1. Roof Over The Kitchen Area. You should at least build a roof to cover all the appliances especially those runs on electricity. Make sure the worktop, patio are slop to prevent standing water. If your area rains quite often, you should consider installing a drain around the base of your kitchen.
2. Ventilation.Make sure to position your grill far enough away from your house. Down-wind might also cause the smoke and odor to be a nuisance around eating area, so you should think carefully and plan the kitchen in the right location. If your outdoor kitchen is in a covered area or under a screened porch, you should consider installing a mechanical ventilation. So, always remember that an open air kitchen will have somewhat uncontrollable wind, therefore plan it well as smoke and odors blown into your eyes or in your house might ruin your great evening with your friends and family.
3. Use Durable Material. Indoor materials are definitely not suitable for outdoor kitchen, including those worktops that are made from strips of wood laminated together. Make sure the material that you choose are FDA approved for food contact and the material should not easily produce mildew or mold during raining season.
4. Plan Sufficient Lighting And Outdoor Speakers. Make sure those task area like the grill, sink and work area are well lighted. To improve the overall ambiance of your outdoor kitchen you should consider installing a dimmer and a few good speakers.
5. Utility Connections. Bringing the electric, gas and water to your outdoor kitchen could be a big expensive task therefore you should consider getting an advice from a professional contractor in order to conform to your local codes and utility company rules and regulation. All utility runs should be buried in a trench and mark them properly to prevent accidents happened.
So, remember to choose materials that are durable, shade all your important appliances against rain and must be able to withstand winter weather or at least it is easily detach for storage. Get all your utility done properly and make sure the cooking area is well ventilated. Lighting and managing the rain water away from cabinets are also important.
By:Kenny Chew
