In Chiangmai, people still cook outside. Image from user chenws of shutterasia.com
Outdoor kitchens are nothing new in Asia. Before the advent of the gas and electric range, outside was where the cooking was done, probably because in warmer countries, people want to keep heat as far away as possible from the living area.
But even after people equipped themselves with snazzy kitchen appliances and gadgetry, a lot of homes till have outdoor kitchens. We like cooking with these macho-looking fires. We like our grilled meats and seafood, and we like our pungent eats. So the outdoor kitchens remain.
We had one when I was little, and it just had a sink, a wood stove-slash-grill, and a tiled counter. In the Philippines, it’s called a “dirty kitchen” — not because it’s dirty-dirty, but because it uses charcoal and firewood so it’s sooty most of the time, and because a lot of dirty work is done there. I remember live chickens being slaughtered a few times there, and a pig and a goat at least once, before they were roasted in a makeshift spit in our backyard. Now we just have one kitchen, a regular indoors one, though we still have a grill outside.
A traditional outdoor kitchen a.k.a. "dirty kitchen" in the Philippines. Image from www.philippinesorbust.com
Meanwhile, in the Western hemisphere, there is a burgeoning desire for al fresco dining and outdoor cooking, and kitchen designers are coming up with such gorgeous outdoor kitchens that I find myself suffering with a bad case of “outdoor kitchen envy”. There are a lot of gorgeous ones I see on food and lifestyle shows, and I drool over ones I find online. We have a decent-sized yard and I like hanging out there with my friends on the occasional cool night. Having one of these would be just awesome:
This little thing is a kitchen in itself--with a gas ignition, mini range, and mini fridge. And it's got wheels so you can roll it anywhere. The Christophe Mobile Kitchen On Wheels (La Plancha Sur Roulette Christophe). By French outdoor furniture maker Calanc.
This one has an exotic tropical feel, so you'll always feel you're on vacation.
This one has beautiful rustic looks, and is made according to traditional Danish design. From Nexo.
A simple outdoor kitchen island that covers all the basics. The St. Martin island from Outdoor Greatrooms Company.
I would never dream of "dirtying up" this stunning outdoor kitchen. From Electrolux.
Would love a set up like that with a beer/wine fridge and maybe a hammock attached and would never have to go back inside!