The Otago all-rounder smashed seven sixes and two fours in an unbeaten knock of 106 on Tuesday.
Auckland won the one-day clash, but Kitchen will leave the game with fond memories.
Earlier this week, he told his team-mates he was retiring.
The 38-year-old electrician had seven seasons with Auckland before moving south to play for Otago for another seven.
Putting a full stop on his career with a century against his old team at a venue where he had played so much cricket was a nice way to exit the game.
"To get a hundred not out is always something that is going to sit well with me, and to go out on my own terms is not something that every cricketer gets to do," he said.
"To play for New Zealand was always the dream and, even though I only got to play five games for New Zealand, I’ll be able to tell my boys [Leo (7) and Remy (5)] I played for the Black Caps."
While his batting was always his stronger skill, Kitchen turned himself into a useful left-arm spinner while with Otago.
It strengthened his value and led to a call-up for the Black Caps T20 side in 2017.
None off that might have been possible had it not been for some encouragement.
Auckland was stacked with spin bowlers but his old team-mate, Gareth Hopkins, urged him to pursue it, and spinner Nathan McCullum proved a valuable sounding board in his first season with Otago.
"I remember wanting to bowl but there was just no chance in a match to do that.
"But in Gareth Hopkins’ desire to train and leave no stone unturned in his preparation ... he would get me to bowl at him.
"And Nathan was always a positive reinforcement for me.
"Those two were massive for me and my spin bowling.
Playing for the Black Caps was a dream come true and an obvious highlight. But he also flogged a rapid double hundred for Otago against Northern Districts in Dunedin in 2017.
He batted at No 6 in that innings, which always seemed too low for a player of his experience and skill.
But then-Otago coach Rob Walter had challenged Kitchen to become an Adam Gilchrist-like player down the order for the Volts.
A tall order, but Kitchen pulled it off that day, swatting nine sixes and 17 fours to score 207 from 250 balls.
It has to rate as one of the best first-class knocks played by an Otago batter.
"Rob Walter was a big influence on me as well. He taught me to be hard on myself and was a driving force behind me being able to play for New Zealand.
"You don’t want to have any regrets and, for me, that was probably a big factor for me to make the move to Otago.
"I wanted to be able to bowl a bit more, add another string to the bow and further my chances of playing for New Zealand."
Kitchen will remain living in Dunedin. His children go to school in the city and the move south was always about a lifestyle change as well.
He will miss the camaraderie of the team environment, but so many of the guys he played with at Otago have left.
Veteran right-hander Neil Broom also retired this month and that helped him reach his decision.
The body is sore and there are players eager for the sort of opportunity Kitchen got when he made his list A debut two days after Christmas in 2008.
He top-scored that day against Canterbury with a lovely knock of 69 against an attack that included Shane Bond.
But time moves on.
"Otago has got Jacob Cumming and Thorn Parkes coming through with the bat, and spinner Ben Lockrose, who I have all the faith in the world in.
"It just feels like it is the right time for me."
