The Otago right-hander pounded his fourth century this season to help rescue the home side from a tenuous position against Northern Districts.
Otago had slumped to 99 for four but Kitchen and Derek de Boorder put on an unbeaten stand of 202 to guide the home side to 301 for four at stumps on day one at the University Oval.
Kitchen joins Glenn Turner, Craig Cumming, Jesse Ryder and Michael Bracewell as the only players to score four centuries in a season for Otago. Turner and Cumming managed the feat twice and did it in successive seasons.
We will have to wait for next season to see if Kitchen can join Turner and Cumming in that club. But anyone who was at the University Oval yesterday was treated to a wonderful knock.
He will resume on 141 from 160 balls and actually made a patient start by his standards. But once he passed 50, the runs and boundaries started to flow more readily.
The spinners came in for some harsh treatment, with anything tossed up getting swatted over the rope. He has clouted six sixes and 14 boundaries.
And there are more runs in the offing today if he can get reset at the crease. He has already gone past his highest score of 133.
De Boorder is undefeated on 64 and he played a key role in resuscitating the innings as well. Had Northern been able to break the partnership early, it was through to the all-rounders and would have fancied getting the home side out cheaply.
Debutant Josh Tasman-Jones found himself out in the middle earlier than he would have liked after rookie opener Gregor Croudis nicked out for two.
Otago was struggling at 14 for one after 15 overs. James Baker opened up with seven consecutive maidens.
It was tough going and Tasman-Jones showed plenty of character in his maiden first-class innings, getting through to 35 before he was trapped lbw by Ish Sodhi.
Scott Kuggeleijn bowled with some good heat but went wicketless. Sodhi picked up two but his bowling figures were damaged by Kitchen's onslaught.
In Christchurch, competition leader Canterbury is 143 for seven in its match with Wellington. It had crashed to 40 for five but Todd Astle helped add some substance with an unbeaten 62.
Veteran seamer Brent Arnel has two for 21 from 15 overs.
Rain ruined most of the opening day in Napier, with Auckland getting through to 57 for three against Central Districts. There were just 15 overs of play.
At the Junior Secondary School Boys finals in Palmerston North, King's High School lost a thriller against Hamilton Boys' High School.
King's made 166 for six and had its opponent 149 for nine, but could not secure the last wicket.
