Take it Outdoors

Luxury outdoor kitchens are turning backyards into stylish spaces for serious entertaining

Simple cookouts have given way to elaborate entertaining. Homeowners are moving beyond basic grills to higher end or built in grills, smokers, pizza ovens (gas or wood fired), rotisseries, even full outdoor kitchens complete with side burners, storage cabinets, ovens,  refrigeration, and heat lamps. These fully equipped kitchens “are becoming more and more popular for creating a dining room under the open sky,” says entertaining and lifestyle designer Fran Berger.

Michael Gotowal, founder of the Outdoor Kitchen Design Store in Southampton says, “Outdoor kitchens in the Hamptons are super stylish and multi-functional for all members of the family. The backyard living space has become a mecca for design, desire and inspiration. It’s truly amazing to see our projects come to life. We start with 3D design and tailor each project to reflect a family’s indoor lifestyles and hobbies.  These backyards are no longer seasonal—they’re year-round spaces for cooking, dining, entertaining, working, and relaxing. It’s incredible to watch these designs come to life as true extensions of the home.”

The demand for luxury outdoor kitchens continues to grow at a fast pace according to the National Kitchen and Bath Association’s first-ever Luxury Outdoor Kitchen report. You can blame it on or credit it to the pandemic for kick starting this trend. 

“The expansion of outdoor luxury kitchens is due, in large part, to the COVID-19 pandemic that drove more in-home entertaining and cooking, which propelled a need to expand into outdoor spaces to accommodate this shift,” according to the report.

“COVID forever disrupted the outdoor design game, transforming entertaining at home into a bona fide art form; with outdoor kitchens leading the pack as a top-requested feature among homebuyers and renovators alike.”

For many Hamptons homeowners, a next-level outdoor kitchen is more than a design decision—it’s a cultural one. It signals a commitment to hospitality, to celebrating seasons, to blurring the line between home and nature. It also pays dividends. High-end outdoor kitchens are known to increase property value and desirability, particularly in coastal markets where outdoor living is not just enjoyed but expected. “No matter your intent big or small, private or catered, many memorable events can be shared with family and friends in your outdoor kitchen. It’s where stories happen,” Gotowal says. 

Rough estimates place the cost anywhere between $5,000 and $100,000. But the upside is that outdoor kitchens add value to your home according to the National Association of Realtors which estimates a return on investment ranging from 55 percent to 200 percent.

NAR reports that “One in eight renovating homeowners say they are adding or upgrading an outdoor kitchen. Nearly four in five homeowners say they are upgrading their outdoor lighting by adding more lights throughout their landscapes to capture a glow at night. String or bistro lights and porch sconces remain popular updates as well. “I’m always up for adding thoughtful layers that create an extra inviting mood: string lighting or candles (especially citronella to repel insects), outdoor speakers for music and cashmere throws for when the evening cools,” says Berger.

Outdoor spaces are getting furnished with lounge chairs, pillows and throws, umbrellas, rugs and sofas or sectionals. Today’s furnishings are plusher, bigger and more permanent thanks to advances in weatherproof fabric technology. Outdoor rugs are used to delineate areas, perhaps being placed under a dining table or in front of a couch.

“Well-furnished outdoor areas are absolutely expected when designing upscale homes,” says Austin  Handler  of  Mabley Handler Design “the larger the home, the greater the need to create multiple destinations for outdoor seating, beyond just a “living” area and a “dining” area. Larger upscale homes might additionally feature an outdoor firepit area with a ring of comfortable club chairs, a resort-style covered daybed, an outdoor bar area with barstools and high-top tables, or even a destination hammock area off in a quiet corner of the property.”

Covid also inspired the installation of outdoor spa like amenities, such as yoga and meditation spaces, meditation gardens, cold plunge pools, infrared saunas.

Dining outdoors, or alfresco as the Italians say, makes you feel like you’re on vacation. The trick is to make it as relaxing for the hosts as it is for the guests.  If you have spacious grounds and an ample budget, hiring a caterer is the easiest solution. You can consult on the menu and then leave all the work to the professionals, essentially being a guest at your own party. A catering truck parked on the property also does double duty as a status symbol.

Art of Eating’s Cheryl Stair notes the popularity of small bites such as shrimp and avocado summer roll, foie gras and grapes wrapped in prosciutto, herb crusted Montauk striped bass fingers with remoulade, and smoked salmon and caviar on lemon and cracked pepper bread. 

If you want more of a middle ground, you could hire a bartender and maybe a raw bar oyster shucker and prepare the rest of the meal yourself. The Clam Bar now has a shuck truck available for private parties.

For a smaller, more intimate dinner you can do the whole thing yourself.  In that case, planning in advance is essential. You don’t want any breakable dishes or glassware outdoors, especially if there is a pool nearby. You can go with disposables using more upmarket paper plates or eco-friendly solutions such as Ver Terra plates made from fallen bamboo. If you want to kick it up a notch, there are beautiful melamine patterns available today and there’s the classic, colorful stackable Heller ware. Cloth napkins always add a touch of class. Place cards are also a good idea to make sure you have a congenial seating arrangement.

Without a bartender, you want to make it easy for guests to serve themselves from a bar cart or separate drinks table. Some hosts prefer to offer a signature cocktail. Martha Stewart concocts a pomegranate Martha-Rita with tequila, lime juice, triple sec and pomegranate concentrate. Or you can even go with canned cocktails and mocktails from companies such as Austin’s Big Hat or Portland’s Straightaway Cocktails.

A buffet is the most efficient way to serve. Plates are stacked at the beginning followed by salads or other cold food, then hot sides, then the protein. Silverware rolled in napkins is placed at the end.  Desserts can be displayed on a separate table, or a host can offer something fun like frozen popsicles’ after dinner.

Cooking and entertaining experts like Stewart, Ina Garten and others post endless entertaining tips and recipes online.

Beverly Stephen writes about food, travel, design, and lifestyle. She is co-owner of Flavor Forays, a culinary travel company.