Kalamazoo Outdoor Gourmet Brings the Heat to Carmel Valley Ranch

There are few places in the United States more beautiful or majestic than Monterey Bay in Northern California. It’s difficult to add anything to the natural landscape of stunning shoreline and verdant valleys, but some of the best vintage and luxury cars ever made certainly help. That was on full display this August when the annual Monterey Car Week drove back to town.

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For car enthusiasts, there was no shortage of events to celebrate automotive ingenuity—from competitions to shows to auctions. For those looking for an oasis from all the activity, there was the House of Robb at the luxurious Carmel Valley Ranch. Here, guests got to experience a host of curated spaces, panels, and tastings. The latter included an exciting and exclusive live-fire outdoor cooking experience orchestrated by Kalamazoo Outdoor Gourmet. It was thrilling, theatrical, and, of course, delicious. It had the feeling of a summer garden party if the garden party was at one of the most beautiful hotels in America; the food was prepared by a celebrated grill master and a Hyperion XP-1 hypercar prototype was parked on the patio.

Under the blazing California sun, Kalamazoo Grillmaster and Head of Product, Chef Russ Faulk and Culinary Experience Manager Stephanie Banyas entertained guests while cooking over open flames. The heat didn’t stop them from demonstrating all the cooking possibilities of a Kalamazoo outdoor kitchen. For hours, Faulk and his team prepared delectable bites for hundreds of guests with Kalamazoo’s Gaucho Wood-Fired Grill, an Argentinian-style grill with an incredible design and the convenience of gas starters. They also delighted guests with culinary creations from their Artisan Fire Pizza Oven and Charcoal Gravity Smoker.

With fires burning, and the stainless-steel kitchen shining behind them, Faulk and Banyas served a mouthwatering menu that included roasted mushrooms with smoked crème fraiche, coffee-rubbed barbecue shrimp with remoulade, Spanish-roasted cauliflower with olives and Aleppo peppers, and smoked pork belly with pickled strawberries and a rosé reduction.

The previous evening, House of Robb hosted a private dinner where the Kalamazoo canapé menu featured miso-glazed brussels sprouts and wood-grilled lamb tenderloin with lemon kale gremolata.

While the setting of Carmel Valley Ranch, and the gourmet dishes made by Faulk at the House of Robb might seem impossible to replicate at home, Kalamazoo offers homeowners everything they need to create an unmatched, custom outdoor kitchen experience. Their comprehensive collection of outdoor cooking appliances, cabinetry, and refrigeration can be tailored to meet any space, style, and climate. The entire collection is available in marine-grade stainless steel, ensuring peace of mind for those clients on the coasts.

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It all starts with Kalamazoo’s in-house Design Studio that will turn any outdoor cooking dream into a reality, from initial planning through final installation. This team works closely with clients to understand their needs and preferences, makes product recommendations and site assessments, and develops designs for the space.

Every Kalamazoo kitchen is built to order, one product at a time, in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Founded in 1906, the company prides itself on maintaining its commitment to quality and craftsmanship while pushing the boundaries of innovation. The stainless steel is sourced from Midwestern steel mills, and then formed, welded, and finished by hand by master craftspeople. Every product represents a proud investment in the time-honored tradition of American manufacturing and is built to stand the test of time.

The centerpiece of Monterey Car Week was, and always will be, the high-performance cars. But this year, Kalamazoo Outdoor Gourmet proved there were some other sleek, high-performance machines wrapped in metal that deserved to be there.

At Kalamazoo’s installation, guests experienced first-hand how the company’s world-class products create an unmatched outdoor cooking experience and bring out elevated flavors. It felt like a one-of-a-kind event, but it’s one that homeowners can recreate in their own backyard with a Kalamazoo outdoor kitchen. With a custom kitchen of this caliber, home chefs have everything they need to become grillmasters themselves. As for the idyllic surroundings of the Carmel Valley Ranch, well, that’s going to require a hotel reservation.

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