Michael and Marianne Bonidie have two cats, two dogs and two kids. Why not two kitchens?

Moving the mundane task of preparing the family's nightly repast outdoors was just what the doctors ordered. The Mt. Lebanon couple are practicing physicians who share a passion for family gatherings and all things Italian.

"It all started with our honeymoon in Italy. We loved everything about the country," Marianne Bonidie said.

While enjoying alfresco dining, they admired the colorful ceramic dinnerware and eventually became importers of it. Partnering with his sister, Susan Bonidie-Seaman, they opened Molto Bella Ceramica on Walnut Street in Shadyside. Last summer, they brought a little more of Italy home. Their outdoor kitchen includes double ovens (one for pizza), grill, sink and gas fire pit, all pulled together by masterful masonry without mortar.

"The stone mason, Boris Castillo and his crew, did a spectacular job," said Ian Miller, owner of Zambano and Sons Restoration, the contractors who built the outdoor kitchen. "It's very time-consuming and tedious work having to cut each individual stone by hand for both the patio and the cabinet base."

The centerpiece of this culinary masterpiece, which was finished late last summer, is the authentic wood-burning pizza oven.

"We use it all the time," Mrs. Bonidie said. "We began using it right away and did so until sometime in October."

The distinctive countertops are made from volcanic stone from Mount Vesuvius, which was cut to order before being shipped.

"The biggest challenge working with the lava stone was that there was little or no margin for error in building the cabinetry they sit upon," Mr. Miller said.

The countertops were painted and glazed in a contemporary metallic finish, while the dining table and cocktail table are more traditional, hand-painted in Deruta in the Tuscany region of Italy. Sheltering the dining table is a gazebo -- also made in Italy -- whose top looks like canvas but is actually a PVC derivative.

"My husband and I put that together ourselves. It was really pretty basic," Mrs. Bonidie said.

They had special hand-painted volcanic stone feet made to hold the gazebo, which is not a permanent structure. Terracotta pots from Impruneta are placed around the kitchen and conversation areas.

Stone veneer used throughout the space is Cultured Stone by Owens-Corning. Made of recycled concrete, the product is environmentally friendly and lighter than real stone. It is attached to cement board and steel framing, so no grout or mortar is necessary, Mr. Miller said. Old Country Fieldstone is the type the Bonidies chose.

This year, they couldn't wait to get out in their outdoor kitchen. Considering they started cooking in March, they'll get more than six months of use -- more like sunny Tuscany than chilly Western Pennsylvania. The couple and their contractor were delighted with the results.

"I was very happy with how the overall space turned out," Mr. Miller said. "It's very user-friendly and has a good flow. It's practical, comfortable and casual."

For more photos or information on products used in the Bonidies' kitchen, go to www.mbceramica.com. Zambano and Sons Restoration's Web site is www.zambanosons.com.