Building an outdoor kitchen
Filed under Dream home • Tagged: Alex, Garden, gazebo, outdoor kitchen, Speedy
We have a gazebo in the garden. A small one. It looked like this before we moved in.
We always intended to use it as an outdoor dining area. And we did. We placed an outdoor dining set consisting of a round wooden table and matching chairs. And installed wind chimes too. Because it’s a small gazebo, it can only accommodate a dining set that seats four. Fine when it was just the four of us. But when we wanted to entertain outdoors and there were more guests than the table could seat, we’d lay out a long table under the mango tree.
What we didn’t anticipate — what I didn’t anticipate — was the hassle of bringing the food and plates and forks and spoons and drinking glasses all the way from the kitchen through the laundry area and on to the garden. Speedy always intended to construct a movable (rolling) cooking station using the cooking hob and oven from the old house. It would have been swell to put it next to be gazebo so we could cook and eat outdoors without too much going back and forth. But, for more than a year, the project kept getting pushed aside.
We continued eating outdoors occasionally despite the hassle of bringing everything out and in again. Until the lizard incident and the scream that roused the residents of the adjacent subdivisions. Never mind the details. Suffice to say that after that happened, Alex refused to set foot in the gazebo, much less eat her meals there. So, the gazebo turned into a white elephant. For months. Until inspiration struck. I’d construct an outdoor kitchen right there. Easy enough to set up the table and chairs under the mango tree for dining.
There would be minimal work required because the structure is already there. No need to build foundations nor roofing — the gazebo has roof tiles and metal posts buried in concrete, for goodness’ sakes, that should suffice. It’s fully wired for lighting too. And we already have the cooking hob and oven. So, it was just a matter of layout and spacing and aesthetics. And those are my specialties. 
So I got me a project manager who wouldn’t charge any professional fee (a.k.a. Speedy). I told Speedy what I wanted and he drew up the plans. He hired the construction team (very reasonable labor charges) and the project was on.
Construction began on September 28.
The photo above was taken on September 30.
By October 1, the tiles were being laid out. By October 2, the plumbing and sewage were complete.
Okay, let me cut the story short. Construction ended yesterday.
By early afternoon yesterday, the grout was applied.
The hinges of the cabinet doors were tightened up.
The Ariston cooking hob and convection oven from the old house were installed.
The kitchen is functional but I think I’ll wait until the finishing is over before I use it. We’ll need additional electrical sockets and overhead lights (for after sundown cooking, of course). And the cabinet doors will need to be waterproofed (I still can’t decide whether it’ll be plain varnish or paint). Plus fixtures and accessories for storing cooking pots and pans. Another week or so and I’ll be cooking outdoors.
P. S. That plant partially covered by Speedy in the last photo? That’s my lemon tree and it’s growing beautifully.
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[...] constructed a kitchen in the gazebo. It’s structurally complete but we need to install additional lighting fixtures. And there [...]
We feast everyday!
Great project Ms.Connie!But I guess you have to cover it with tarpaulin during strong rains.Looking forward to your future posts on your great outdoor cooking adventures!
I agree with beth, ms. connie. this is a great idea and tarpaulin should be added for the rains to help protect the hob. I see more home cooked meals on the horizon!
Yep, a cover is s must. Otherwise, hob and oven will rust. Plus, don’t want electrical wiring to get wet.
Ganda! This is my ideal kitchen… outdoor.
So nice! I can see you and your family cooking and eating more often outside. And your herbs and lemon tree are just within reach. Convenient and fun!
Hi Miss Connie. I am so inggit..
Sana meron din akong project manager na di kelangan bayaran. Or, wala ba talaga? Nakuha mo sa lambing si Speedy? Super talaga ang charm mo..
wow! it looks like the setting of a cooking show! ala bobby flay in boy meets grill…
Don’t forget to make a custard cake for the Project Manager, Ms. Connie.
I am amazed that all these took only a few days. Talagang niloko kami nung mga workers na nakuha namin. tsk. Kasi sila inabot more than a month na very minimal ginawang trabaho.
this is my ultimate dream for our future kitchen (in our future house). but i dont want to have 2 kitchens. since we have a small lot, our goal is to build a kitchen that already has an “outdoory” feel. soon…
JOmanette, kasi, since we don’t have live-in househelpers anymore, I figured that an outdoor kitchen will simplify the cleaning and washing.
Rhodora & browneyedgirl, and natural light for food photos hehehe
Sheng, actually, the outdoor kitchen was originally his idea except that he never thought of installing it in the gazebo.
Anna, building from scratch you have all the options. Size, position, layout… have fun.
Lemon, wag kayo kukuha na arawan ang bayad. Pakyaw parati kasi talagang papatagalin nila trabaho.
Hi Connie! Inggit rin ako!!! We had a picnic table in the garden, problema nga sa logistics – kung ano dapat ang hahakutin na utensils, plates, water/drinks, etc… Pero enjoy pa rin kumain sa labas.
Great kitchen project, Connie… I too would want something similar… our kitchen improvement project has also been pushed aside… and you have given me great ideas!
By the way, I hope you don’t mind…for construction and labor (except the Ariston hob)
how much did it cost? Kahit approximate amount lang— and ilang workers yun?
Liked your project. Katulad ito ung sa mga american homes – they have outdoor cooking area for eating al fresco or entertaining guests. Buti na lang, di naapektuhan ng bagyo ung construction. Wish I had that wide garden …
Gay, di ba, pag may picnic ambience, iba rin ang gana kumain? Change of scenery helps.
Crisma, 34K daw but we still need to have the painting done and additional electrical work. Siguro, mga 40K after everything’s finished.
Joy, actually, na-postpone yan for a week because of Ondoy.
An outdoor kitchen is one thing I really missed. Hindi kasi practical to have one dito sa place namin. Hindi kasi magagamit for most part of the year kaya we have to make do with a grill with a burner on the side. Most of the time grilling lang ang nagagawa namin outdoors and only on summer months. Atsaka nga pala pagprito ng dried fish and paggisa ng bagoong.
Yang pag-prito ng isda was a big factor for us. Kahirap alisin ng amoy isda sa bahay when the frying is done indoors.
I burn scented oils to get rid of the odor, relaxing pa.
I do that too hahaha Incense, most of the time.
Uuuyyy, 34-40K ??? Wow, ok na! Thanks, Connie…reasonable enough, considering the quality of the finished area. The workmanship of the construction people pala is evidently fine. And the entire project was finished in less than a week? Ganda talaga! And it gives you a feeling ng spaciousness and freshness ng scenery…
“…pag may picnic ambience, iba rin ang ganang kumain.” — hehe— and this gives another meaning to “kakain tayo sa labas!”
If you have a project, I can put you in touch with these people. Freelancers sila right now.
Thanks, Connie… nabasa mo ang isip ko! Taga Antipolo rin sila?
Oo. Just let me know pag gusto mo pa sked, will give you the cell number.
Sige, will just let you know— thanks again!
Mukhang walang pang barbecue? Wala akong makitang grill e. That would have been perfect outdoors, right? O hindi ko lang nakita? At any rate, ang gandang idea nyan. Yeah, why put something as valuable as a gazebo to waste? Eating al fresco, which is always a welcome treat, is easier for you.
Ang lalaki talaga… kailangan parating may grill hahahaha Bahala na si Speedy dun.
Ms. Connie, nadala talaga kami dun sa arawan na workers, well-recommended kasi, kaso bigtime palpak talaga.
Anyway, we were planning on having a nipa hut built on our backyard, and syempre, dapat may small grill(husband and I grinned at the though of having our own inuman. Now that you mentioned it, parang mas practical to include a cooking area too. But then, with our house still submerged, do we dare to do that once flood has subsided? Decisions, decisions.
Build everything on stilts. Hut, grill and cooking area.
ang ganda naman ng outdoor kitchen, sossy! ndi kaya manakaw ang cute na oven? kasi sa news mismong ATM binubuhat ng mga magnanakaw, curious lang ma’am connie.
news link of stolen ATM machine:
http://www.gmanews.tv/video/43566/QTV-Entire-ATM-machine-stolen-at-gas-station
Fenced in naman yung garden. At may roving guard sa subdivision. Of course, may mga magnanakaw na sobrang desidido, sana na lang hindi kami mabiktima. Naku, the looting in devastated areas (kakagaling ko lang kasi sa Marikina — daming kwento)… binaha na, ninakawan pa.
Looks great Connie. I’m green with envy,
.
My crystal ball tells me you’ll have your own very soon.
Looking forward to see it all done Ms. Connie …happy for u…:-)
Thanks, Pat. Painting starts on Sunday. By next week, everything will be finished. Hopefully.
Hi Ms. Connie,i really like your outdoor kitchen….ask ko lang where did you buy the cabinet doors? Thanks a lot:)
Speedy bought them. I’ll ask.
Connie! Finally, the outdoor kitchen is done! Galeng! So perfect for cooking demos!!! How about doing some cooking videos?
That’s the idea hehehe Instead of installing special lighting indoors, why not take videos outdoors, di ba?
Brilliant idea! May bagong tambayan na si Speedy,hehehehe
Your neighbors will enjoy the aroma from your cooking adventures.Ang sarap!
“May bagong tambayan na si Speedy”
Oo, eh, sya taga-hugas ng plato at kaserola eh. So, tamang-tamang tambayan hehehe
Makikiamoy na lang ng mga luto ninyo ang neighbors, hehe.
ganda ng outdoor kitchen ni ms. Connie! kulang na lang yung ref na drawer para nde balik ng balik sa kitchen.
Lemon, hanggang amoy na lang sila hahahaha
Ingrid, naku, malapit na birthday ko. Will tell Speedy I want that kind of refrigerator hhehehe Ayos yun.
ms. connie focus global ang distributor ng sub zero sa pinas. ganda ng mga ref na drawer! at pwedeng freezer pa. sana pag bigyan kayo ni Sir Speedy sa bday request nyo.
Wow, Sub Zero is expensive. But, yes, super nice.
I love your gazebo.
I can’t wait to see pictures of you actually cooking there. Ngayon, mapapadalas na ang kain ninyo “sa labas”. LOL!
Nice outdoor kitchen, I also have one on my deck where I cook smelly mostly fried foods but now that winter is coming, cooking is back indoor no smelly foods muna until Springtime. Enjoy the outdoors.
Wow, I am soooo jealous. I want one. We can use one here in our new place in Oakley, CA. It gets pretty hot during the summer. Anticipating your al fresco dining articles.