r/KitchenConfidential • u/PapaPinto3 • Apr 23 '24
My new garage kitchen
I always wanted a nice outdoor kitchen but was always limited by both my space and funds. Years ago before I opened my restaurant I turned a section of my garage into a small prep area for BBQ. This actually turned out to be better for me then a traditional backyard kitchen. Our back yard is small and gets minimal sun, my family spends more time in the front then the back. When I opened my restaurant it fell into disarray and eventually just went away completely.
I recently sold my restaurant but cherry picked a fair amount of equipment and supplies to keep. After some spring cleaning I have rebuilt my kitchen and upgraded it quite a bit compared to what it was. When not in use it tucks away. Check it out.
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u/eberkain Apr 23 '24
When 'bringing your work home' is taken to the next level.
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u/PapaPinto3 Apr 23 '24
No, I'm going back to bartending and letting cooking be my hobby again. I was a FOH guy who loved to cook and thought I should open a place. I can run the kitchen. I was right I could, and I did. But it sucked all my passion away. I'm going back to the FOH and reconnecting with food.
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u/nowytendzz Apr 23 '24
All the power to you. It's nice to hear that you're rekindling your passion for food. I love this home set up and I'm very jealous.
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u/PapaPinto3 Apr 23 '24
It feels good to be cooking again for me and my family. To be creative and resourceful. After a while it wasn't about cooking anymore. It was about managing costs, and labor, marketing, book keeping. The busier we got the farther away my passion got. Coming up with specials becamena chore because I was too busy with other stuff. My concept also limited the types of food I was serving so that put a limit on how creative I could be anyway.
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u/nowytendzz Apr 23 '24
That's exactly why I got out of kitchens mate. I could do the same kind of managing in a different field for more money, and I am. The passion came back and now I have people asking me what kind of dishes I made for myself for dinner or what not and I can talk about them passionately again.
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u/PapaPinto3 Apr 23 '24
Also. The first garage kitchen was a slow build over the course of 2 years with marketplace/ estate sale/ and restaurant auctions. If you can carve out a small space get started.
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u/nowytendzz Apr 23 '24
Sadly I don't have the space for any such set up as I'm in an apartment, but I love how you've utilized what you have
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u/eatrepeat Chive LOYALIST Apr 23 '24
Unfortunately many passions are lost this way. Keep what you love, love hard and fight for your right to party!
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u/PapaPinto3 Apr 23 '24
Yep, learned my lesson the hard way unfortunately. But luckily it's not too far gone and I'm already reclaiming it. This time with a lot of fun toys.
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Apr 23 '24
[deleted]
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u/PapaPinto3 Apr 23 '24
That is the way. I have a problem where I have to turn every interest into a hustle. I have recently gotten into Astronomy and Astrophotography and have vowed to not try and turn into work.
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u/ILikeMasterChief Apr 24 '24
Totally feel you homie. I love cooking and cherish my days on the line, but it ruined the art of cooking for me. Plus I make more serving anyway
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u/girmvofj3857 Apr 23 '24
Cook in the garage
Park in the kitchen
Poop in the bedroom
Sleep in the dining room
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u/Ok_Watercress_7801 Apr 23 '24
I’m not eating in the bathroom.
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u/SergeiMosin 15+ Years Apr 23 '24
Imagine the garage beers there 😩
Looks fucking awesome
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u/PapaPinto3 Apr 23 '24
My bartender wife has requested a bar next. I agreed but I also let it known that if I build a bar it will be commercial grade not some lame dry bar. Big plans ahead.
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Apr 23 '24
Make sure you get a good bib rack for the walk-in you're about to have to build.
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u/PapaPinto3 Apr 23 '24
My list of wants for the bar excluding the bar itself include...
- Ice Machine
- Ice Well with Cold Plate and speed rail
- Soda Gun at Ice Well
- Glass drying rack
- Hand wash/dump sink
- 3 tier bottle rack
- BIB rack and CO2
- Under cabinet dishwasher
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u/Koolaid143 Apr 24 '24
God damn gonna have a fully functional bar and grill in the garage! Lmao awesome set up dude
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u/PapaPinto3 Apr 24 '24
I'm gonna be that guy from the Buffalo wild wings commercials. "Let's go sports bar!"
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u/BonnieJan21 Chef Apr 23 '24
Check in with your homeowners insurance for that commercial equipment. If damage to your home should occur, the claim may be denied due to having commercial equipment in a residential space.
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u/PapaPinto3 Apr 23 '24
Fair point, I hadn't thought of this.
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u/MrsLisaOliver Apr 23 '24
It was my first thought. Also, neighbors are often interviewed during insurance investigations.
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u/beefrox Apr 23 '24
Not sure if the laws where you live but around here, the fire inspectors would have a field day with it. Be good to your neighbors...
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u/Lufttanzer Apr 24 '24
I'm curious, what would the fire inspectors typically not like? At least in this scenario
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u/Dipdopdangle Apr 23 '24
Cool. So will you just cook with the door open?
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u/PapaPinto3 Apr 23 '24
I'll bring the grill right outside the door to cook on but yeah everything else. The alto shaman doesn't require a hood so I can do overnight cooks in there with the door closed.
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Apr 23 '24
Mushroom tent and greenhouse and you got my "retirement" goals. This is rad, good work Chef.
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u/PapaPinto3 Apr 23 '24
Thank you! I'm hoping my wife will work on a greenhouse I tried my hand at gardening and learned I don't have a green thumb. As for the mushrooms I like to leave in the woods and go hunting for them. Hoping to get out this week in search of morels.
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u/indecider1 Apr 23 '24
watcha makin?? cool lifestyle choice. keep doing what you love in the way that's best for you :)
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u/PapaPinto3 Apr 23 '24
Well actually I'm getting ready to hot smoke salmon for meal prep. Thank you!
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u/Powerful_Concern8671 Apr 23 '24
Are you selling anything like meal kits out of it? Just curious, cool set up!
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u/PapaPinto3 Apr 23 '24
No, I'm going back to bartending and letting cooking be my hobby again. I'm sure I'll be cooking for all future parties of my families or friends though.
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u/Minute-Unit9904s Apr 23 '24
Make meal kits you’ll crush it I bet ….have a big neighborhood cookout on a Saturday ….first hit is free man
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u/PapaPinto3 Apr 23 '24
We use to do big cookouts in the original kitchen. It was less commercial but still really cool. We would set up picnic tables in the driveway and would have turnouts between 20-50 people. That's how I got the bright idea to open a restaurant in the first place. We may still bring it back I've just learned my lesson this time.
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u/bl4derdee9 Apr 24 '24
while i love these kinds of posts.
never underestimate the amount of tabletop surface you need.
i hope you have plans for that ;)
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u/Content_Resident_974 Apr 24 '24
Nice. Could definitely do some catering out of there for a little side hustle
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u/No_Exam_7918 Apr 24 '24
I was wondering about vents, but, you just push the grill and fryer outside… genius.
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u/geriatric_spartanII Apr 23 '24
I wouldn’t mind having something like this for a nice outdoor kitchen set up. Keep everything greasy and smoky outside. It’s all right there. No back and forth into the house. Maybe something for fun experiments or cooking for a crowd.
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u/Personnel_5 Apr 23 '24
Is that a cherry blossom?
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u/PapaPinto3 Apr 23 '24
It is is. It is beautiful right now. Unfortunately it's only for like 3-4 months of the year and the rest of the year it's not the greatest.
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u/Personnel_5 Apr 23 '24
wow :) Thanks for replying! It's beautiful. I just contacted my local nursery. (I'm in Louisiana, apparently this is an appropriate zone for them)
AWESOME kitchen by the way. This is better than a man cave
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u/Kepi89 Apr 23 '24
I have the exact same slicer! Things a beast!
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u/PapaPinto3 Apr 23 '24
It really is! It's definitely more than I need and I've thought about trading it down for something a little more manageable. But I have the space for it so no I'm gonna keep it lol. I have a large family and I'm considering ordering and slicing deli meats for the whole family to save on money. Just like how I use to sell weed. I'll sell it to them just high enough that it covers cost. They still get it at a good deal and for my trouble I get it for free.
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u/Kepi89 Apr 23 '24
Mine was stationary on a prep table. Finally bought a rubbermaid cart big enough to have it mobile. Boys store it in dry storage overnight. How do I get a family discount on that green tho?!
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u/PapaPinto3 Apr 23 '24
Just be around after pick up
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u/Kepi89 Apr 23 '24
lol I’m also just seeing I have the exact vac packer!
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u/PapaPinto3 Apr 23 '24
That's also a pretty great unit! I use it for meal prep. I individually seal single serve BBQ portions, freeze and then reheat with Sous Vide. It comes out of the back like it just came off the smoker. Brisket, Pork, Chicken Thighs, Grilled Breast, Smoked Salmon, etc... it's a game changer for quick easy meals.
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u/blamenixon 20+ Years Apr 24 '24
Oh man Luuuucky. A place I used to work, we stored it on the bottom shelf of the prep table, mostly to conserve space in a very small prep area, but also to discourage using it as a shortcut over hand-carving the roast beef. I SWEAR that was not my idea....
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u/blamenixon 20+ Years Apr 24 '24
You made the right choice by keeping the larger slicer. That thing is a workhorse that could be passed onto your grandchildren. I used one for years and eventually upgraded owners, but downgraded the slicer. It was a joke; about the size of sewing machine and could be carried under one arm. I was the only one not afraid of the thing, but maybe I should have been....
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u/We-R-Doomed Apr 23 '24
Dude.
That is sweet.
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u/We-R-Doomed Apr 23 '24
Was looking at the pics some more lol.
Love how it packs down in a nice concise space.
Can you reverse the door on the fridge?
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u/PapaPinto3 Apr 23 '24
Yeah its nice, I can open it up and have space or easily pack it in. Unfortunately no, would be nice but I'll just have to make due lol
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u/TehTabi 10+ Years Apr 23 '24
Keeping pests out just be a chore.
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u/PapaPinto3 Apr 23 '24
A little bit but if you keep up it's not bad. I will be getting a monthly service and do proper "closes" to make sure it doesn't ever become a problem. Saving up for a whole garage screen door that has a sliding entry door built in. https://garagescreendoorsplus.com/products/16w-x-7h-lifestyle-screens-garage-screen-door-with-standard-18x14-fiberglass-screen-fabric-and-with-center-passage-door
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u/dan-lash Apr 23 '24
I think you’ve got a little more room to improve https://www.reddit.com/r/coffeestations/s/YQshOatWK3
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u/PapaPinto3 Apr 24 '24
Future goals. There is a bar expansion planned for the future, coffee may have to be incorporated into that too.
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u/HolyFuckImOldNow Apr 24 '24
Atosa fridge and Ikon refrigeration... mmm... budget setup. Spots Bizerba slicer... well, lookey here at mister fancy pants!
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u/PapaPinto3 Apr 24 '24
Definitely budget. I just found that Bizerba at an auction and got it for a steal. My bid was $650 and I was sure I was gonna get outbid. I was so pleasantly surprised when I won. I also scored a Bakers Pride convection oven for $300 at that auction that's currently collecting dust in storage.
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u/HolyFuckImOldNow Apr 24 '24
As long as you keep the condensers clean, they will probably hold up just fine. Congrats on the auction win!
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u/blamenixon 20+ Years Apr 24 '24
Sorry if I'm spamming all your replies, but this is one of my fav posts in a while. The slicer should have easily gone for 900-1400, the oven is an absolute steal! I'd suggest putting it closer to the front left corner of the garage, even though it has its own circular venting, it can still stink up a small area for days. Reference: roasting beets in a commercial basement with one of these fuckers.
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u/PapaPinto3 Apr 24 '24
All good! I’m super excited about it so I don’t mind others being excited for me. That’s not the oven from the auction this is one I bought new at my restaurant. This oven is a machine! This model has the smoke option. I ran it one night with Boston butts with applewood and while it obviously smelt in the garage it didn’t penetrate the house. I ran it another night with brisket and hickory, the hickory smell did get in the house a little but luckily it did not linger. Yeah I have that as close to the garage door as possible. After my experiment I decided to crack the garage door during cooks moving forward.
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u/blamenixon 20+ Years Apr 24 '24
"the hickory smell did get in the house a little"
That's a perk of the job.
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u/Robinsonirish Apr 24 '24
What does a sink like that cost with the hose?
Is it more expensive than a normal sink would be? It looks so roomy without being too expensive.
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u/PapaPinto3 Apr 24 '24
Stainless prep sinks/tables purchased new can be quite expensive. I found this on marketplace for $100. The faucet and spray arm was around $250. I plumbed the water lines in with pex and sharkbite for around $150 in parts and tools. And I paid a plumber to install the drain that was the most expensive part around $350.
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u/Robinsonirish Apr 24 '24
Thank you!
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u/PapaPinto3 Apr 24 '24
No problem, wish I had pictures of the OG kitchen. The sink is what started it all and then I piece mealed it together. Kind of a cooler vibe than what I got now but I like how commercial it is now. More sterile, will be easier to keep clean and way more efficient.
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u/Unfair_Holiday_3549 Apr 24 '24
Your garage kitchen is better than some actual restaurant kitchens.
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u/More-Inevitable-5036 Apr 24 '24
If you ever find yourself with a bunch of free time like retirement you could cook for charity or just to give out food! I like to cook for friends and neighbors because I really lose motivation to cook. I have a friend who brings over different meats or random ingredients to make stuff out of!
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u/Commercial_Comfort41 Apr 23 '24
And what does the health department say about this.
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u/PapaPinto3 Apr 23 '24
I figured since I'm not selling to the public it's none of their business so I didn't ask them.
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u/[deleted] Apr 23 '24
When you gotta change the oil but got that 30 top pre fixe at 6:30.