Blog

How to Prepare Your Kitchen For Summer Entertaining – with Expert Tips from Sub-Zero & Wolf

Whether it’s a casual brunch, a vibrant barbecue, or an intimate dinner party, summer is the perfect time to gather friends and family in the heart of your home.

To ensure your kitchen is primed for a season of unforgettable gatherings, Ricky Davies, the Managing Director at Sub-Zero & Wolf, has kindly shared tips and tricks for orchestrating a successful soirée, as well as valuable trend insights and must-have appliances, bound to inspire culinary delights.

What appliance trends are you seeing this year?

This year, our clients are pushing the boundaries with their kitchens, designing spaces around appliances that are considered entertaining must-haves. With at-home entertaining on the rise, creating a knock-out space that delivers the ‘wow’ factor is more popular than ever before.

Our flagship stainless steel appliances, such as the classic collection refrigerators and dual fuel ranges, are favoured for their polished aesthetic; particularly with hosts wanting to achieve a ‘professional chef’ look at home. Sub-Zero & Wolf appliances are regarded as stainless steel icons, and we are increasingly seeing our products used in ‘banks’ – refrigerators, freezers, wine coolers and hobs designed together in one super-sleek chef-style hub.

We are also experiencing an increasing demand for kitchens that embrace indoor-outdoor living, with the interior complemented by an alfresco range, designed as an extension of the main kitchen – matching cabinetry and additional seating areas, outdoor televisions, log burners, outdoor grills and wine coolers are all being incorporated for year-round usability.

What are your top three tips when hosting a successful summer dinner party?

The golden rule for hosting the perfect summer dinner party is to prepare as much as you can in advance. Craft your menu so the majority of food can be prepared ahead of time, with final touches added at the last minute before guests arrive. Tablescaping should not be overlooked and isn’t time sensitive, so lay out your finest plates and glasses as early as possible, ideally the day before. Now is your time to show off your personality, so get creative, if you can, and compose a memorable centrepiece. There is beauty in simplicity, and your guests will be impressed by freshly-cut garden flowers, candles and perfectly matched placemats, napkins and tablecloths. Finally, ensure all water bottles and wine are put in the chiller so they are at the optimal temperature for drinking, and make sure you have enough ice for your ice buckets and pitchers of cocktails.

Secondly, utilise appliances that make the cooking process stress-free. This is why the ‘Gourmet Mode’ in our built-in ovens is so fantastic; it cooks anything from delicate desserts to joints of meat with precision and takes the guesswork out of cooking; you know that your chocolate fondant dessert will be perfectly gooey every time. Our warming drawers are also popular for large gatherings, not only to keep plates warm, but to heat fresh bread rolls or even finish meals off when set to the highest heat mode. This multi-tasking wonder will keep food warm and hold moisture for many hours, making entertaining the priority.

Finally, understand all dietary requirements or preferences in advance so there isn’t a guest who isn’t properly catered for. This should include beverages, so make sure you are well stocked up on soft drinks or non-alcoholic cocktails for anyone who is driving.

When it comes to summer entertaining, having the right appliances can make all the difference in creating a seamless and enjoyable experience for both hosts and guests. Sub-Zero & Wolf appliances go beyond the ordinary with their design and innovation. Picture a versatile range cooker, spacious wine storage, impressive refrigeration and a high-performance coffee system.

When designing a kitchen for entertaining, what are the top three appliances on the client’s wish list?

Depending on space, the Wolf range oven with Teppanyaki and BBQ griddle, large and smaller oven, is a number one must-have, as it is so versatile and creates endless meal options. Our new 48-inch French door refrigerator is proving to be our most popular model due to its sheer size and volume of space – it is the largest appliance in the market and holds more than enough when stocking up for a big party. This model’s new ‘Party Mode’ feature increases ice production by 40%, which is essential when entertaining guests this season. Warming drawers will also always find their way into an indoor or outdoor kitchen design, as they just offer that extra assistance and can be used for a variety of tasks.

Sub-Zero’s specially engineered wine refrigeration units ensure your collection stays at its absolute best for as long as possible. Many clients now have separate wine rooms or cellars which hold all of the wine storage, with full undercounter refrigeration, beverage centres and seating where you can sit back and enjoy a glass or two. However, we have recently seen a rise in wine refrigeration units making their way out of the kitchen and cellar and into other areas of the home. Now, it is not unusual to see these in the master bedroom suite, dressing room, pool house or spa, either designed as a focal point or hidden away in the cabinetry.

Experience the ultimate blend of exceptional appliances, innovative craftsmanship, and originality in one of our nationwide showrooms or request a free brochure to unveil how we can transform your kitchen dreams into a stunning reality.

For more information on Sub-Zero & Wolf, visit their website here.