The phenomenon of open-kitchen design has swept the culinary industry in the last few years, and, now liberated, those kitchens show no signs of going back underground. Chefs appreciate the access to their patrons; diners enjoy the show; and everyone benefits from the interaction.

But what of the truly open kitchen? Meals prepared over a fire in the great outdoors, as in the days before indoor kitchens?

Executive Chef Kevin McCarthy of The Point, a Relais & Châteaux property owned by The Garrett Hotel Group on Upper Saranac Lake in the Adirondacks, has embraced the outdoor kitchen with all the enthusiasm of a kid-well, at a bonfire. As soon as he arrived at The Point to take charge of the kitchen in 1999, he understood that the value of the surrounding wilderness was not limited to the pursuit of outdoor sport and leisure activities for which the area is known. The spectacular views and great expanses of open air also lend themselves to grilling. And steaming. And serving his fresh-air cuisine al fresco to guests with hearty appetites, just off the mountain, just off the water, or just bundled up in one of The Point's handsome wool blankets.

And so, every Saturday mid-day at The Point, Chef Kevin can be found manning the grill in preparation for lunch. At eleven o'clock, a roaring charcoal fire is started under the two large grills up by the Point, the broad outcrop of rock that overlooks the lake, and gives the property its name. The raw food is brought out from the kitchen by noon, grilled to a turn, and at about one o'clock, the dinner bell is sounded. Guests are seldom far from the scene, though: more often than not, they have already been attracted to the informal gourmet meal by the delicious savory smells that have wafted aloft from the grill. The round picnic tables are set and, in cold weather, blankets are dispensed from the adjacent lean-to. Wine is poured and the meal begins.

On any given Saturday the grill usually features four different kinds of house-made sausages, including venison and buffalo varieties. A leg of lamb, a tenderloin of beef, steaks of swordfish, and a big pot of clams and mussels might also appear, alongside the profusion of local seasonal vegetables. Sometimes local fruits even find their way to the grill: a favorite accompaniment to McCarthy's grilled lamb are his grilled grapes, cooked in foil with rosemary, sage, and thyme for a burst of intense sweetness and flavor. To distinguish the meal from one a guest might cook on his own backyard barbeque, the fare at The Point is finished over a handful of wood chips from the property-apple, birch, or whatever's at hand-for a true taste of the Adirondack outdoors.

Cooking outdoors presents its own sets of difficulties, says McCarthy. "Keeping the food hot, and just being outside in temperatures as low as 20-degrees, I would say is the biggest challenge. But the guests are there with plates in hand…thermal mittens, actually, waiting for the feast."

On the plus side, this chef relishes the interaction with the people he's serving. "It breaks down a wall," he says, "and starts conversations among all of us gathered there. People always ask questions, and we're happy to explain. Sometimes someone will actually want to help, and that's great. It's nice to have that kind of rapport." And it works both ways: for the guests, the Saturday outdoor luncheon experience is not just delicious, but is typically a highpoint of a visit to this highly memorable resort.