"kitchen design" news and stories

Always one step ahead on the home-design front, ShelterPop takes a look at eight different kitchen concepts that are so high-tech, they could be straight out of The Jetsons.

Read about the modern-day kitchen features like hidden electrical components, compact design, ergonomic orientation and recyclable materials over on ShelterPop.

As if molecular gastronomy wasn't sci-fi enough, Dwell magazine now ponders the kitchens of the future, with engrossing photos and interviews. San Francisco chef Daniel Patterson envisions a place where sous vide coexists happily with medieval touches like an open fireplace and a root cellar, whereas designer Scott Hudson foresees "unified systems" instead of unrelated bits and pieces (no hodgepodge appliances and fixtures for him!).

It's a fanciful and fascinating survey of ideas, and while we're wowed by the idea of laser-carved countertops and Pacojets, we're warmed by architect and interior designer Antonio Citterio's insistence that a futuristic kitchen shouldn't be a cold and clinical one: "To cook is to make a mess," he says. "Life is messy!"

We'll tip our tomato sauce-splattered caps to that.

[Dwell via Eater SF]

• The mag visits star chef Jean Georges Vongerichten in Bora Bora.
• What is the world's greatest wine city?
• Japanese flavors are the next big thing.
• A quick lesson on how to cook pasta.
• Three ways to create a more interesting kitchen.
• Hungry travelers might want to try these portable salad bar candy bars.
• Here are some perfect salads and perfect salad dressings.
• This month's recipes: Chicken with Peruvian Marinade, Cucumber-Grapefruit Crab Salad, Grilled Hanger Steak with Bacon Chimichurri, Ginger Rice, Smoked Chicken Pizza with Red Pepper Pesto, Lemon Cake with Crackly Caramel Glaze, and the O-Hurricane Cocktail.

Mega life-stylist Giorgio Armani, who has branched from fashion into interior design, has a new set of sleek luxury kitchen units out, as he calls the family kitchen "something sacred." The design is called "Bridge." The units are tobacco brown panels and kitchen technologies that fit together into arches over the cooking and washing areas.

However, the Italian designer has admitted that he can't cook, and even finds something as simple as spaghetti en bianco, which is pasta with only butter and Paremsan cheese, a challenge. 

Source

When I visited Michelle's kitchen for my Real Kitchens series, there was a lot she didn't really love about her gorgeous-in-the-sunlight space. But one thing wowed me (and I'm planning on copying it shamelessly, if you must know): her spice racks.

I have two small spice racks that hold my most-used spices, but the rest are shoved into a shelf in my 1912 home's small "pantry." Every time I need asafoetida, or ground ginger, or tarragon, I have to dig. It's highly inefficient.

Michelle's insight: she bought a bunch of spice racks after a spendy trip to Penzey's, and put them all up on the back of the door leading to her basement (me thinking: hey! I have a basement door in my kitchen, too!). She has a whopping six spice racks, full of all kinds of good things. They're neatly organized, and accessible, yet they aren't taking up precious drawer or shelf space. They even look pretty cool despite the basic, inexpensive nature of the wire racks. Most importantly, it works. And that's the best thing you can say about any kitchen feature.