Kitchen Design and Entertaining
A Kitchen Designed for Entertaining
Questions to Ask:
- What kind of events do you host (casual, formal, buffet, sit-down, etc)?
- How many people do you generally entertain at one time?
- How do you serve food? Do guests serve themselves in the kitchen or do you plate food and serve it in another space?
- Do you cook food yourself, or do you hire caterers for parties?
- Is cooking part of the entertainment (as in cooking clubs)?
- How many people cook at one time while you entertain?
To designe a kitchen for entertaining consider these features;
Features:
Appliances
You probably don’t need to purchase the professional grade equipment unless you plan to seriously cook for guests. Many people never cook but they like to entertain in the kitchen. Get appliances that are good quality—they look beautiful and they work well.
Stainless steel is a priority for most homeowners, and it’s practically a necessity at resale.
Point-of-Service Refrigeration
Refrigerator drawers and specialty units, such as wine coolers, give the host and guests better access to beverages and foods waiting to be served.
Warming Drawers
Warming drawers are a must for entertainers for keeping food warm and maintaining its quality.
Double Dishwashers
A second dishwasher might be drawer configuration or half-size, or full-size depending on the type of entertaining you do.
Flat-Screen TV
You’ll sacrifice storage space for a flat-screen in the kitchen, but if your often entertain during sports events, for example, and the kitchen is where your crew likes to hang out, then this “appliance” is a necessity.
Kitchen Island
An island can be a place to stand around and converse or a place to set out appetizers and drinks.
Raised Countertops
An island or peninsula with a raised countertop can hide dishes and serve as a cooking station on the “lower” host side, and on the higher portion, give guests a surface to gather around in the kitchen. It can serve as a snack bar, the dining table or just a place to lean and set down beverages.
Catering Workspace
If you tend to bring in catering staff and you have the space to build a butler’s pantry equipped with key appliances (oven, warming drawer, sink, dish washer, refrigeration) then this is a nice addtion to your entertainment capabilities.