Building & Renovation in France - outdoor kitchens

One of the best things about owning a French property is having the chance to spend time outdoors and, whether on holiday or as permanent residents, many people find that they spend more time than ever outside. Gardening, pottering about, tending livestock or simply relaxing by the pool – all of these activities can be wonderfully relaxing but for sheer bliss, nothing beats alfresco dining.

Longer, lighter days and warmer weather mean that eating outside becomes a real pleasure. However, struggling with a temperamental barbecue and lugging glasses and crockery from the kitchen to the patio can be a real chore. So, the solution? Quite simply, install an outdoor kitchen! This might sound like a major and expensive undertaking, but with a little planning and some inspiration, a fantastic outdoor cooking and eating space can be created for very little cost.

The first thing to think about is location. If you are lucky enough to have a space right by the kitchen that lends itself to becoming a cuisine d’été, so much the better. Even so, you may prefer to locate the kitchen by the pool or in another area of the garden. In any case, the first step is to take a large pad, a pen and make some notes on the suitability of the preferred site. The types of questions you need to ask yourself are:

Is the site flat already or will we need to landscape? If the site is perfect in every other way, it may be worth levelling the ground. However, this will add to the cost and there may be a better alternative option.

Are there services nearby? How much will it cost to run water (and possibly electricity) to the site?

Where does the site face? South? Southwest?

Is there shade nearby? What time of day will we generally be using it?

This list is not exhaustive by any means but it is a starting point and will help you choose where to site the kitchen.

Personal decision

The next stage in the planning process is to decide just what type of kitchen you require. This is a personal decision and one that will vary from household to household. Given that an outdoor kitchen can vary from being a whole separate structure equipped with appliances, cupboards and suchlike to a simple built-in barbecue with some storage and food preparation space alongside, there is a lot of variation.

It is a good idea to think about installing some type of cover as a protection from both sun and rain. This could be a proper roof or simply a wooden loggia-type construction, which can be covered with foliage. At this stage it is sensible to think about whether you plan to carry out the work yourself or call in a local artisan. It is also a good idea to think about how the kitchen will integrate with the outside space and the property as a whole. Leaving space for beds, which can be planted up with edible herbs, is a great way to link the kitchen with the garden. Equally, choosing a theme for the kitchen which coordinates with, or complements, the interior will help ‘bed’ the kitchen with the house.

Now you need to think about just what the kitchen will contain. There are four main areas to be considered: storage, preparation, cooking and clearing away. If space and budget permits, the ideal is for an external kitchen to be a completely self-sufficient entity. In this case, you will need storage for crockery and glasses as well as cooking implements and a basic selection of condiments.

Most large French supermarkets carry a good range of unbreakable table and picnic-ware which is ideal for the outdoor kitchen. During the spring and summer months, these items are often on special offer so it is an ideal opportunity to pick up a bargain. An outdoor kitchen can also be a great place to utilise some of those treasures found at brocantes. Old cupboards and benches can be painted and given a new lease of life, traditional bottle holders make ideal mobile drinks cabinets and lovely old baskets and containers can all be incorporated and used as storage.

If you are able to run electricity to the kitchen, a fridge will give much more flexibility. Having a small fridge will mean that cold drinks are always to hand and the fridge can be kept stocked with a range of basics such as butter, eggs, and cheese as well as providing a safe area in which to store any meat or fish products which are on the menu.

Reclaimed timber

Having a decent-sized worktop, close to the cooking area will make preparing and serving food much easier. There are numerous options available to suit all budgets; alternatively reclaimed timbers can be used to great effect or a marble offcut adds a nice touch. Attaching a rail to the edge will give a place to hang and dry tea towels and placing a shelf above the working area will provide some extra storage space for things that need to be close to hand. It is a good idea to separate the clearing-up area from the food-preparation area if possible. While this may mean installing another length of worktop by the sink, it will make life much easier and eating outside much more enjoyable.

The really exciting part of having an outdoor kitchen is cooking in it so choosing how and what is crucial! While a barbecue – gas or charcoal – will be the choice of many outdoor chefs, there are other options. Adding a plancha or hot plate gives a little more flexibility and installing a gas ring will enable the keen outdoor chef to really expand their repertoire. Individual gas rings can be bought very cheaply; a large one will enable you to cook dishes such as paella while smaller ones can be useful for sauces, boiling water and so forth. They can be connected to a gas bottle which can be discreetly hidden in a cupboard. If you are planning to use wood either as a cooking material or a heat source, it is a nice idea to create some built-in storage for it, perhaps under the fire? The same goes for bottles; both alcoholic and soft drinks look good displayed in a wine rack, which can be built into the kitchen area.

So with summer approaching, now is the perfect moment to start planning an outdoor cooking area. Once the kitchen is installed, preparing meals outdoors will become a real pleasure and eating long, lazy meals alfresco will add enormously to the enjoyment of your French property. Bon appetit!