DIY Outdoor Kitchen: From the First Grill Spot to an Open-Air Culinary Workshop
Heiko Eggers has gradually developed his outdoor kitchen with new ideas.
When the aroma of roasting flavors and freshly baked bread wafts through the Eggers family garden, it doesn't take long for company to arrive: here, barbecue is more than just a method of preparation – it is an invitation to shared enjoyment, social interaction, and vibrant neighborhood life.
Everything started in 2005 with a first grill spot in their own garden, which then evolved over the years into an outdoor kitchen – grown, not planned. "I never fully conceptualized my outdoor kitchen, but rather developed and implemented new ideas little by little," says Heiko Eggers. An approach that suits him: as a skilled manager of a building materials store, he implements his ideas confidently and pragmatically. With every new grill device, every additional area, and every extension, the original grill spot gradually became a culinary center under the open sky. Today, the outdoor kitchen replaces the indoor kitchen from May to October. A stroke of luck was the good contact with a local grill specialty store: "This allowed me to constantly test new models and expand my skills."
Early on, a Monolith ceramic grill moved into the garden – at a time when it was still considered an insider tip in this country. The fact that Heiko manages to regularly find time for grilling despite his diverse volunteer work is due in part to the fact that his wife Maike and daughter Annrike have long shared this passion – and since 2022, they have even been working together at the grill as a catering team for special occasions.
The purchase of a wood-fired oven along with its own bakery shed became the starting point for further building projects in 2016: an outdoor kitchen with a sink and a multi-burner gas stove was created, supplemented by functional workspaces with classic worktops from the indoor kitchen. The ceramic grill found a place in the corner without the need for elaborate built-ins. The foundation is an open garden shed whose walls were only added later and fitted with windows. A hip roof with a double roof in the middle ensures sufficient air circulation – and Heiko has also integrated a copper range hood with an outlet, though without a fan, over the stovetop. This allows grilling and cooking odors to escape without compromising the rain protection function. "Even though I never fully planned the outdoor kitchen, I didn't have to change anything afterwards," Heiko says not without pride. He also built the large dining table himself – and it’s the perfect place for what belongs together to gather: family, friends – and regularly the neighbors, too. "As soon as the first barbecue scents leave our property, they are already standing at the fence," Eggers says with a smile. And, of course, they don't stay there for long...
Currently, Heiko is intensely dedicated to plancha grilling. A highlight in this regard is already firmly marked on the calendar: the first WBQA European Plancha Championship during the FIRE&FOOD Grillup in Cologne. The visit is, of course, a must-attend for the ambitious griller – and probably just another milestone on his own personal barbecue journey.
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