Grills, teppanyakis and hotplates: Cook like summer's coming!

Cooking on the grills, hotplates and teppanyakis is a growing trend across the UK, but what makes it so special? Well, not only is it good fun - with plenty of sizzle and theatrics - it also produces great-tasting, healthy meals... in a flash! Requiring very little oil or none at all, food is cooked in its own juices, retaining all its succulence and goodness. Everything from chicken, fish, seafood, kebabs, sausages and vegetables can be cooked - and even fruit. 

Thanks to brands such as Wolf and La Cornue, you can now enjoy searing
heat and total temperature accuracy at home. Their cooktops are made
from commercial-grade stainless steel and are available in dozens of
configurations.

THE DOMINO EFFECT
Appliance manufacturers are now catering for those wanting to bring the outside in. Domino hobs are turning the basic burner into a fun, creative cooking hub. With their roots in commercial kitchens, where powerful gas rings were needed for specific cooking tasks, individual hobs offer a different dimension for kitchen designers and enthusiastic chefs to work with. Virtually every manufacturer has a selection of matching domino hobs, including BBQ grill, griddle, teppanyaki hot plate and wok burners, as well as induction/gas rings, steamers, downdraft extractors and deep-fat fryers.

Mix and match standard hot plates with something more adventurous and you'll have the tools to enjoy flavoursome food throughout the year. But make sure you buy from the same manufacturer to ensure a seamless fit and matching trim. Most now sell a complete range of individual hobs, but be aware that each will require separate wiring so installation is significantly more expensive than a standard hob.

QUICK GUIDE

Barbecue grill
With a cast-iron grill plate above electric or gas coils and lava stones, you can cook steaks and seafood in style with authentic charring and a smoked taste. Make sure you have adequate extraction and the grill comes with a removable drip tray for hassle-free cleaning.

Teppanyaki
Translated from Japanese as ‘iron plate grilling', this flat-plate grill makes an impressive centrepiece. Perfect for cooking meats and seafood in flavoured oil, look out for models with removable plates and drip trays for easy cleaning. Most modern models are electric, rather than gas.

Hot plates/French tops
Popular in commercial kitchens, these provide a flat cooking
surface with a powerful gas burner underneath. This allows the user to
cook an entire meal on the surface, moving pans around to quickly and
easily access the differing temperature zones. Features once reserved
for the pros are now available for everyday use.