Your Pro Guide to Building an Outdoor Kitchen on Your Sarasota Patio

Your favorite spatula might work even better outside. 

First, it’s OK to admit you have a favorite spatula. It’s a sign of adulthood.

Second, wouldn’t it be great to cook outside? Not just grilling hot dogs, but the whole deal, serving up savory shrimp nachos and ribeye steak with grilled corn salad. 

How do you get started planning a Sarasota outdoor kitchen? Partner with an outdoor kitchen designer who will ask you a whole bunch of questions and guide you through it. Plan a space bigger than you think you need. Make it comfortable. Add cool features that will make it your go-to space.  

Keep reading to learn more about Florida outdoor kitchen ideas, including:

• First, Your Outdoor Kitchen Designer Has a Few Questions For You
• Outdoor Kitchen Space: Always Go Bigger
• Make Your Outdoor Kitchen Space Comfortable
• Outdoor Kitchen Designers Think of Features You’ll Love
• Your Outdoor Kitchen Space Needs Lighting

First, Your Outdoor Kitchen Designer Has a Few Questions For You

Actually, a lot of questions. We want to really get at the heart of how you’ll use this fabulous outdoor space. It’s not just out there to look great — although it will look great. 

Your outdoor kitchen space should be one of the most-used spots of your home. 

But to make sure it is, be ready to answer some questions: 

How big is your family? 

How many people do you usually cook for? 

Do you entertain a lot? How many people usually come over?

What appliances do you use the most? 

When you grill steak, do you tend to cook filets or porterhouses? Wait a minute. Why does that matter? Is your outdoor kitchen designer trying to wangle an invitation to dinner?

That would be lovely, but no. It’s all about figuring out what grill size you need. You can fit 12 filets on a 32-inch grill but only four porterhouse steaks. 

What do you order when you go out to a restaurant? OK, now your designer is just being nosy, right? Stay with us. If you answer that you always order the grouper at Bonefish Grill, we know you love grilled fish. So you need a flat top area on your grill if you want to grill fish. 

Your answers help us design your perfect outdoor kitchen — not just one worthy of a home magazine cover. 

We listen closely to your answers. If you say you really don’t need a sink out there, that deserves a conversation. 

How far is your indoor kitchen from your outdoor kitchen spot? Do you really want to trek all the way from your outdoor kitchen counter to your indoor kitchen sink to rinse the honey soy glaze for your salmon off your fingers? 

Maybe you don’t want to pay the extra money to connect an outdoor kitchen sink to your sewer hookup. Guess what? If you’re just going to use the sink to rinse your hands, that’s not necessary. (A good outdoor kitchen designer knows valuable stuff.)

We might ask if the people you often entertain are vegan or vegetarian. If so, maybe you want an outdoor pizza oven to make whole wheat pizza with arugula parsley pesto. 

All these questions — and your answers— matter, guiding us to the features you’ll use and love. 

Outdoor Kitchen Space: Always Go Bigger 

Nobody ever says “Rats, my outdoor kitchen is too big.”

For one thing, you probably shouldn’t include “rats” and “outdoor kitchen” in the same sentence. 

Also, most people discover their outdoor kitchen is actually too small, and they wish they had planned for more space. 

Can you extend the space later? Maybe, but that’s not ideal. If you decide to add another counter (everybody wishes they had more counter space) or an island, you probably won’t be able to match the granite exactly. 

So really think this counter thing through. Maybe you think all you really need is a grill with a foot of space on each side. Where will you set all your stuff? You’re not just serving chips out there, right? 

Make Your Outdoor Kitchen Space Comfortable 

No guy wants to stand out there and grill all by himself. That’s no fun. (Unless he’s hiding because he’s actually supposed to be painting the bedroom instead of grilling himself a steak.) 

So make your outdoor kitchen area comfortable, inviting and fun, so everybody wants to be out there. That means comfortable seating. Festive lighting. Maybe a tiki bar for fun. 

Use your outdoor kitchen space not just for cooking, but for gathering. Sit at the counter for cocktails. Include a TV for watching the big game, your favorite movie, or Love Island. (We’re not judging.)

Make your Sarasota outdoor kitchen the centerpiece of your outdoor space — even when you’re not grilling. 

Outdoor Kitchen Designers Think of Features You’ll Love

Chances are, you’re not a professional outdoor kitchen designer. That’s our job. 

So as you’re pondering what you need to make your new outdoor kitchen space complete, there are features that might not occur to you:

• Drawer and cabinet storage. You don’t want to be running back and forth to your indoor kitchen all the time to grab a pitcher for margaritas, a serving platter or your favorite spatula.
• High-quality appliances designed for the outdoors. Even Sarasota outdoor kitchen spaces nestled beneath pergolas have to stand up to heat and humidity.
• A beverage fridge. Choose a free-standing version, countertop model or built-in option. You’ll always have a cold drink handy. Also, they’re adorable.
• A Smoker. Slow-cooked barbecue ribs, anyone? Enough said. 

Your Outdoor Kitchen Space Needs Lighting 

If you think lighting is a luxury, any good outdoor kitchen designer will say, sorry, you’re wrong.

Lighting overhead and tucked under the countertops are a must, just so you can safely navigate your space once the sun goes down.

But lighting is also fun. Add festive bistro lights to twinkle overhead. Flickering tiki torches create the ultimate vacation vibe. 

Ready for a Sarasota Outdoor Kitchen You’ll Love? Talk to Us 

We mentioned the need for lots of questions. Here’s one more: what are you waiting for? 

An outdoor kitchen makes entertaining fun. It lets you comfortably grill even in the rain. 

Maybe an outdoor kitchen sounds amazing, but you don’t know where to start. It’s kind of overwhelming. So many options. A good designer will help you incorporate one into your Sarasota Florida landscape design. 

Our landscape design and build teams know how to boost your outdoor life with a perfect outdoor kitchen — and everything else you need to really enjoy it.

Let’s get started. We’ll help you figure it all out. 

Give us a call or fill out our form today! Our team of Sarasota designers can’t wait to design the perfect outdoor kitchen to take your outdoor living up a notch. Maybe even two notches.