Eating out

What makes a great outdoor kitchen and dining space? These fine examples would receive a five-star rating

- JACKY HOBBS

1. Immersive experience

SB Design House collaborated with award-winning landscape design firm Garden Studio Design and Häti Home to bring this Californian summer kitchen to life. We aimed for an outdoor kitchen that merges effortlessly with its lush surroundings, offering both style and function,’ says Shayna Brickman of SB Design House. Materials for the built-in grill, porcelain countertop and teak cabinetry are echoed in the adjacent bar and seating area for a cohesive look. ‘The soft scape, featuring mature olive trees and other drought-tolerant plant selections, amplifies the modern Mediterranean feel while fostering a relaxed, refined atmosphere,’ adds Mikayla Gierut, Garden Studio Design marketing director.

2. Rain or shine

This walled-garden-style kitchen by designer Mark Gregory, Landform Consultants, features an elegant Victorian inspired glass veranda from The Traditional Verandah Company, which protects the outdoor cooking area from the elements. Mark acknowledges, 'in real life, it rains a lot in England'. The large, part-reclaimed brick kitchen space melts into the backdrop wall (the oven is hidden behind doors) absorbing, 'the built-in grill, gas hobs and DeliVita wood-fired oven. Food can be served directly, undercover, to the sunken dining room, via a secret internal staircase behind the chimney stack.' The garden itself provides an on-hand feast of edimentals.

3. Raising the bar