A home should not only be a place of restoration but one of support. For those with an interest such as cooking, an activity that occurs most often within our own properties, a home’s design should lend itself to improving our diet and making the endeavour of preparing, even sharing, a meal as enjoyable as possible.
While improvements to one’s cooking practice might seem solely to extend from utility and space, two home design qualities that are connected to each other, there are many other ways in which a home’s interior, and exterior design, can support culinary enthusiasm.
Room To Grow
Having access to one’s own ingredients is a game-changer for many. Fresh foods that have been grown at home, whether in a garden or on a windowsill, can surprise the taste palette of many chefs with impressive flavour, only a small amount of which comes from the sense of satisfaction.
By dedicating a part of your home to growing food, you will find your knowledge of ingredients expanding. Spaces with natural light are prime for plants, as is vertical space, both indoors and outdoors, which is why even a home with limited floor space can still design upward.
Countertops
Having a dedicated area to chop and prepare food is an essential part of enjoyable cooking. Spacious countertops and those free from obstructions are immensely valuable. This means, when designing a kitchen, to ensure a generous area has been left empty. While it may seem inefficient or counterintuitive, having room to spread ingredients and practice recipes will soon become invaluable.
Beyond the Kitchen
There are certain culinary pursuits that will need to go beyond the kitchen. Curing ingredients, for example, cannot be done in a room with noticeable temperature fluctuations, nor can smoking foods be easily done indoors. This is why chefs benefit from transforming their sheds into a space for fermenting foods, or constructing log cabins specifically for gastronomic endeavours. Many also use such outbuildings as external kitchens and storage spaces, utilising them for catering business needs.
Ventilation
In a room that entertains the heat of bubbling oil and the constant steam of boiling water, ventilation is essential. While some might find an open window suffices, over time even the most resilient kitchen can see its walls turn yellow and corners begin to host damp.
Range hoods are an effective tool but are typically limited to an oven’s capacity. Fans can easily be installed and activated when needed while screens or tiles can have practical applications in preventing grease build-ups, as well as being aesthetically pleasing too. If you still find yourself struggling, air purifiers are compact and affordable.
Open Areas
Cooking, when confined to a kitchen, can be a lonely pursuit. When home cooks entertain guests, this can lead to them being isolated for much of the evening. As such, an open area, one that allows for both dining and cooking to be integrated, can be hugely beneficial and enjoyable to a chef, allowing guests to see and interact with their host.
