Form. Language. Clarity.DIE ZEIT in conversation with OCQ
A summer evening with time for everything that matters
A summer evening with time for everything that matters: The embers are glowing. The light is soft, voices sound warmer. Two friends slice fennel, pick thyme, place salmon next to dry-aged beef. Two friends cooking outside – not spectacular, but natural. This is exactly the picture Christoph Koch draws in DIE ZEIT (Issue 29, July 10, 2025): The kitchen moves outside because life happens there.
Atmosphere that carries – function that lasts
Outside, it smells of thyme instead of fish lingering in the house for days. You cook where the guests are; paths get shorter, conversations get longer. A plancha instead of a grate, everything within reach, temperature constant. Decisions you no longer notice while cooking – because they simply work.
“Work is becoming digital, everyday life increasingly virtual – which fuels our longing for analog experiences.” — Hanni Rützler
Ines Imdahl also observes how much being outdoors strengthens shared moments: Outdoor kitchens create an audience – and the opportunity to show attitude without theatrics. That’s exactly where our work begins: We create calm in the process. Drawers glide silently, surfaces offer space, heat and cold are controllable. Technology steps back so enjoyment can step forward.
From ZEIT’s perspective to our showroom
Koch conducted the interview with Nadine Pollex by phone; the photos for the article were taken on site, shot by Bernhard Kahrmann. No staging, just real moments: vegetables, fish, and meat ready to cook; someone refills glasses, the evening turns into conversation. The visual language of the report captures what we experience every day – outdoor living as effortless normality.
What OCQ makes of it
Since 2011, OCQ has been creating bespoke work for the outdoors – crafted, weatherproof, and adapted to your space. We think in lines, routes, and reaches, but prefer to talk about evenings that work. DIE ZEIT sketches the range of the market – from entry-level models to high-end projects. Our place in it is clear: precise, durable, understated.
Your benefit in everyday life
Time with guests: cooking where the conversation happens.
Consistent workflows: heat, space, order – without overthinking.
Weatherproof materials: surfaces that take rain in stride.
Smart storage solutions: spices, knives, glasses – all within reach.
Planning confidence: from first conversation to installation, reliably managed.
When everything works, all that remains is enjoyment.
The essence: Outdoor is a quiet shift in habits
The ZEIT report captures it in images and voices: Outdoor is more than a trend. It is a quiet shift in habits. We build the stage for it – so that it disappears in the moment and remains in the memory.
If you like, we start with a calm conversation about your space and your taste. No fixed agenda. Just one question: How should your evening feel?
Transparency: Author of the ZEIT feature: Christoph Koch. Interview: by phone. Photos: Bernhard Kahrmann, taken in our showroom. Source/quotes: DIE ZEIT Issue 29, July 10, 2025.
To the article (Paywall)
