I would really be worried about a possible fire hazard was my first thought. After seeing the photo i'm not sure. Looks safer than what i envisioned. I don't know there is just something about grilling in the actual outdoors? you know what I mean?

Here in NC, in Winston-Salem, a grill on a covered porch requires a hood. A friend of mine did this. Her exterior porch has a nicer hood than her kitchen does. I think this has to do with the cfm rating.

Glenwood:
What's your friend's experience? My worries are that there would be smoke/grease stains on the ceiling, and splatters on the flooring underneath.
Thanks!

If the hood isn't strong enough, you will asphyxiate yourself and your guests. A good strong exterior grade hood will be expensive. If your porch is located anywhere but on the north side, it will also be HOT in the South. Most exterior spaces like this aren't usable in the summer months at all unless you are OK with sweltering it out in 90% humidity and 95 degrees. And that IS the north side! The south side can easily be 120 with the sun at the right angle and any masonry in the vicinity to absorb those rays.

I bet the hood will price you out. Exterior hoods are not common and will be costly. I personally wouldn't worry about your other concerns as much.

Cooking outdoors (or screened porch) is great in the south because it gets the heat out of the house.

Posting pic from link above ...

aresenal, her experience has been very good. The code in her area basically demanded that she purchase a viking professional hood. I've been over multiple times and there are never any issues with smoke or smoke staining the surrounding areas. Her grill is built into a brick enclosure with a stone top and the grill is viking too (I think). The hood and grill were more than she wanted to spend but the convenience and how it integrated into her lifestyle was more important.

Thanks Glenwood! We may do it...I see the outdoor 1000 cfm hoods listed around $1700 online; will see what install prices are from GC.

A hood with a remote blower may avoid the huge markup associated with an 'outdoor' hood.

The blower is already designed to be outside, making the hood nothing but a sheet metal box hooked to the remote blower with metal duct.

It should be no worse for smoke ad splatter than having a gas inside grill.

An option on any number of higher end ranges.

GC and appliance staff agreed. Hood and 1000 cfm fan ~2500 to buy/install.
Can put any grill under it - personally we're chosing between a Lynx or a Summit 670.
In the end, it may come down to personal choice - to us, it may be too "man cave" like to have fireplace, grill/overhead hood all on screened in porch. (I mean, might as well spring for the 48" range with double grill if you really want to grill all year round).
I think that now that the honeymoon period has worn off, we're going to go with outdoor grill on patio.