For amateur chefs the smaller the kitchen, the greater the need for clever storage at your fingertips housing everything from spices, knives, pots & pans, cutting boards & trays to appliances & trash. My wife, Cory, and I recently added a new kitchen to the back of our house giving us the opportunity to formulate a layout that would reflect our kitchen choreography.
I’m not very accomplished, but I love to cook. My wife’s a better cook but she lets me lead when the urge presents itself. I also love to grocery shop as it brings back fond memories of my father sending me around the store to treasure hunt the items on our list. We were then and I am now helpless without a list and I almost always resist the temptation to ask for help as it spoils the adventure!
Once the shopping is done the prep begins. I should say that on most days we prep together then Cory settles in at our raised bar and directs the action. I love to have everything ready to go so that when Cory tells me to add the turmeric and garam masala I don’t freak out with “what garam masala!”. The induction range is pretty much home base for me with the cat approved spices, pots, and pans at the ready in the drawers to the left. The knives and cutting boards are to the right and once they’re out a 180 degree pirouette lands me at the refrigerator door. To the right of that are the compost and trash and to the left are bowls and measuring devises and the sink for cleaning vegetables, etc., then another left brings me back to the knives and boards for cutting, squeezing, mincing, and measuring. Almost all frequently used appliances are in blind corner base cabinets that have been passed in the reverse pirouette.
Now we are set to go. Cory drops the baton and the music of utensils on pots and pans begins another well-orchestrated exercise in preparing a small meal, in a small kitchen, and with any luck a minimum of mess. Our objective is always maximum flavor with the least effort, waste, and clean up. Bon Appetit!