Outdoor Kitchen

An Outdoor Kitchen built using a wooden bar kit with a fenced in, private, and protected sitting area for enjoying a meal or an evening fire.

Ever since we moved from Colorado to Wyoming, I have not had a chance to use my Big Kahuna Burner and 22 inch Wok. This burner and wok were kept in storage until we built an Outdoor Kitchen early last spring. This part of Wyoming is very windy and it is much safer to have a protected space to use this burner.

We thought about hiring someone to build a gazebo until we came across this Outdoor Wooden Bar Kit. (affiliate link) This is of course a DIY project and it is definitely more affordable if you can do it yourself. I like that this “bar” has two level of counters in the front and a third narrower one at the back. These counters provide us with space to eat at or just to place my cooking ingredients.

A Structure With A Roof

In Colorado, we had a gazebo without a roof, in the backyard. I had to store the Kahuna burner and wok in the sunroom and only took it out to the gazebo when I wanted to use it. A structure with a roof like this current one, will allow me to leave the burner and wok outdoors year round.

Even though I have to wrap them up with a protective cover, it still saves me the trouble of having to lug them in and out of storage. This, to me, is a big plus.

Installing The Outdoor Bar Kit

We started by digging 4 deep and narrow 24 inch holes. 8 Feet 4″x4″ posts were cemented into these holes to form as outer anchors for the entire structure. While this structure is rated for 100mph winds, we needed to anchor it down properly to prevent it from shifting or sagging. The posts for the kit was then anchored to the cemented posts with heavy duty metal straps.

Then, the cross beams were installed, followed by the metal roof. Metal brackets were provided to hold down the roof.

Completion of the The Outdoor Kitchen Installation

With the entire structure up, the guys installed the counters and the back board. Unfortunately, the back board does not extend all the way down. There is a wide gap from about chest height down to the ground. Then, they work on the gates for the west side of the Outdoor Kitchen. The first gate connects the sleeve fence to the structure and the second gae allows me to open it for ventilation when cooking.

Similar Products Used in This Outdoor Kitchen Post

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Outdoor Wooden Bar Kit
7 ft Cedar Wood Outdoor Bar Gazebo
9′ x 6′ Cedar Wood Outdoor Bar Set

Moving In

The next day, I moved my Kahuna burner, wok, and small gas grill into the Outdoor Kitchen. The space is small but sufficient. The guys screwed on some fencing boards at the back to close off the gap. 😍 Now, winds from the north will not put out my Kahuna burner.

Creating A Private Space

While there is protection for the structure itself, the entire space still looked too open. We decided to create a corner fence to give the area a more private setting. This meant sinking in more posts for the fence. Rori-San also decided to add a wider gate on the north side in case we need to move a bigger piece of furniture in and out of the house.

A Cozy Outdoor Kitchen Area

After the corner fence was up, we now have a nice and cozy outdoor area close to the house that we could use. Previous to this, it was just a wide, open space. The only thing left to do, or so we thought was to cover the bare earth extended area with crushed granite or breezey for a finished look. That evening, we enjoyed a fire to celebrate.

East Winds

The winds usually come from the west. As things would have it, that evening, the winds came from the east! 🙄 The narrow opening on the east side enabled the wind to get into the area. The winds kept coming from the east every time we were in that are. It was annoying.

My neighbor said that winds from the east usually bring storms. Sure enough that summer, we had the worst hailstorms since we moved in. 😑 That is a story for another time.

Outdoor Kitchen Opens For “Business”

It was time to do my first outdoor stir fry, YAY! Thankfully, my big 22 inch wok was still in good shape. I washed it and gave it a light coating of vegetable oil and it was ready to go. I made Knife Shaved Noodles Stir Fry and Chicken Stir Fry with Veggies. It was great! The texture of stir fried meats in the big wok in high heat always taste juicier and bouncier.

My first three “customers” enjoyed their dinner at the counter on tractor seat stools. We also had a fire going and it felt almost festive! 🤩

Project Creep

Not long after that, we built a second sleeve fence on the east side to minimize the effects of the east winds. Talk about project creep! 🙄 It was more work than we had planned, but in the end, it all worked out well.

Adding Gravel and More Stir Fried Noodles

We used some of the road gravel and crushed granite (breezey) ordered for two other projects to cover the extended area. I will show you the two different projects at a later time. In the meantime, I made more stir fried noodles similar to this KL Hokkien Mee. I didn’t have the right kind of dark soy sauce but you get the idea. 😉

Now, that this Outdoor Kitchen has been set up, you can expect more big wok stir fry recipes in the summer months. 👍😊 It is too windy in the fall and too cold in the winter. In the spring, I am too busy in the garden. 😉

I enjoy frying noodles in my big wok out here. Hence, this Outdoor Kitchen is fondly known in the family as the Ooi Ramen Bar. 🥰