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Gourmet kitchens are different.
They are stunning and aspirational, equipped with professional appliances and sturdy surfaces.
But what flies under the radar is their well-thought-out layout, clever space utilization for high-end equipment, functional storage, and design efficiency. Interior designers who work on gourmet kitchens strategically place every element so the chef can effortlessly move from washing ingredients to mise en place to cooking to plating to washing.
You may be an epicurean, a passionate home cook, or a professional chef – whatever your motivation for desiring a gourmet kitchen, you have come to the right place. We will share with you the essential design characteristics that make a kitchen “gourmet.”
Let’s get cooking!
Feature 1: It’s Tailor Made For You
Any interior designer worth their salt will tell you that the first step to designing a gourmet kitchen is understanding who will use it and how.
Here are the questions they will ask you or you should ask yourself:
- What specialty containers, spices, or cookware do you use?
- What appliances do you use every day?
- What groceries or spices do you need in your everyday cooking?
- How many people will be in the kitchen at the same time?
- Do you indulge in specialty cooking – baking, barbecue, etc?
- Is your kitchen a social space where guests interact?
All these questions will help you shape the idea of a kitchen. Once you have these, you can start building the kitchen.
Feature 2: Open Kitchen Layout
Every gourmet kitchen must have an open kitchen design.
With an open floor plan, you can move around the kitchen from the counter to the sink to the oven with ease. These open layouts are also meant to make it easier for you to entertain.
You cater to the guests, put the finishing touches on the food, mix up a drink, and do more in such a kitchen.
A gourmet kitchen also flows seamlessly into the dining room, which makes it easier to serve the food.
Feature 3: Professional-Grade Equipment
Gourmet kitchens demand great appliances. These top-of-the-line products usually come in stainless steel finish. They are heavy-duty, durable, and luxurious too.
On top of it, they are installed to be unobtrusive so that they do not break the flow of the space. These are some of the equipment you can expect to see in a gourmet kitchen:
- Gas Range: Gourmet kitchens are usually fitted with high-end gas ranges. Induction cooktops promise quicker cooking times, but gas ranges offer tighter temperature control.
- Two Ovens: Dual ovens are a common sight in gourmet kitchens. One is a convection oven used for cooking a wide range of cuisines. You may have a slow chicken roast going in one of the ovens while a chocolate cake is baking in the other.
- Large Refrigerator: French-door refrigerators work best with gourmet kitchens. They can easily store dairy products, meats, and fresh produce for the huge spread you usually prepare for your family and guests.
- Warming Drawer: These keep the main course warm while you are serving up the earlier courses. It eliminates the need to reheat and maintains the natural moisture and flavor of the food.
- Dishwasher Drawer: Gourmet kitchens would have a separate dishwasher for the bar and crockery glasses and a separate dishwasher for the pots and pans.
- Others: Gourmet kitchens can house a lot of appliances depending on the requirements of the owner, including a convection microwave, microwave drawer, bread maker, coffee machine, and so on.
Feature 4: Sprawling Island
A spacious island is a prerequisite for every gourmet kitchen. 5-star meals need more than just counter space. For such preparations, you need a spacious kitchen island. Here are some things to keep in mind when building one:
- Premium materials: Use materials that produce a visual impact for your kitchen island. The common choices are quartz or natural granite because they offer lots of color and pattern options. The low porosity also makes them less prone to staining.
- Power Supply: Your kitchen island should have a few outlets to help you use blenders, food processors, and other such appliances on it.
- Seating: You should leave sufficient space around your kitchen island so that your guests can socialize around it and you can relax.
Feature 5: Lighting is Critical
A gourmet kitchen is incomplete without adequate lighting. Interior designers use appropriate lighting solutions for every part of a gourmet kitchen.
- Cabinet Lights
Cabinet lights are the perfect way to illuminate the darker corners of the kitchen. They also lend a more spacious feel to gourmet kitchens, making them more beautiful.
- RRecessed Lights
Also known as downlights, these are a must for every gourmet kitchen. They lend a polished look and a spacious feel to rooms with low ceilings.
- Surface-Mounted Lights
They provide brilliant lighting without any flickering. You get a variety of beautiful designs, and these lights also add to the character of your kitchen.
- Pendant Lights
You need pendant lights on top of your kitchen island in a gourmet kitchen. They put the island in a sort of spotlight and add to the ambiance.
Feature 6: Enough Storage
Every gourmet kitchen features ample storage for its chef’s specialty ingredients and the many pots and pans.
You should have drawers for every tool – vegetable peeler, ice cream scooper, spatulas, cookie cutters, and more. There should be a cupboard for storing all your iron skillets, bread molds, pizza pans, and more.
Lastly, you cannot forget the walk-in pantry. It will be home to everything from exotic spices to essential herbs. You also need them to store your treasured olive oils, baking ingredients, and pickled items.
Make the Most Out of Your Design
A gourmet kitchen is a sizeable investment. A professional’s opinion will open up your mind to innovative design choices that will help you extract maximum utility from your limited space.
A gourmet kitchen is beautiful, functional, and every food enthusiast’s dream. If you want to realize it, consult a professional interior designer and include all the essentials we told you about.
