe from the sun

A basin if you can run water (the biggest cost jump).

Pizza ovens always prove to be popular, with a requirement for storage, dry fuel, and some experience. If you will use it just a couple of times each year, maybe best to have something convenient.

Don’t forget the practicalities

Create distance and a plan between those who are cooking, the venting area (it is preferable if this does not drift to overhanging trees or fences), and the wind direction. Smoke shouldn’t blow into where you want people sitting!

A real UK outdoor kitchen, not one of these massive things you see in some magazines – it allows for protection from the elements, is easy to keep tidy, and is built around your average day-to-day entertaining.