First came fire. Then grilling. “The true heroes of human history are those who invented the art of barbecuing” (Wolf Lotter, brand eins 01/2013). Sizzling, grilling and braising removed bacteria from meat and made it more easily digestible for the first time ever, enabling our ancestors’ brains to grow in size.
Michael Schmidt says: “Because we have started spending more of our lives outdoors once again, I wanted to not only barbecue outdoors but to also bring the entire process starting from food preparation down to the actual food consumption outside, extending the enjoyment and fun of cooking and barbecuing. I also wanted to combine traditional charcoal barbecues with cooking on gas.”
The archaic-looking design of bbqube looks a little like the kitchen in its original form: a single unit measuring 180 x 70 x 27 cm, resting on two three-legged trestles made of solid wood. The barbecue grill/hob units are available as a charcoal/gas combination or as a large gas grill, and the multi-level sink offers high functionality with various accessories, for example a colander insert. There is also a selection of tap fittings available: either high end (KWC kitchen faucets) or low tech fittings (bracket for a garden hose).
The Outdoor Kitchen is composed of various materials and surfaces. The kitchen unit is available in two different material versions: “Graphite Brown” satin-finish limestone (see photo 1) or stainless steel with a matte black finish of food-safe high temperature stove-baked enamel.
The frame is composed of specially-treated oiled solid wood (ash) which is thus made weather-resistant; a breathable weatherproof winter protective cover (see photo 3) is also available.
The bbqube Outdoor Kitchen is one of seven winners of the 2014 Interior Innovation Award in the outdoor category due to be presented at the IMM in January. This prestigious international design prize is awarded by imm cologne and the German Design Council.
designer: michael schmidt
producer: ocq
period: 2013
design award: imm
