Here at CENA HQ we’re taking stock after an incredible summer designing and installing brand new outdoor kitchens for our customers based across the UK. We’ve created kitchens using stainless steel, timber, glass-reinforced concrete and with a wide range of cooking elements to suit the owner’s unique cooking personality. If you’re considering including an outdoor kitchen in your garden in the future, you might be wondering how to choose which cooking elements to include. We’re happy to share our knowledge and expertise with you help you get started. So, what are the options available to you?
A classic BBQ cooking medium, the grill
When people think of outdoor cooking, they often go to a BBQ-style grill first. Our outdoor kitchens to date include both heat-adjustable charcoal grills and gas grills for intricate cooking control. This year we installed an outdoor kitchen which included two separate side-by-side grills to allow the owner to cook different dishes at the same time. We’ve also just unveiled an outdoor kitchen with an induction hob for the very first time for those who prefer to use an electric supply.
The versatile wood-fired oven
Another very popular element this year has been the classic wood-fired oven. Not only do our wood-fired look visually stunning in a kitchen but combined with a grill and/or side burner, they offer a brilliant range of cooking options. Knock up a delicious home-made pizza or bake your own sourdough in the open air. Plus, if you want to stay outside and enjoy the atmosphere once the temperature starts to drop, a wood-fired oven will help keep you toasty warm.
For a truly involved cooking experience, the side burner
The addition of a side burner in your outdoor kitchen really ‘ups the ante’ for your cooking experience. A side burner allows you to create delicious side dishes at the same time as you create the main event on the grill or in a wood-fired oven. So, if you would like gently sautéed vegetables or perfectly boiled new potatoes with your slow-roasted sirloin of beef or grilled salmon, a side burner is the perfect addition.
A kamado grill, such as a Big Green Egg
Kamado grills are ceramic grill/oven/smoking cooking tools that are based on an ancient Japanese style of cooking using a ceramic cooking urn. The best-known kamado grill brand in the UK has to be the Big Green Egg, and we’ve been proud to include them in our kitchens this year. Perfect if you love experimenting with long, slow cooking for joints or meat or smoking food.
Teppanyaki grills, hot plates and more
At CENA we love working closely with our customers to create their perfect outdoor kitchen, and sometimes that means thinking outside the box. If you’re keen to have a different cooking element in your very own outdoor kitchen, such as a teppanyaki-style iron griddle, our team will join the dots with design and workshop to make it happen. Just drop us a line to see how we can help you choose the right cooking elements for your outdoor kitchen.
