Never a man to do things in a small way, when Art Smith constructed a substantial outdoor kitchen in the backyard of his Chicago condominium complex, it quickly became a gathering place for his neighbors, friends, and family. And for neighbors of neighbors and friends of friends!

"We cook there all summer," he says, "and even into the fall and winter. In fact, in the fall, the kitchen becomes chili-and-grilled-pizza central." Art's outdoor kitchen includes a wood-and-gas-fired oven, a large grill, and a tandoor oven, which may be a common sight in Northern India and Pakistan but is a novelty in Chicago.

The inclusion of the tandoor is not surprising. Art knows his way around outdoor and indoor kitchens everywhere. Oprah's personal chef and the former executive chef for Senator Bob Graham when he was governor of Florida, Art is also a respected cookbook author and celebrity chef who has worked all over the world. During his travels, he found that cooking outdoors is universal—and universally loved.

"It's not an American thing," Art says. "The Italians have incredible outdoor ovens, as do the Croats, who cook one-dish meals to die for in large outdoor ovens." In South Africa, he says, the backyard grill is called a braai, which is a term that refers to the act of cooking over a hot fire, the grill itself, and the party—not unlike our own American term "barbecue."

Art took great care when building his outdoor kitchen and has a word of advice for anyone considering one: Include a refrigerator and ample work space if at all possible. This way, you can prepare the entire meal outdoors. If you have to mess up your indoor kitchen to cook outdoors, he reasons, you will be less inclined to do so, and the novelty will soon wear thin.
Excerpted from O, The Oprah Magazine Cookbook. Copyright © 2008 Hearst Communications, Inc. Published by Hyperion. All Rights Reserved. Available wherever books are sold and online via HyperionBooks.com

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