BBQ is the key element to an Outdoor Kitchen. In Southern California we are so grateful to be able to get outdoors for darn near 365 days of the year. The great weather allows you to use your BBQ and outdoor kitchen as an extension of your home for complete enjoyment.
I remember the days of a Cast Iron Hibachi, then a Weber Kettle and now my Viking BBQ with side burner. There is something about the romance of cooking outdoors with charcoal or a nice gas grill to get a nice sear on succulent meats. I use cast iron skillets and heavy-duty aluminum foil to cook veggies and meats then add a nice sauce for a final glaze.
Some people start to slow down on their use of the BBQ as we get into the winter months. You may want to think about a cover to protect it. You could also have a nice umbrella over top of your outdoor kitchen so that on a rainy night you can still get outside and utilize your grill.
I find that it is quite important to keep your BBQ in shape. I have a gentleman named Lou Fallou from OC BBQ Cleaning & Repair that cleans my BBQ and makes it look brand new each time. Since we live so close to the ocean, BBQs have been known to have corrosion and other issues. Luckily, there are often ways to have igniters, burners and other guts replaced so that you do not have to replace the entire BBQ, Lou can fix it.
Feel free to visit his website at www.ocbbqcleaning.com and call him directly at (949) 293-2762 or email him at lou@ocbbqcleaning.com.
So go outside and enjoy your BBQ. Here is a timelapse video of the BBQ cleaning process.
Cheers, JZ