When you think about a gourmet kitchen, do you think about a kitchen like this?
Or this?
Of course, not all of us have that kind of budget! Here are some ways to create a gourmet kitchen in your home without a major renovation.
Lighting
Good lighting is key in a gourmet kitchen.
If you have an island or peninsula, install lighting over it.
Under-cabinet lighting also works well. I installed under-cabinet lighting in my kitchen and I use it all the time. It makes cooking, measuring, and reading recipes so much easier.
Double Ovens and Larger Cooktops
Double ovens work well in a gourmet kitchen because you can cook two different things at two different temperatures at the same time.
The top oven is a convection oven and microwave combination; it gets the microwave off the counter and gives us another oven.
We have a five-burner cooktop. Of these burners, my favorite is the high-output middle burner. That burner boils water in no time flat! Over the cooktop, make sure you have a good vent hood. Vent hoods come in different speeds and capacities; make sure you get one that reflects the amount of cooking you do.
Wine or Beverage Refrigerator
No gourmet kitchen would be complete without wine storage!
Even if you don’t drink wine, a secondary refrigerator can be used for snacks or beverages.
Baking Station
For gourmet bakers, a baking station is helpful.
It should include room for a mixer, storage for baking ingredients, and a marble top, which stays cold when working dough and other ingredients. My mother has one in her kitchen and she loves it (and she’s a fabulous baker!).
What would you include in your gourmet kitchen? Me? I would have a built-in coffeemaker. That would be worth waking up for!
Mmm…I can already smell the freshly brewed coffee.
What would you include in your gourmet kitchen?
