Essentials to Include in Your Residential Kitchen Renovation Project According to a Chef

During the residential remodel/renovation process, the kitchen is a space that requires a great deal of decision-making.  These decisions of course straddle between those that are simply related to aesthetic aspects, but also those that directly impact functionality of the space.  Here at RessaBuilt, we are lucky enough to have a classically trained former chef on our team!  Not only do we eat well, but we gain valuable insight into the aspects that make a kitchen truly “chef friendly” from someone who has worked in high-level commercial kitchens.  These insights help us guide our clients through choosing how to best select items for their kitchen that may not always be an obvious inclusion for a residential kitchen.

Essential Items to Consider

Below, we lay out just a few items that have been recommended as being truly valuable to include in your home kitchen remodel/renovation.  While some of these items may seem out of the norm for a residential kitchen, we can guarantee that they will improve how you utilize your kitchen and directly mirror how professional chefs have found them invaluable for years.

• Pot Rack: If the space allows, a pot rack for storing your cooking ware is a great asset.  There is nothing more frustrating than having to reach down into a dark cabinet and search for a pan you are looking for only to realize it is buried under many other heavy pans.  Also, pans can easily damage each other (especially non-stick) by being stacked directly upon each other.  The pot rack allows the cook to easily acquire what they need and have their most commonly used pans directly available for selection.  The rack also has great versatility to hold frequently used tools such as spoons, spatulas, etc.  The adjustable hooks that hold the tools make it truly customizable to your direct personal cooking needs.
• Pop-Up Electrical Outlet: This item is most likely only useful if you have an island in your kitchen that you utilize for prep work, but is a must-have if this is the case.  Situated in the middle of the island, a pop-up electrical outlet is extremely convenient for any electrical assets you would be using there.  The centrally located outlet keeps electrical cords out of the way of tasks and can be outfitted with multiple plugs facing in multiple different directions for optimal accessibility.
• Countertop Trash/Compost Chute: Cooking a meal for yourself or for many people is a process that is made up of many tasks that can add up to a great amount of time.  Any tool that can shave time off the process or create more efficient methods is extremely valuable.  Repetitive tasks are some of the most time-consuming of all.  Examples of these are peeling vegetables, trimming meat, or picking herbs, all of which create a substantial amount of waste.  Having a convenient trash receptacle next to your prep area solves this issue.  An inlaid trash chute in your countertop allows you to immediately brush or throw your waste away in one quick motion as you prep, saving you time in both the task and the cleanup that follows.  The receptacle hole can then be covered by a custom-cut top made out of the same material as your countertop when not in use.
• Low Boy Refrigerator: A below-counter refrigerator, also called a low boy, is a refrigeration unit utilized in all commercial kitchens for convenience and food safety.  It can be applied in the same manner in residential kitchens.  While it is still valuable to have a standard-standing refrigerator for the majority of your refrigeration needs, having a low boy near your prep area or range is very useful.  You have the ability to have all your prepared ingredients right at your fingertips when you are ready to begin cooking.  This greatly reduces the risk of food born illness as items are kept at a safe temperature right up until cooking, as opposed to sitting out for an extended period of time.  Additionally, many low boys come in a pull-out drawer style maximizing access during active cooking or prep.
• Ducted Range Hood: During high-temperature cooking, which is necessary to successfully accomplish certain dishes, a great deal of smoke or steam is produced.  In order to keep your cooking area comfortable for whoever is cooking, not to mention guests that may be gathered around, a ducted exhaust hood that filters to the outside of your structure is an absolute necessity.  There is nothing worse than seeing a kitchen fill up with smoke.  Not only does it give the perception that something is wrong (which it usually is not) but a strong odor of smoke or cooking fumes can desensitize your palate prior to the meal and linger far after cooking has concluded.  Additionally, in the summer, it can prevent the need for excessive AC use as the majority of the hot air produced is vented to the outdoors.
• Gas Range: While there has been much discussion recently about banning gas stoves/ovens, in the eyes of the professional chef, gas will always be king.  The level of control in terms of temperature change and temperature precision that can be attained using gas cannot be rivaled by electric or induction counterparts.  The even distribution of heat to the pan is also greatly superior.  Finally, the ability to manipulate the pan with a technique such as sauté is only possible by being able to continuously add heat while not directly touching the pan to the heat source.  Of all the items mentioned, the gas range was by far the most crucial item desired by our former chef team member.  

We love all these possibilities for improving residential kitchens.  Obviously, some are far more costly than others.  At the end of the day though, when designing your new kitchen, realize that a kitchen is a functional space that is meant to accomplish a task, cooking.  While of course aesthetics are important, don’t overlook the choices that will allow you to create culinary delights for your friends and family!