Indulge Your Inner Chef: Planning a Gourmet Kitchen

Do you love to cook? Then for you, the kitchen is not just a utilitarian room, but a place where you can soar by creating a range of culinary delights. Now that you’re planning to your Kitchen Remodeling, it’s the perfect time to include all of those tools, appliances and storage you wish you’d had all along.

Professional grade range –Traditionally, gourmet chefs have opted for gas ranges because they heat instantly. Depending on where you live or your budget, gas may not be an option. Many home chefs are going with induction cooktops, which also heat very quickly and run on electricity. Induction cooktops also have the added benefit of not being hot when the pan is removed, making them safer for homes with young children or older adults. Don’t have the budget for a full induction range? You can buy single or double induction appliances that sit on the counter and give you some additional burners for those complex meals.

Oven options – Having a double oven means you can make your rack of lamb and your chocolate soufflé at the same time. If at least one of the ovens has a convection feature, you’ll cut your cooking time and end up with evenly baked cookies, crispy bread and pastry crusts, beautifully caramelized roasted vegetable and juicy, nicely browned roasts.

Some professional grade ovens also feature a warming drawer, which can also be bought separately. A warming drawer will keep your food at the perfect temperature, while retaining moisture so members of your household can enjoy your creations when their schedules allow.

Counters – If you do a lot of baking, consider a quartz, marble or granite countertop, at least in part of your kitchen, since they are ideal for rolling out dough. You may want to lower that part of the counter to 30” for optimal pastry rolling. Quartz is even harder and more stain resistant than natural stone, so it is a good choice for busy kitchens, but butcher block counters also make it easy to prep vegetables and meats. Make sure you have plenty of counter surfaces to work on; if not, you may want to add an island, expand your kitchen footprint or incorporate a cart on wheels.

Refrigerators and freezers – Many cooking aficionados have large refrigerator/freezers or separate units to ensure that they have enough space for their raw ingredients and finished masterpieces. If a large unit won’t fit in your space, think about getting a second refrigerator and putting it in your pantry or another nearby room.

Easy access to tools – Hanging pot racks, magnetic knife strips and lots of pullouts will put your kitchen utensils and other tools at your fingertips. Especially if you have helpers in the kitchen, having an additional prep sink and mu

ltiple garbage cans can make food preparation more efficient and less crowded.

Be sure to discuss your priorities with your Kitchen Design professional, who can guide you on how to incorporate your aspirations into your available space. Don’t have a kitchen professional yet? Upgrade to our Plan Right ™ plan, get premium all-access to our planning tools and get referrals to up to three vetted kitchen professionals in your area. Bon appetit!