I’m blessed to have a backyard in Brooklyn and perhaps even more so by the fact that part of it is paved into a patio. It’s the section that comes right up to the back of our ground-level unit, the door leading directly into the kitchen. The moment I saw it, I knew it was going to be a prime area for grilling and outdoor dinner parties.
Still, I wanted to make the space function for such occasions on a budget, as my husband’s and my spot is a rental. My parents generously bought us an outdoor table and benches as a housewarming gift, I put up string lights, and, of course, bought a grill (it’s the classic charcoal Weber in green, in case you care to know).
For the first few months, that setup worked. I would bring my food and gear outside on a large sheet tray. When it was just me, I could place it on the table — fine enough, though somewhat low, far from the grill, and not a surface I wanted to get messy. When friends were over and the table was occupied, I’d end up doing a dance of holding items, passing them to other people to take inside, and asking someone to please grab me a dish towel or basting brush and bring it out. It wasn’t ideal. Just as you need counter space inside — so did I outside.
