Essentials for the Entertainer’s Kitchen

Are you a serious entertainer? Or, do you just love to cook? Large holiday meals and family functions make it necessary to have a well-designed kitchen and eating area. However, who’s to say that it shouldn’t also be stylish and the envy of everyone? Take a look at these must-have kitchen essentials for the entertainer.

Get a Great Place to Cook

You have to start with great bones in order to gain ambiance. If you have a great view, make certain that your guests can see it while dining. Plus, an open concept allows you to cook while easily entertaining. Having an open area to the outside works nicely for those great sunny days or warm evenings.

A Pro’s Range

When choosing a range, go with what the pros use. For serious cooks, it’s possible to use two or three ovens at once. It only takes a main course, the baking of bread, and a nice cake to occupy all three. However, a professional range will give you the added space of two ovens and at least six to eight cooktop burners. Most likely, you’ll also use the added grill area too. Although, if you go pro, ensure to top it off with a stylish vent hood.

Great Lighting

Every good cook needs extra light while preparing meals. Setting the right mood can help you prepare with ease. Professional lighting under cabinets and overhead can help set the tempo to get your creative juices flowing while others take notes.

The Cleanup Party

Make clean up a snap. Go with two dishwashers instead of one. You may prefer to opt for the dish drawer, but double up. If you host large parties, it’s a great idea to have more capacity to get your cleaning done at once. It will save time and your cleanup crew won’t have to stay as long.

A Great Gathering Place

If you have a top-notch entertaining kitchen, then you must have great seating. Create a space where your guests can surround themselves in the fun of preparing. Add a large island with bench seating, or have a fabulous table with plenty of seating for the entire family and then some.

Save it for Later

If you like to prepare ahead of time, get a warming drawer. A warming drawer will save you time as you need to prepare certain dishes ahead or as you wait for the main course to finish. That way, everything will be at the perfect temperature when you start to serve.

Storage and Organization

Every great cook needs a pantry, and it needs to be large enough to hold all staples — additional storage space never hurts. Add a butler’s pantry to incorporate an area where you can store dinnerware, serving trays and even drinkware. While you want your pantry areas to be stylish, they have to be functional as well. Remember, storage should be large enough to hold all of your serving utensils, small appliances and even food.

Shaken or Stirred

When planning your entertaining essentials, don’t forget your beverage counter. Include a wine cooler, ice dispenser and a beverage drawer. Have a place to house your top shelf brands as well as your cocktail glasses.

Keep It Cool

Small refrigerators have a hard time keeping up with the job of feeding a large family. When entertaining, small doesn’t work.  Invest in a heavy duty refrigerator and freezer. Everything will be right at your fingertips, and you won’t have to cascade to the man cave for your food.

Feeling inspired? If you’re thinking of remodeling your kitchen or starting from scratch with a new home, Smith Brothers would be happy to meet with you and help you design the kitchen and home of your dreams. For more information please contact us today!

If you enjoyed this blog you may want to read our blog about, “5 Creative Kitchen Upgrades.”