Kevin Henry's The Essential Kitchen

Redefining Tradition

2012-02-03T10:27:00.000-08:00

Having just returned from the Las Vegas Home and Gift Market, I am filled with both hope and excitement for the future. American design is alive and well and pushing the boundaries and definition of modern design.

What was of interest to me was the style direction that was evident at almost every turn...the influence of traditional styling on contemporary design. Details and elements that have stood the test of time are now finding a new and younger audience.

The cornerstone of classic architecture, the acanthus leaf, could be seen sprouting up everywhere in now forms and interpretation, mostly in bright colors and metallic finishes.

Architects, interior designers as well as product designers have a new perspective on traditional elements and are creating new products and interiors with deep roots that are grounded in a rich history classic design. Fluid lines, polished metal and historic reference, the future of design is clearly defined with a nod to the past.

It is clear that each generation must interpret the past in their own image. From the use of classic design elements in un-conventional applications to eye-popping color or metallic finish, Nouveau Classicist design is the bridge between two worlds converging in a ballet of color, shape and experimentation.

THE NEW PRINCIPLES OF KITCHEN DESIGN

2011-11-13T15:44:00.000-08:00

I have been designing kitchens for over 30 years and like most of my peers, associates and contemporizes, I have followed religiously the holy tenets of our faith…the un-questioned “work-triangle”, that was until I met a holy-man from a far away land called Michigan, on a pilgrimage to share his vision of how things should work and a set of principles to live and work by.

It is truly hard to believe that on a whole, we are still designing kitchens based on an idea born out of the “rational” movement of the 1900’s. The work-tri-angle was created to maximize the efficiency and eliminate unneeded steps and movements in the preparation and cooking of the daily meals, thus allowing the woman of the house to free up her valuable time for more important tasks like cleaning, laundry and childcare.

This once private domain of the feminine world has now given way to a new social order and reflects the world that we live in. Today we find a more “democratized” environment, where everyone is welcomed in the kitchen, a place where family, friends, and guests are invited, if not encouraged, to participate in the ritual of preparation.

And with this increased activity and additional bodies, all in a high-traffic ballet of fire, boiling water and sharp pointy things, we find that the assembly-line kitchen of the past century, with its uniform horizon of sink, dishwasher, cook-top, oven and refrigerator, forever locked in its limited one-person “work-triangle”, must make way to a new way of thinking.

The pilgrim I speak of is industry thought-leader, designer and manufacturer, Pete Walker. His evolutionary or maybe more correct, revolutionary concept is called the “Proximity Principles©”. According to Pete’s first principle, “A kitchen should be arranged around a series of task based work centers in relative proximity to each other and in proper sequence relative to tasks as they actually occur in cookery”.

According to Pete, the Principles dictate the adaptation of the site conditions to various task-appropriate layouts and the results of their use are uniformly functional. As is true of any situation, site and structural issues and the constraints of budget and will impact the final result. In other words, no matter the size, shape or budget of the kitchen, the Principles always improve the use of whatever space is available.

To further his beliefs, Pete has created a line of eco-centric kitchens that embody his philosophy; the Proximity Kitchen System™ eliminates the vast numbers of unnecessary options, elements and configurations currently found in both domestic and imported mass-manufactured kitchen product lines. His streamlined collection leaves the designer with an elegant intersection of minimalist product and maximizes achievable function.

A kitchen based on the “Principles” is therefore no longer skewed by geometric happenstance; the obsolete “work triangle”, but, based on a set of irreducible “first principles”. These principles organize a clear set of design techniques and protocols which create space that allow an individual to move gracefully through a kitchen where everything comes easily to hand as it is needed or as Pete would say, “Life within reach”.

Like any movement or belief out of the norm, Pete and his “Principles” have its share of nah-sayers and distracters, but there seems to be an ever growing legion of architects, interior designers and kitchen specialist, who call themselves “Proxies”, that have embraced this new thought in both mind and heart as well as action in the practice of their trade.

If you would like to know more about Pete and the Principles or would like additional information regarding the Proximity Kitchen System, I would encourage you to visit www.proximitykitchen.com

RED, WHITE AND BLUE IS THE NEW BLACK

2011-09-11T23:43:00.000-07:00

There was a time when people just assumed that their cabinetry and appliances would be built in the USA. Now under the current economic strains and foreign options available in cabinetry, appliances and accessories that are invading the US market, I wonder if the American kitchen industry will go the way of the American steel, auto and home electronics…to some third world country and taking American jobs as well as the American Dream with it?

We, the American people, have been sold a “bill of goods”, that we can somehow maintain our standard of living by purchasing cheaper and good, not great, products that were once produced here in the US, like cars, clothes, TV’s, phones, even food ,from some other country and that our lives will be better. I say, look around you and wake up!

We have lost great companies and millions of jobs to other countries that will never come back and the current economic situation and growing jobless rate are just tips of the iceberg. There was a time that American steel, cars, TV’s were the cornerstone of modern technology and the envy of the world. And now we are willing to buy cheap imitations without once thinking about the ramifications of those actions.

The new Jobs Bill proposed by the Obama administration means nothing and will do nothing to stem the tide of joblessness unless there is a job connected to it. We need to bring manufacturing back to America and need to buy American products. Its patriotic…it’s the American thing to do.

My question is this…Does your client care if it is made in America? Do you care? Does it make a difference? Does “Made in America” still stand for quality, technology, craftsmanship, security and trust? I say “Yes…yes it does”, and we need to educate the consumer on the options they have to choose from and how there decision can and will effect the world around them.

With US unemployment at its highest in decades and an ongoing uncertainty about the future of our economy, I believe that we are ready for a consumer revolution to halt the tide of foreign imports and encourage consumers to buy American made products to stimulate economic growth and to put people back to work.

For way too long, the American consumer has ignored where products are made and simply sought out products that they perceived to be cheaper with understanding or realizing that their decision buy a cheaper foreign product may have caused an American factory to close and that their dollars that would have gone to an American worker, went to pay a worker in China or India at a fraction of what an American worker would have earn. Most people would say, “I bought a good product for the best price and someone made a profit”…but here lies the rub, the worker in China did not pay taxes on his earnings to the US, nor did his employer, so nothing was paid into the system, which effects everyone here.

I say “enough!” and I draw a line the sand and issue this challenge to both consumers and manufacturers to “Buy American”. Buying something made in the USA is something to be proud of, it will make you feel good, and you are helping out the economy by keeping the money at home and protecting jobs here.

Will if cost more to buy an American product than a cheaper foreign item…most likely the answer will be yes…but you need to think of those few dollars more as an investment in America, as well as an investment in our future, our children’s future.

I believe in the power of the individual and that the choices we make can change the world. The revolution begins with you and the choices you make. I say choose wisely…choose American.

FREEDOM OF CHOICE?

2011-08-16T15:08:00.000-07:00

Do you want to see a grown man cry? Have him select a color from more that 3 selections…he will drop to his knees in tears. I’m beginning to think that choice is highly over rated.

The scariest words in the English language most be…”would you like fries with that? Shoestring or country, crosscut or curly, salted or unsalted and god forbid if you should ask for their selection of dipping sauce. And what about coffee? What happen to a plain old cup of Joe? I mean…what the hell is a half-caff, non-fat, sugar-free vanilla latte and while I’m at it, what happen to just a medium cup? Choice is everywhere and there seems to be no escape…we have too many buttons, options, selections and app’s.

The kitchen industry has not been spared from this curse, but it seems that we as an industry have embraced choice with gusto. On the cabinet side of the house we have more variety of wood species to choose from than ever before…what happen to oak, pine, maple and walnut? Now we can offer Wenge, Rosewood, Zebra and Pear as well as exotic veneers and technical veneers…all in different cuts and finishes. And colors…there was a time you had 4 or 5 standard color selections and some companies may have even offered up to 20, but today with computer color matching, there are over 2000 variations to choose from. And what about features and accessories? Drawer options, waste options, cutlery dividers, pan storage, tall storage options, lighting options, interior and exterior. And when we look at the appliance side of the house the mountain of choice is even higher…convection oven, micro-convection oven, steam-convection and just plain radiant heat. And the choices of refrigerators would make your head explode…24”, 30” 36” and 48”, available in single and double door, side by side French doors and ice options that would dazzle any Barman worth his salt. Not to stop there, what about our choices in cook-tops? Gas, electric and induction as well as combinations of all three. And the selection of dishwashers available with sensors, onboard computers and wi-fi connected and with enough technology on board for a manned mission to the moon.

What brought this all to head was a presentation I was giving for a new kitchen. We were going over each detail, what wood, what finish, what handle, what accessories and features, what lighting and at one point…the client threw up his hands and shouted “enough!” and said, “Kevin…why are you asking me all these question…you’re the expert…what am I paying you for?” It was a clear cut case of “sensory-overload…too many selections, too many options and too many choices.

Henry David Thoreau once said “simplify, simplify!”…I say just “Simplify! (period)”. I truly believe that we have so over complicated the process that our clients are paralyzed with fear. We need to take greater control of the process. In another presentation, while we were going over every detail in the kitchen…how many drawers, hinged left or right, which side of the sink would they like the dishwasher on, what knob or pull, I looked up at the client with her eyes half rolled up inside her eyelid and when she noticed me looking at her, she sat up-right, gathered herself together and said to me…”Kevin…it’s going to look like this…right?”…pointing to the display and she said…”fine…how much do you need to get started?
Keep your sales approach simple…nothing complicated. Your showroom and displays should educate your client to the benefits and value of your product or service as well as create an atmosphere of trust and dependability, Keep your options to a minimum…how many cabinet and appliance lines to you really need to show, what are the 3 or 4 finishes that make up most of your business? What counter-top material do you always specify? You will find, if you go back over your projects for the last year or two…you will see a pattern of design elements, appliances and finishes.

So take control, lead your client, and don’t drown them in details, but simplify their lives and you will see your jobs close faster and that your clients will be happier. I think that DEVO, the iconic 80’s band, said it best…”What we want is Freedom from choice”.

It's a Wireless World! - update

2011-05-17T06:23:00.000-07:00

Imagine a kitchen where you will no longer have to wonder about like a desert nomad with your blender or toaster in hand searching for an oasis of power or at least a clear space near a free outlet.

The idea of wireless electricity was first conceived by legendary inventor, Nikola Tesla in the early 1900’s. His idea was to build giant transmission towers across the US that would emit an electrical frequency that your home appliance or light bulb would receive and be powered, much in the same way as a radio picks up a broadcast signal. After a major legal battle that was finally settled in the Supreme Court on the side of GE and Thomas Edison, Tesla and his idea of free electricity faded into obscurity.

But all is not lost, Fulton Industries has developed a highly efficient wireless power transfer systems that elements the use of cables or cords for small appliances. The new system can transfer wirelessly 60w of electrical energy over a distance of nearly 24” with 80% efficiency. This new technology is based on magnetic resonance, where two or more devices can transfer energy when using the same resonant frequencies.

The idea requires embedding a line-connected power transmitter into a counter-top, table top or wall, which then transmits power to an adapted appliance placed near or on the transmitter without the need for a cord between the transmitting or receiving elements.
Once developed to its full potential, you would be able to place any future portable household appliance, such as a toaster, blender, coffee maker or can-opener anywhere in the kitchen you would like to work without the need of a power-cord, plug or socket.

Not only can we look forward to a cord free kitchen, but what if we could warm up a can of your favorite soup or chili by just placing an eCoupled container anywhere on the embedded counter-top. Just pull the tap to warm, medium or hot and let the embedded technology do the rest.

Not just an energy source, but more like an embedded information highway. Imagine your child’s delight as his morning cereal box becomes interactive with new games or comics each morning as well as offering Mom incentives to download to her smart phone coupons for more cereal that she is nearly out of. This smart counter will be able to scan your bag of groceries when you arrive home from the market and log in your purchases and let you know when you are running low on everyday items.

For me, the greatest benefits of this new technology will be safety. With the elimination of the possibility for electric shock, gone forever will be the days of socket guards from curious fingers. And just think of the fun of making margaritas pool side with no need for plug…let the party begin! The possibilities are endless and the modern kitchen, as we know it, will continue to open up and expand its boundaries as new technology and applications continue to emerge.

Now Mr Tesla…about that “free” electricity idea?

THE HEARTH STILL MAKES A HOME

2011-02-16T18:34:00.000-08:00

Today, when uncertainty surrounds us and the world outside seems lost to confusion and chaos, we seek, almost by instinct, sanctuary and communal comfort, much like our ancestors once did around an open fire.

Reaching into our collective past, to a time when all family, community and social activates took place deep within the heart of the castle, we find the “Hearth”, a place where life, feasting, entertainment and communal gatherings centered.

Today’s hearth, the modern kitchen has evolved far from its original function of food preparation to that of “the social hub of the home”. In the modern kitchen, the family, both nuclear as well as tribal, still gathers to share, rejuvenate and commune together, but the walls have come down and this once hidden and secluded place is now part of a larger social arena. As the hearth of yore, the modern kitchen serves as a meeting place, a dinning room, a home-office, a place to do homework; it can also serve as a sanctuary for quite reflection, or a place to gather for fun and entertainment.

Once the center of all communal life, the modern hearth has taken on a new domestic role, now finding it self reflecting a family lifestyle based on the sharing of traditional roles and functions. With a more democratic lifestyle the modern hearth embraces the kitchen as a multifunctional arena, were food is prepared, people talk, homework is finished and where family and friends sit by a modern hearth to bathe in the warmth of community.

So throw another log on the fire, pull the children closer and tell a tale or two of days gone by, and let the winds of uncertainty blow outside and feel secure in the natural warmth of the hearth of your modern castle.

The Wonder of It All...CES 2011

2011-01-20T19:11:00.000-08:00

The 2011 Consumer Electronic Show (CES) has closed to record breaking attendance with more than 140,000 tech-professionals clamoring and straining to be the first to see the leading edge of consumer technology. Most had come to see the new contenders that would challenge the ipad as well as wireless 4G smart phones, connected TV technologies, electric vehicles…but me…I came to see refrigerators…not just any refrigerators…smart refrigerators, as well as other smart appliances.

For the first time, CES launched the Smart Appliance Zone featuring products like LG, Samsung and GE as well as others all showcasing products that all seemed to included smart features like smart grid connectivity, self diagnosis, internet access and food management systems, all designed with the intent to allow homeowners the ability to manage refrigerators, washing machines, ovens and robotic vacuum cleaners via a smart network and their smart phone.

I have written about this day for years, the birth of the Connected Kitchen, and there it was, the future as it should have been, lined up before me to a level of sensory overload. Wi-fi enabled refrigerators that can inventory their contents and reorder food and condiments as needed, ovens have the ability to upgrade their programs as well as recipes and at the right time will call you when dinner is ready or you can call it if you are running late, dishwashers that can call a plumber if it should spring a leak as well as call you with the appointment time. As I staggered about in a future of my making, a world of accessible smart technology, I felt like a nine year-old school boy in a toy store with a fist-full of birthday money.

Walking from aisle to aisle, the glow of technology found began to fade into to a fog of generic similarity. The pounding in my head began subside and feeling stated to come back to my hands and fingers, when I came upon “El Dorado”, the hidden treasury of CES…Fulton Innovation and the “enabled counter-top”.

Imagine a kitchen where you will no longer have to wonder about like a desert nomad with your blender or toaster in hand searching for an oasis of power or at least a clear space near a free outlet. The idea requires embedding a line-connected power transmitter into a counter-top, table top or wall, which then transmits power to an adapted appliance placed near or on the transmitter without the need for a cord between the transmitting or receiving elements.

Once developed to its full potential, you would be able to place any future portable household appliance, such as a toaster, blender, coffee maker or can-opener, as well as pre-packaged food containers with induction coils, anywhere in the kitchen you would like to work without the need of a power-cord, plug or socket.

I arrived CES with great expectation and left with hope for a future yet to come…now I sit and wait for CES 2012…Oh, the wonder of it all.

The Smart Grid…The Future of Energy Independence

2010-12-05T17:21:00.000-08:00

On the eve of greatest infrastructure overhaul since bring electricity to the Tennessee Valley, less than 20% of the US population has heard of the Smart Grid, let alone of how it will affect their lives in the years to come.

So…what is the Smart Grid? A smart grid is an electricity network that utilizes digital technology. The smart grid delivers electricity from suppliers to consumers using two-way digital communications to control energy consumption by appliances at residential homes, condos and apartments; this will save energy, reduce cost and increase reliability and transparency. The Smart Grid will overlay the existing and outdated electrical grid with an information and net metering system; this will included residential smart meters.

At the heart of the Smart grid is the ability to apply two-way communication between sensing, measurement and control devices with electricity production, transmission, distribution and consumption components of the power grid that will communicate information about grid condition to system users, operators and automated devices, making it possible to dynamically respond to changes in grid condition.

A smart grid includes an intelligent monitoring system that keeps track of all electricity flowing in the system as well as the capability of integrating renewable electricity such as solar and wind. When power is least expensive the user can allow the smart grid to turn on selected home appliances such as washing machines or factory processes that can run at arbitrary hours. At peak times it could turn off selected appliances to reduce demand.

Today, energy flows and disburses with very little control or regulation, much like water flowing from a garden hose without a nozzle. With the Smart Grid, energy use and distribution will look and feel more like a train routing board at the stationhouse. Energy will be able to be used, rerouted and terminated or regulated as required. Solar or wind usage can be easily integrated into the system as demand requires or terminated and supplement due to changes in the weather.
Power failures and grid collapse will be a thing of ancient history as the system will be able to anticipate and reroute electricity due to grid disruption.

Home electrical devices, such as TV’s, Microwaves, Ovens and Refrigerators consume over half the power in a typical US home. With the introduction of smart meters and smart appliances, the ability to shut down or hibernate devices when not in use or when the they are not receiving data could be a major factor in cutting energy use.

The brain of the Smart Home will be the Smart Meter that connects the home to the grid and can provide the homeowner with a basic outline of their electricity use, which can help identify activities that draw the most power. More advanced versions involve having individual appliances to participate in a local network, allowing for a detailed analysis of power use.

Smart Appliances will enable two-way communications in order to provide demand response management. Power utilities can provide a signal when electricity supplies are getting tight; and homeowners can set their appliances to respond accordingly, like temporarily shutting off the hot water heater or raising the thermostat slightly on a summer day. The homeowner will get lower electric rates for their participation, while the utility avoids power outage due to over use.

To get all of that to work, however, we need the right hardware in place; a 10 year old refrigerator, oven or microwave will not contribute nor take advantage of the smart grid. Many appliance manufacturers are already producing Smart Grid compliant appliances and through new construction, remodeling and aging appliance replacement many consumers are already installing the first wave of Smart Appliances in their homes without fully understanding their contribution to the future of energy conservation.

WATER, WATER EVERYWHERE...NOT!

2010-10-19T07:34:00.000-07:00

It started out simple enough with a middle-of-the-night request…”Dad!...can I have a drink of water?” came a small, half awake voice from my son’s room…”Sure” I said as I got outta bed and trudged down the hall to the kitchen. As I leaned over the sink in the light of the moon streaming in through the kitchen window, I let the water run for a moment, it struck me what a wondrous thing this was to be able to go to the tap and get a cool and clean glass of water in the middle of the night. It never would have accrued to me that it would not come out of the wall or that I would have to be concerned with the quality of the water.

It has always been there…as a kid, I remember that there was no greater treat than drinking from the garden hose on a hot summer day. In America, we take water for granted…24/7, drinking water is always a few steps away as if it was an inalienable right…like life, liberty and guaranteed clean water. I took my son his water and we sat and talked a little about what a miracle it really was to be able to get a glass of water…and like that say…out of the mouths of babes…he drop the question…”Doesn’t everyone have water?”…I got him back to sleep, but the thought of accessible water kept gnawing at the back of my brain for the remainder of night.

Not being able to sleep…I started researching my son’s question…being an active environmentalist for over 40 years…I had a vague understanding about global water issues, but after a few clicks, an email and a couple of texts…I had a new awakening to a crisis of global implication.

It is hard to believe that in this day of age that, according to UN figures, over 2.6 billion people live without safe drinking water. In the hospitals of Sub-Saharan Africa, more than half of the beds are occupied by patients suffering from sanitation and water related diseases. UN studies have shown that many diseases could be prevented simply by improving local water supplies. Children are the highest at risk with over 4000 dieing daily from preventable water related diseases, killing more than HIV/AIDS, malaria and measles combined.

As we all know, we live on the big, blue ball, Earth the water planet. The problem is that 97% of the Earth’s water is salt water, leaving a meager 3% of freshwater to sustain life for humans, other living creatures as well as plants and agriculture for a hungry planet. It is not unthinkable that in the not-so-far future, competition for water in an overpopulated world could lead to major border disputes and outright war over water resources.

SO WHAT ARE THE KEY POINTS OF THE GLOBAL WATER CRISIS?
• Inadequate access to safe drinking water for about 884 million people
• Inadequate access to water for sanitation and waste disposal for 2.5 billion people
• Excessive use of groundwater leading to diminished agricultural yields
• Overuse and pollution of water resources harming biodiversity
• Regional conflicts over scarce water resources sometimes resulting in warfare

Growing up in post-war America, I was always amused and a little perplexed by my Mothers mantra at the close of the evenings meal with…”be sure and clean your plate because there are starving children in Europe”…and I would think to myself how could finishing my broccoli help some poor kid a million miles away…I did voice this observation once to the full force of my Mothers indignation. Years later as an adult, I realized what my Mother’s point, totally lost on a broccoli hating eight year old, was one of appreciation…too “appreciate” the food we had in front of us and to think of those less fortunate than ourselves. Now I find myself thinking of others once again every time I pour a glass water at 2 am or while I’m taking a longer than normal hot shower or as I watch my sprinklers in action during a down-pour.

I have begun to address each of my short comings regarding water usage in my own home. We all, including my teenage daughter, now take shorter and timed showers. We have replaced our clothes and dishwasher with water-saving and energy efficient new models and until I can convince my wife that replacing our lawn with indigenous plants that use and need less water, I have replaced my sprinkler timer that now turns it’s self off when it rains. We have also joined several groups to help educate others about water usage and the crisis at hand as well as to raise money to help build wells and filtration systems where they are truly needed.

Like my Mother, I want my children to appreciate the bounty before them that they now, like most Americans, take for granted. We are truly blessed to live in the greatest country on the planet with our wealth of natural resources, technology and freedoms, but in most cases we are here only by an accident of birth…I didn’t choose to be an American, I was just lucky enough to be born an American and I shudder to think that if the dice had rolled in another direction, I could have been the one living in the Sudan, not to be awaken at 2 am by my son’s request for a glass of water, but to the screams of a sick child dieing from the water she drank because her thirst outweighed her thoughts of caution.

I encourage you to find out more about the Global Water Crisis and what you can do to help. Please visit the following links for information, participation and donations.

The UN Works

Charitywater

End Water Poverty

Clean Water Action

The Global Kitchen...A design manifesto

2010-08-31T21:26:00.000-07:00

The Evolution of the Modern Kitchen
We find that the kitchen is one of those rare universals truths that can be found around the world. The kitchen you find in Los Angeles is almost identical to one in Venice or Bangladesh. As a matter of fact you will find that the traditional layout of any kitchen can be found from a mud-hut in the Amazon to a 5th Avenue penthouse. We find the same pattern in archeological excavations from Taos, New Mexico to the ruins of Pompeii.

At the core of the “primal” kitchen we find three basic elements; fire, water and storage. The only real evolution that we find is in the appearance and technology.

From the “hearth”, to the “wood-burning” stove, to the “induction cook top”.

From the water-bucket, to the hand-pump, to the integrated dishwasher. From the “apple-cellar” to the “icebox” to the “Integrated Refrigerator”.

It is not about how the kitchen has changed, but more how we have changed the usage of this once purely functional space.

At the turn of the last century, the kitchen was designed to be out of the way, a place for servants, the cook and the help, to gather and prepare the days meals and double as a place to stay out of the main household. It was sparse, functional and easy to wash-down.

By post-war America, the kitchen was designed as a functional laboratory for a single participant, the woman of the house, the little lady, mom. It was laid out with assembly line efficiency with a window centered on the sink so she could watch the little ones in the back yard.

The evolution of the modern kitchen has grown far from its primary function of food preparation, to that of “the social center of the home”. A place where the family, both nuclear as well as tribal, still gather to share, rejuvenate and commune together.

Today the kitchen is still the gathering place of the tribe, but the walls have come down and this once hidden and secluded place is now part of a larger social arena, The Global Kitchen.

It serves as a meeting place, a dinning room, a home-office, a place to do homework; it can even serve as a hide away for quite reflection or a place to gather for fun and entertainment.

The Global Kitchen has become a place that defines the home and those that live in it. This once private domain of the feminine world has now given way to the new social order and reflects the world that we live in.

Today we find that everyone is welcomed in the Global Kitchen. More and more family members and friends are invited, if not encouraged to participate in the ritual of preparation.

And with this increased activity and additional bodies in a high-traffic ballet of fire, boiling water and sharp pointy things, we find that the assembly-line kitchen of the past with its uniform horizon of sink, dishwasher, cook-top, oven and refrigerator, forever locked in its limited one-person “work-triangle”, must give way to a new way of thinking.

A New Direction
In our recent past, the collective thought of modern kitchen design was to create the “illusion of order”. This was accomplished by hiding the true function of the kitchen. By hiding the food, the waste and the appliances, we create the illusion of productivity and efficiency by hiding the process.

In the new school of thought, the belief is that the kitchen must be efficient to be productive, an environment that is conducive to the task at hand.

It is about changing the way we think about this space we call “kitchen” and our individual relationships to it. It’s about creating an environment that allows us to experience new ideas and to rediscover aspects of our lives that have been lost in the daily rush of life.

The Global Kitchen approach is to think first about the fundamental aspects of the kitchen, what we want from it and how this space can be utilized to its full potential. We must view this space as a whole and understand the relevance and position of every item and detail in it, from the largest stewpot to the tiniest teaspoon.

In the past the appliances dictated the form and flow of the kitchen. the sink under the window, the dishwasher to the right or left of the sink, the cook-top with its 12 inches on either side, the double oven that is used only for holidays and special occasions and the refrigerator, this monolith of modern technology that dominates the space.

Today, we must place the individual or individuals and the task first and then the appliance and the space needed to fulfill the task. With a variety of people and activities we must create a fluid, interactive, multifunctional arena, where tools and materials are close at hand and within a given task boundary.

Today we declare the “work triangle” dead and relegated to the ideas of centuries past. With this passing comes a new philosophy along with a new vocabulary:
• Task-Sphere
• Free-range hot, cold and wet zones
• Vertical and Horizontal Work Planes
• Free Standing Furniture Based Multi-Task Elements
• Adjustable Work Landings
• Multi-Task Interiors
• Social Geometry

Kitchen Space…the new frontier.
On the whole, European kitchens tend to be much smaller than their American counterparts, so the utilization of space takes on a greater importance.

To meet this need the Global Kitchen is in many ways designed from the inside - out. The goal is to achieve maximum use of the interiors without compromising the external aesthetics.

The solution is not more space, but better utilization of the space at hand.

As kitchen designers, we had to change the way we looked at space to better understand the problem.

We first moved away from a one-dimensional approach to kitchen design and began to think of the kitchen as a multi-dimensional canvas.

The static, cluttered, restricted and unchanging kitchen of the past has now been converted to a living stage, a place where it is now possible to create an environment that alters old beliefs about space and structure and to infuse new concepts that reflect the needs of today’s modern homeowner.

Kitchen Matrix…Shifting Boundaries
Today we find the roll of the kitchen taking on a completely different role than any other time in her history.

Free and easy, open and inviting…these are the new adjectives that describe the Global Kitchen. A room with out boundaries or barriers, a room free from conventional thought, a room seeking a new name to clarify its new role in the American home. A room that has gone from the “heart of the home” to the “hub of the home”, the new command center for daily American life.

The Global Kitchen is open to the rest of the home and as such the room most function on several levels, from food preparation to social interaction, from entertainment center to living-room.

The Global Kitchen must blend seamlessly into the living and family areas of the home, it must impress as well as be useful, successfully achieving the delicate balance between form and function.

To this end, extremes must be avoided, volumes must be contained and styles measured. It is a given that the kitchen must look nice, but the cabinetry and appliances must be of the utmost efficiency, creating a space that is neutral in character, more Asian than European…a space that that is more Zen-like than uniform.

The Global Kitchen, in its new domestic role, finds itself reflecting a family style based on the sharing of traditional roles and function. The living area embraces the kitchen as a multifunctional arena, were food is prepared, people talk, homework is finished and guests are entertained.

Summary: The Global Kitchen

• Open Floor Plan…Kitchen, Living Room and Family Room as one.

• Simple and restrained finishes and materials…an almost Zen like effect…the essential kitchen.

• The kitchen as furniture. Free standing. Task-centric

The Global kitchen will continue to be the heart, if not the hub of the home, an essential element in our daily lives that touches and affects us both physically and emotionally, a place where we seek communion, rejuvenation, and sanctuary. Of all the items we will choose for our home, the Global kitchen will provide us with a unique outlet for creation and self-expression

The Perils of Modern Living

2010-08-29T15:44:00.000-07:00

With chips and sensors as well as voice and face recognition programs being added to almost all household appliances these days; it will be just a matter of time before these machines begin to guide us through our day. There are refrigerators that scan the contents inside and make menu suggestions as well as wine pairings. Dishwashers that will suggest that you run at a later time or even wait for another plate or two. I am surprised that my microwave hasn’t asked if I really wanted that bag of popcorn after communicating with my bathroom scale.

We are surrounded by smart devices already; we have our iPhone, iPad and iPod at the ready 24/7, just waiting for us to ask them for advice or directions or to entertain us. They let us know if the dishwasher has sprung a leak, they tell us we are overdrawn at the bank and ask if we would like to transfer funds to avoid an overdraft charge. The will lets us know that it is raining and would we like to cancel the sprinklers. And don’t forget to lift your feet, here comes the Roomba robot vacuum. It is just a matter of time before we will live in an iHouse and drive an iCar.

The US military has been developing software to recognize stress under battle conditions and to offer suggestions and possible alternatives to an otherwise shaken up officer under attack…not to make the decision for him, but to help him understand the situation and the options available. This program will recognize voice variation, increase in heart beat and breathing as well as facial cues as well as past outcomes of similar situations and all with a soothing and calm voice...it may even tell a joke to lighten the situation.

While traveling across Florida a few months back, I had the opportunity to experience the GPS that came with my rented car and I am convinced that it had some how been programmed with one of these new military smart chips.

Having traveled across Florida many times and for many years, I felt I knew my way around the state like a native, but once I turned on the device that had been taunting me for several hours on the road, it was like crack cocaine...I was hooked...there was no turning back.

I gave up everything to my new friend, I trusted her completely and without question with my welfare, even when I knew she was taking me in the wrong direction.

Maybe it was the long drive across the pan-handle in the middle of the night, maybe it was the hypnotic effect of the passing white line on a long stretch of Florida back road, but at some point we began to bond, The boundary between man and machine began to blur, I found myself having full length conversations, as well as deep discussion on life, including issues regarding my wife and children. Her voice was soothing, confident and so self-assured, but then like all relationships, things began to break down and as quick as it was to fall in love, it was as quick to end.

Around 2:00 am in the morning, in the middle of no where, it happened. We lost the satellite feed, how was that even possible? And then the misdirection’s and wrong turns began and started to ask myself, “where is she taking me and why?”

I knew it was over when she began to mock me. I had missed my turn, even though she had given me plenty of warning, and there it was, a tone. She said “You missed your exit…re-calibrating”. You could hear it in her voice and that was it, neither of us spoke for the rest of the trip to the airport. I even went so far as to turn the volume down and followed the signs to the rental drop off. On the shuttle bus to the airport, I began to think that I may have been a little too hard on her as I began to miss her voice and guidance and come to think of it, her advice about the kids was pretty right-on.

We are living in amazing times and talking to my GPS or arguing with the microwave about the popcorn may sound odd and it may take sometime to get use too, but on the other hand, how many of us talk to our pets or plants as if they understood.

THE LAST ENVIRONMENTALIST

2010-08-12T00:13:00.000-07:00

In October of 2009, I was invited to attend the Governors Conference on Climate Change, the Road to Copenhagen in Los Angeles, California. This was the final gathering the troops, so to speak, before the Conference on Climate Change at Copenhagen in December of that same year.

The event was attended by Governors of other states, UN delegates, international media, scientists and engineers as well as non-profit organizations and corporate leaders…and all on the same page regarding Climate Change. All those attending were there for one purpose…to find solutions to a problem of global proportions.

I left the conference re-born with a new vigor as well as a new commitment towards the future. No matter what the talking heads on TV may say, it was clear that Climate Change is real and that a clear path on both a local as well as global level had been defined and that through our individual, as well as collective actions, we could make a difference.

About two weeks before the conference in Copenhagen was to begin, the EPA, the Environmental Protection Agency, announced that climate change is a real threat to the planet as well as all life forms and that it was being driven by human activity. A simple statement, with global implications and coming from a US Government agency as a statement of fact could alter the vote of global delegates attending the conference.

And then like a pack of rabid dogs, the attacks on the agency and it proclamation began from all sides, first with outright challenges to the findings as “bogus” and “pseudo-science” and then the real war began with the leaking of private communications among various scientists about undisclosed errors in the 2007 IPCC Assessment Report. The final blow came in the form of select leaked e-mails from the Hadley Climatic Research Unit at Britain‘s University of East Anglia. This “smoking gun” appeared to vindicate climate change skeptics by suggesting scientists were deleting information that contradicted climate change.

This media “blitzkrieg” completely derailed the conference, forcing complete delegations to back down or not vote at all and the majority of the conference was left to defend the data and the reputations of thought-leaders and leading scientists. The fallout was devastating…the Kyoto Accord failed to pass, scientists, educators and environmental leaders were fired or quit under a cloud of shame. This coordinated action, by persons unknown, countered the Gore-effect and set the movement back almost 30 years.

Now, not nearly a year later, the EPA has announced that the allegations made against their original findings were not substantial enough to outweigh the decades of evidence the EPA had amassed that clearly indicated that: greenhouses gases have risen to unprecedented levels; that the accumulation of these gases is warming the planet; and that climate change is visible through shrinking Arctic ice, rising oceans and rising temperatures. It also restated that the rate of climate change is increasing and that greenhouse gases are the driving force behind this increase. It is a sad commentary on our society that not one word about these new and reaffirmed findings made the evening news.

So…now what? Like a bad call at a ball game, where the winning runner was later determined “out” after reviewing the tape…the game is over and score is in the books to be forever debated. It is easy to all “foul”, but the crowd has moved on and gone home. We now need to pick our selves up and dust ourselves off and regroup and rethink our next move.

It has become clear to me that we most rethink the whole concept of environmental activism. As a species, we have had a direct impact on the planet since we first climbed down out of the trees and then turned around and burn them for warmth. It has taken generations upon generations to accomplish the damage we have done to our home. Today, there are few, if any, locations on the planet that have avoided the effects of man. We need to take an even larger global view than ever before…as someone once said, “one mans endangered species is another mans dinner”.

There are two types of environmentalists, those who wish to live in harmony and balance with nature and those who wish to dominate and control nature. I believe that as there are certain aspects of climate change that are beyond our control and that in many ways, I fear, “the train as left the station”. It is no longer about control or change…it is now about survival of the species. The new environmentalist must bridge the ground between the two schools of thoughts, one of control verses harmony and man over nature as well as to seek new paths to a more sustainable, eco-centric and bio-diverse world.

Evolution is at hand, and as it has been throughout the history of our movement, there are those who hunt, those who prepare and those who just eat. Where will you fit in?

The Dark Side of Green Part II

2010-07-22T19:00:00.000-07:00

In a recent post, I questioned just how green was glass and though it could be recycled over and over again, the cost to the environment may have outweighed any real good produced.

Like glass, bamboo has taken on unquestioned attributes due to its strength and durability as well as a quick growth cycle. But due to the high demand for bamboo by American consumers, some bamboo is coming to market harvested prematurely, long before it has reached its mature state to be used in the production of products like flooring and sheet goods, thus resulting in devastating product failure.

It should be noted, that in a resent UN study, several South East Asian communities that once survived for generations on rice production for trade and commerce have replaced this traditional food staple with the growing of bamboo, leaving entire communities without a food or revenue source due to a lack of demand for their eco-centric cash-crop because of a global economic downturn, thus leaving once sustainable communities dependent upon humanitarian relief efforts.

This is not about green-bashing as much as it is about education and personal responsibility. We need to ask questions about the products we purchase and use and not to take anything at face-value and to look beyond the little green symbols in the corner of the advertisement or on the back of the label, because “green” is constantly evolving and what was considered “green“ yesterday, may not be “green” tomorrow and with that said…don’t get me started on the hidden dangers of compact fluorescents light bulbs.

IN THE SHADOW OF GIANTS

2010-06-21T18:21:00.000-07:00

In late 2009, a kitchen that I collaberated on for Bazzèo was awarded the GOLD medal for “Innovation in Design”, from the British publication DESIGNER. Shortly after the announcement, I received an invitation from CISCO BROTHERS to be a special guest at a dinner they were hosting for the Sustainable Furniture Council during the High Point Furniture Market. I was honored to be recognized for my work as well as the opportunity to represent Bazzèo.

When I arrived at the venue for the evening’s event, I was informed, by the press assistant for CISCO BROTHERS, that the other guest of honor was Vladimir Kagan, the iconic, mid-century furniture designer that I have idolized since my youth. And then, like a ton of bricks, the immensity of the evening struck me full force. Who was I to share the spotlight with a GOD? What would I say, how do I act? How do you speak with giants? For the first time in my adult life…I had sweaty palms.

About an hour before dinner, something changed…you could feel it in the air…the very atmosphere was alive with noise…”he’s here...he’s here!” And there he was, with two canes and an assistant to help him up the stairs…it was hard at first to see the young, handsome man from the photographs the sixties that I had grown up with, and then, there it was, that classic Kagan smile and that glint in his eye as he surveyed the room.

Shortly thereafter, Vladimir and I were introduced and we sat to have a drink before the evenings event was to begin. “So young man" he said as though I was a nine year boy..." what do you do?” “I am a designer” I said…”That’s wonderful…me too” he replyed. I spent the evening listening to his life story, from his boyhood in pre-war Germany to is arrival in 1938 to the US and his early love for architecture and his passion for design and at no point in the conversation did his 83 years of life seem to weigh upon him…his voice, his eyes, the excitement in sharing thoughts and ideas was that of a young man, full of “piss and vinegar” and ready to take on the world.

During the course of the evening he shared with me that he was at an interesting point in his life…on one hand a new book on his life and collected works had just been released and the other he was just about to launch a new collection for Ralph Pucci in New York. Here he was at an age when most, if not all of his contemporaries were either retired or dead, and now at 83 he was still creating new products for a new generation.

As a practitioner of sustainable design, I asked Vladimir his thoughts in this regard…he become very serious and quite as he thought and after a minute or so he said…”You wont like this, but my new collection for Pucci has a fiberglass foundation…not very green”…he said and in almost the same breath he went on to say “Sustainability is more than materials, it is about longevity, but mostly it is about design. If something is designed well and made well, it will be kept and used for years, if not generations”.

As he was preparing to leave the dinner for another party, I reflected on the evening and felt a little star-struck and very pleased that my boyhood adoration for my hero had not been diminished by actually meeting him. And as we stood together for a press photo, he shook my had and said to me, in a voice reserved for nine year old boys, ”Keep designing” and as I released his hand, I realized that giants indeed are very real and that they still walk among us.

I have seen the future of cooking and it is cool!

2010-05-15T14:32:00.000-07:00

Not since our ancestors squatted around an open fire, cooking the catch of the day of the day on a stick over an open flame has there been such a leap in cooking technology. With today’s modern kitchen consuming as much as 30% to 40% of household energy, the magnetic induction cook-top uses 90% less energy than that of a conventional gas or electric cook top, making it the most energy efficient form of cooking on the market today.

The principle of magnetic induction was discovered in 1831 by Michael Faraday, a British physicist who laid the foundation o many of today’s common technologies. Faraday found that the electromotive force produced around a closed path is proportional to the rate of change of the magnetic flux through any surface bounded by that path. In other words, a magnetic induction cook-top uses electromagnetic energy to heat the cooking vessel itself, without generating heat on the surface of the cook top. Compared to a traditional gas or electric cooking surface, magnetic induction is faster, safer, cooler and a more efficient form of cooking.

The first patent for an induction cooker was filed in 1900, but the idea was never fully realized until Frigidaire created a prototype for a traveling road show showcasing the kitchen of the future. The first real production induction cook-top was launched by Westinghouse in the 1970’s, but production ceased when the company was sold in 1975.

From here, development of induction cooking moved from the US to Europe where induction cooking was developed for the commercial market. Induction cooking was first introduced to the great kitchens of Europe’s leading hotels and restaurants as a way to reduce energy consumption and extreme temperatures, while at the same time allowing for the quick and safe preparation of food without the need for open flames and time consuming pre-heating of pots and pans.

Today, adapted for residential use, the magnetic induction cook-top uses electromagnetic energy to heat the cooking utensil itself. When the unit is turned on, the induction coils produce a high frequency, alternating magnetic field, much like a radio wave, which flows through the cookware quickly and evenly, stimulating the iron molecules in the cookware to move back and forth rapidly, causing the molecules to collide, thus creating friction, which in turn creates heat to cook. Unlike traditional cooking surfaces that heat up and stay hot long after the meal has been prepared, the black glass-ceramic surface of the Induction-Top stays cool to the touch as it is unaffected by the magnetic field.

As with any new technology, the question of health and safety always comes up in regard to the effect that magnetic induction has on the human body. The answer is simple…none! The energy transmitted from a magnetic induction cook top is not considered a safety hazard according to most scientists and engineers. The radiofrequency radiation that is transmitted from an induction cook-top is less than those encountered during every day interaction with common household appliances.

The magnetic fields that are created during use are safer than electric fields. Electric fields interact with the water in a person’s body, which magnetic fields do not do. The reason is simple; the water molecule is a polar molecule with an electrically positive end and an electrically negative end. A water molecule within an electric field will tend to align with the field and when the field is oscillated, the water molecule will oscillate as well. This is how a microwave oven pops popcorn. Magnetic fields, on the other hand, go relatively unnoticed by water molecules or any other molecule in a body. So not only is induction cooking the most energy efficient form of cooking, I would have to say that it is the safest as well

In closing, magnetic induction cooking is safe to use, easy to clean, quick to heat up as well as to cool down and most important, and energy efficient. It would be safe to say that in any other culture this technology would be mistaken for magic.

"Nothing is too wonderful to be true."
Michael Faraday 1831

The Benefits of Induction Cooking:
• Because energy is directly transferred within the pan, induction cooking is extremely fast …even faster than gas.

• Induction is much safer than gas or other electric cooking surfaces since there is no open flame, red-hot coil or other radiant heat source to burn or scorch if left unattended. No contact…No heat.

• With no grates or grease catch to worry about, clean up is a breeze. Just use a damp cloth and wipe over the easy-to-clean surface.

• Almost no ambient heat is produced since all the heat is being generated in the pan itself. This means a much cooler kitchen to work within.

• Induction cooking is far more energy efficient than gas or traditional electric cooking. The induction Cook-Top delivers 90% of the energy that it uses to the pan! Gas on the other hand delivers only 55% to the pan and traditional electric about 65%. In addition, when you remove the vessel from the induction-cooking surface, the cooktop immediately goes into standby mode, which uses almost no energy whatsoever.

• Unlike a gas burner or electrical stove, the induction cooktop is incapable of producing heat on its own; only until a pan is placed on top of it does it generate a magnetic field that excites the magnetic molecules in the pan which creates Instant, precise and very controllable heat.

Resources:

IS IT EVER WRONG TO DO THE RIGHT THING?

2010-04-22T08:04:00.000-07:00

Almost thirty-five years ago, while still living a post-hippie lifestyle, I attended my first Earth Day in Los Angeles. I was working at one of the first 24 hour gas stations in California, where gas was 25 cents a gallon. A couple of bucks would fill the tank of my, mint condition, 1955 VW Bug, almost to the brim.

I was invited to attend the day in the park by a young woman who wrote for an ecological magazine, a “commie rag”, as my father would say. She would come in late at night to get gas and we would talk about movies, politics and the world around us. Her passion and main train of thought was about the environment and her involvement in the upcoming Earth Day festival. At the time, Earth Day had the overtones of a “love-in” of the sixties with music and speeches, but instead of the war in Vietnam, the direction had shifted to the environment.

The focus of Earth Day in 1974 was about the quality of our air and water as well as the use of pesticides in farming and toxic waste being dumped in the ocean. And on that sunny spring Saturday in the park, with the sun shining down, out of a clear blue sky, global warming or the thought of climate change was far from the minds of this eclectic group of people, holding hands and singing along with Joni Mitchell’s, 70’s hit and anthem of the fledgling environmentalist movement, Big Yellow Taxi, one of the most prophetic songs ever to be written.

During the day’s event of music and speeches, my friend invited me to the podium to say a few words during an open “mic” period in between sets. I remember my stomach feeling like it was tied in a knot, as I had never spoken in front of a large group before. A light breeze blew through my shoulder length hair and I can still feel the way the sun played upon my face. I don’t remember much of what I said that day, a blessing of time I think, other than these few words, “the future is deeply rooted in the actions we take today”, and from that moment forward I become an environmentalist.

Now, forty years after the start of Earth Day, the movement is under attack from all sides, challenging and dismissing years of recorded data, attacking the credibility of thought-leaders, scientists and engineers, but the worst part is that the confidence of the American consumer has been shaken and they have begun to question an idea that had touched their lives. Simple things like recycling their trash or driving a fuel efficient car or purchasing energy star appliances or changing out every light bulb in the house for compact-florescence ones, began feel silly as if they were the butt of a secret joke.

It all became very clear for me one evening as I sat at the kitchen table, helping my 7 year old son with his Earth Science home work, when he asked me “what if all these things we do around the house, don’t change anything?” POW!...right between the eyes by one of my own. It was like being asked if I believed in GOD. I sat dumbfounded for a minute or two and looking him straight in the eyes I said…”is it ever wrong to do the right thing?

I explained to him that we, as individuals can make a difference, by the choices we make and the actions we take, we can make a lasting impact on the world around us. So, yes…the things we do around the house to lower our carbon-footprint, like taking shorter showers or changing out light bulbs or compositing or bring our own bags to the market…do make a difference.

So even if climate change or global warming were not an issue, I ask, is it wrong to reduce our dependence on foreign oil and seek alternative energy resource? Is it wrong to want a more energy efficient automobiles or home appliances? Is it wrong to conserve and protect our limited natural resources? Is it wrong to want to make a difference in the world around us? No, it is not wrong to want and expect these things, but we have to take action and we cannot wait for the government or a group or committee for the answers, we, as individuals, hold the power to make a difference and by the choices we make and the actions we take, we can alter the course of life on this planet, now and for generations to come.

SO COOL….WELL…IT’S COOL

2010-01-14T00:42:00.000-08:00

Just as we were getting our heads around the concept of cooking without heat and the wonders of magnetic induction, Whirlpool Europe announced today that they are developing a household refrigerator based on magnetic refrigeration technology.

The principle behind magnetic refrigeration is based upon the discovery that certain metals, when exposed to a magnetic field, exhibit a temperature change. When the magnetic field is terminated, the metal will cool to a point below their original temperature. This technology when fully developed could replace vapor-compression refrigeration.

The average American kitchen is responsible for nearly 40% of all household energy consumption and that the family refrigerator consumes nearly 30% on its own. This technology would prove to be highly efficient and would have far reaching design implications for future machines as interior space would be freed up with the removal of cooling coils and compressors.

Preliminary tests have been so promising that Whirlpool has decided to create a proto-type to be displayed for public viewing during the 2012 London Olympics.

FOR THE LOVE OF COOKING

2009-12-08T19:22:00.000-08:00

I love to cook. Actually I enjoy the process of cooking, the preparation, selecting the ingredients, laying out my tools, cooking my meal and then to finally serve it to my family and guests. As with most chefs, professional or amateur, I nibble my way throughout the undertaking and have little room to actually sit and eat with my guests, but to sit and talk, to eat and drink and just commune with one another is its own reward.

I am glad to say that there has been a renascence in kitchen design over the last few years, maybe it’s because of the current economic times we live in and people are staying home more and eating meals around the family table has once more taken center stage. What has changed, or maybe a better word would be, evolved, has been the democratization of the family kitchen. This once private domain of the feminine world has now given way to a new social order that reflects the world that we live in. Everyone is welcomed, if not expected to participate in the ritual of preparation.

And with this increased activity and additional bodies in a high-traffic ballet of fire, boiling water and sharp pointy things…we find that the assembly-line kitchen of the past, with its uniform horizon of sink, dishwasher, cook-top, oven and refrigerator, forever locked in its limited one-person “work-triangle”, must now give way to a new way of thinking.

Appliances once dictated the form and flow of the kitchen, today they have all been replaced by the individual or individuals and the task and then the appliances and the space needed to fulfill the task. With a variety of people and activities in this enclosed environment, we must create a fluid, interactive, multifunctional arena, where tools and materials are close at hand and within a given task boundary.

Much like selling toilet paper, the primary use of the product is seldom addressed. The same has gone for modern kitchen design. Over the past several years, the collective thought of modern kitchen design was to create the “illusion of order”. This was accomplished by hiding the true function of the kitchen. By hiding the food, the waste and the appliances, we create the illusion of productivity and efficiency by hiding the process.

With cooking returned to the primary function, the kitchen must be efficient to be productive, an environment conducive to the task at hand. To this end we have reached out to the commercial kitchen to better understand the true meaning of efficiency, a world that clearly defines the boundaries of form and function and where the poetry of chaos is the rule of order. The commercial kitchen is designed around a menagerie of players, each with a task or goal to fulfill, all working independently, all working to the same conclusion and all working in perfect harmony.

Next Week: Bringing the Commercial Kitchen Home

NEW COOK TOP DESIGN CROSSES THE LINE

2009-11-09T22:01:00.000-08:00

Every know and then something comes along that makes you stop in your tracks and makes you wonder how you lived so long with out this lovely thing.

A hot design trend in Europe for the past several years, inline cooking has finally arrived in the USA and those innovative folks at Kuppersbusch, the 135 year old German appliance company, the people who brought us the induction wok, catalytic convection ovens and the iconic honey-comb cook top, has now launched the first 42” inline cook top for residential use.

As one of the worlds largest manufacturer of restaurant cooking equipment, Küppersbusch often takes ideas and concepts developed in the commercial kitchen and incorporates them into the home. The inline cook top is one such concept.

In the chaotic atmosphere of a resturant kitchen, where a intricate ballet of boiling water, open flames, sharp pointy things and a cast of many, all moving about to create a meal, we find that safety and efficiency are still at the heart of this primal kitchen.

To avoid burning or scalding oneself and to keep from reaching over a pan to stir another, we find the burners of the inline cook top are aligned in a single horizontal row, all in easy reach and control of the chef. Now we find this simple, but brilliant idea, available for the American home.

The sexy black glass, 42”, inline cook top with black iron grates brings on a whole new meaning to having a “haute kitchen”.

MY LUNCH WITH ARNOLD

2009-10-11T21:16:00.000-07:00

I was invited to attend a luncheon last week with Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, former Prime Minister Tony Blair and Author of “The World is Hot, Crowded and Flat” Thomas Friedman. I have been involved with environmental issues for over 30 years, ever since my first Earth Day rally in 1974, but this event was on an entirely different plane than I have ever been associated with before.

I realized that the revolution had moved to a new level…it wasn’t about fighting the machine…this was the machine. The event was attended by Governors of other states, UN delegates, international media, scientists and engineers, non-profit organizations and corporate leaders…this wasn’t your tofu eating, long hair, Birkenstock wearing radicals…this was people from all walks of life, from around the world, multi-cultural, trans-generational and across all economic boundaries. All on the same page regarding Climate Change with no finger-wagging or blame assignment. They were there for one purpose…to find solutions to a problem of global proportions.

This luncheon was part of larger conference, the 2nd Annual Governors Conference on Climate Change, the Road to Copenhagen. A week of speeches, presentations and workshops all centered on Climate Change and what governments, organizations and corporations can do to be involved.

With all these powerful people, government bodies and organizations, the message I walked away with from my lunch with the Govenor was a simple one…”that it is the individual who holds the power to make a difference”…by the choices we make and the actions we take, we can alter the course of life on this planet, now and for generations to come.

The leaders wrapped up their three-day summit in Los Angeles by signing several declarations and statements, including pledging to pursue cleaner transportation alternatives, to work together to stop de-forestation and to contribute towards low-carbon development in developing nations.

I left the conference re-born with a new vigor as well as a new commitment towards the future. No matter what the talking heads on TV may say, it was clear that Climate Change is real and that a clear path on both a local as well as global level has been defined and that through our individual actions we can make a difference. I was quoted in 1974, while attending Earth Day as saying, “The future is deeply rooted in the actions we take today”, that challenge has never been truer, I only hope that we move a little faster than the 30 years that have brought us to this point today.

THE FUTURE AS IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN

2009-09-29T11:01:00.001-07:00

More than seventy years ago, the “Futurist” predicted that our world would be awash in jet-packs, flying-cars, moving sidewalks, personal robot helpers, mile-high cities, and let us not forget the ambiguous vacation on the Moon, or better yet on Mars.

Much like a feather on a string in front of a playful kitten, the kitchen of the future with all its time and labor saving gadgets and gizmo’s, has been dangled in front of the American consumer since the 1939 New York Worlds Fair, but for me the future become a reality one very hot summer day in 1960, while I stood in line at Disneyland to see the house that would change my life forever, the house of the future…the Monsanto House.

My first impression of the future, as an eight year old boy, was that it would be cool. Ice cold air-condition air blew on my skin as I walked in from a hot and sticky Anaheim heat wave. There was the future…laid out before me like a buffet. The embodiment of every science fiction movie, TV show, book, magazine and comic book I had ever seen, all before me in glorious molded plastic, and as expected, everything was white or chrome with accents of color, it would be easy to see my life in this home of tomorrow.

And the kitchen of this brave new world was laid out as if a medical laboratory. A shiny, gleaming, pristine environment where actual food and food preparation would be banned and we would pop “food-pills” and consume “radar-ranged” freeze-dried dinners, and our personal robot helper would clean up the dishes using no water in the sonic dishwasher and we would all talk to our friends and family on a Viz-A-Phone after dinner.

Thankfully many of these visions are still the stuff of science fiction. But as we wade knee-deep into the 21st century, we find that a few of Monsanto’s visions have survived and evolved. The ubiquitous microwave oven has evolved from the radar-range in to an everyday kitchen cornerstone. The magnetic induction cook-top with its heat-free cooking is right out of the Jetson’s and the integrated dishwasher, though not sonic I am sorry to say, is a standard feature in every American home.

So, where is the future I was promised, I had invested all that time in books and movies and I knew every nook and cranny and back road of the future and with great disappointment I woke one morning to the world as it was and lived out my days feeling a little bit cheated. But then something happened, the future caught up with me. I realized one day, not so long ago, that I am living in the future of my youth, but only without the official uniform of the future, the one-piece unitard.

I have my Bluetooth firmly lodged into my ear, I drive an electric car, I can watch TV as well as communicate instantaneously, around the world via email, IM or Twitter…all from my cell phone. I don’t have a personal robot assistant, but I do have to lift my legs every now and then with the RUMBA comes scooting along the floor. I knew for sure I was living in the future, as I sat on my sofa, watching live images streaming in from Mars, while eating micro-waved popcorn. Now, if I only had a jet-pack.

ONE SIZE FITS ALL...THE NEW KITCHEN MATRIX

2009-08-22T09:56:00.000-07:00

The 60cm x 60cm (24”x24”) oven size has long been a European standard for over 30 years. It was introduced in Germany in the mid-1960’s as a form of consumer protection.

This standardized oven size would allow consumers to replace their oven with newer models with new options, features and aesthetics, not on the size of the hole left by the old oven. The US appliance industry could learn a thing or two from their European cousins, as almost every US manufacturer builds their product to their on standard, forcing the American consumer to purchase a new oven from the same supplier or having to remodel the existing kitchen to allow for new appliances.

For the first time in nearly 30 years, a new size matrix of 60cm x 45cm (24”x18”) has been introduced into the US market by the Europeans. First launched in the form of a steam-convection oven and then as an integrated coffee machine. Now all cooking elements are available, including a convection oven, steam-convection oven, micro-convection oven as well as a coffee system and now, for the first time in the US, a fully integrated TV.

The new aesthetic opens up a whole new design opportunity for personalization, with the ability to introduce in line cooking as well as the opportunity to place cooking elements throughout the kitchen and living areas. With personalization at the forefront of modern kitchen design, we find that this new matrix offers the consumer the ability to mix and match appliances to reflect their individual cooking style. Though one size may not fit all...I am sure that it will find a much appreciated niche.

JUST HOW GREEN IS AN ALL GLASS KITCHEN?

2009-08-03T10:42:00.000-07:00

At a recent design show in Los Angeles this past June, I had the opportunity to see, firsthand, the highly touted sustainable all-glass kitchen from a very high profile Italian manufacturer. At first glance, it appeared to be the “holy grail” of environmental kitchen design. The doors, drawers, box, counter top and toe kick were all made of glass and it was this over use of glass that got me thinking, “Just how green is glass?” When we think of glass, the first thought that comes to mind is its ability to be recycled and reused over and over again, but more often than not, the creation process is often overlooked.

When seeing this all glass kitchen for the first time, the thought of fingerprints and chipped edges come to mind long before the impact that the creation process of glass has on the environment. It is understood and appreciated by the populous at large, that glass, in most cases, is 100% recyclable and can be used in the process to create new glass, but in recent years, several environmental organizations as well as government agencies, are beginning to take a closer look at how glass is created.

The formula and process to create glass has changed very little over the centuries. Sand, soda ash, limestone, dolomite and feldspar are mixed together and then baked in a blast furnace. This process of bonding and melting can play out over several hours or even days before the glass even begins to cool. The intense heat required to manufacturer glass, 2,750°F takes a tremendous amount of energy consumption, resulting in enormous greenhouse gas emissions. It has been calculated that producing 1 ton of glass will create 2 tons of CO2. The manufacturing of glass releases high doses of health threatening pollution into the atmosphere, like nitrogen oxide, sulfur dioxide, as well as toxic particulates made of metals, chemicals, acids and dust, small enough to easily enter the nose and throat and reach the lungs.

Mining for sand, the primary ingredient of glass, is a practice that is becoming an ecological nightmare as the demand for glass increases on a global scale. And if that wasn’t enough to put you off an all glass kitchen, the shear weight of glass, especially when used in this application, would leave an immense carbon-foot print when transporting from Europe to the United States.

So we must ask ourselves, just how “green” is an all glass kitchen? As discussed in the beginning, the beauty of glass is its ability to be recycled over and over again. Its fatal flaw is the cost to the environment in its primary production.

EXPLORING THE BOUNDARIES BETWEEN SPACE AND FUNCTIONALITY

2009-07-27T19:33:00.000-07:00

With space at a premium, imagine a kitchen without boundaries or barriers, an environment free from conventional thought and restrictions, a kitchen created to reflect the needs and life style of the modern homeowner. The new "kitchen matrix" allows for maximum usage of space with the focus on utilization and optimization of the interiors and exposed work areas, allowing the homeowner, apartment dweller or loft inhabitant to maximize the usage of the space at hand. Like the Roman God Janas, who could see the past and future at the same time, the modern kitchen is centered on the duality of purpose and space.

The new approch to kitchen design is to challenge the way we look at space to better understand the problem. As designers, we must move away from a one-dimensional approach to kitchen design and began to think of the kitchen as a multi-dimensional canvas. The static, cluttered, restricted and unchanging kitchen of the past must now evolve into a living stage, a place where it is possible to create an environment that alters old beliefs about space and structure and infuse new concepts that reflect the needs of today’s modern homeowner.

Today’s kitchen has grown far from its primary function of food preparation to that of “the social center of the home”. In the modern kitchen, the family, both nuclear as well as tribal, still gathers to share, rejuvenate and commune together, but the walls have come down and this once hidden and secluded place is now part of a larger social arena. It serves as a meeting place, a dinning room, a home-office, a place to do homework; it can even serve as a hide away for quite reflection, as well as a place to gather for family fun and social entertaining.

The modern kitchen, in its new domestic role, finds itself reflecting a family lifestyle based on the sharing of traditional roles and functions. The living area embraces the kitchen as a multifunctional arena, were food is prepared, people talk, homework is finished and where family and friends sit by a modern hearth to bath in the warmth of community. Todays kitchen is open to the rest of the home, and as such, the kitchen now must function on several levels, from food preparation to social interaction, from entertainment center to living-room. More furniture, than cupboards, the modern kitchen must blend seamlessly into the living areas of the home, successfully achieving the delicate balance between form and function.

Green with Envy...A Case Studio in Green

2009-07-07T21:02:00.000-07:00

I am often asked “What makes a green kitchen green?”…is it the cabinetry? The counter-tops? What about appliances? Well…it is a little bit of everything…re-newable and recycled materials as well as energy efficient appliances are the foundation to a green kitchen.

Nestled in the sun-drenched hills below the fabled Hollywood sign sits a group of homes built in the 1920’s and 30’s for the “who’s who” of then Hollywood royalty. We were invited by Richard Byrd of BYRD Eco-Luxury Development to be apart of a spectacular renovation of a classic, 1929, Spanish Revival home that had been gutted to the core and was in the process of being dragged, kicking and screaming into the 21st Century.

The house, in itself, was a perfect example of green-retrofitting, strategically placed solar-panels, water reclamation, recycled site materials, energy efficient heating and air-conditioning to driveway pavers that absorbed 80% of rainwater. All in all, one very amazing home.

The kitchen was to be the focal point of the project as many of the eco-centric details were hidden from the eye…so the kitchen was to be a working example of everyday green living. The kitchen was open to the rest of the home and as such needed to function on several levels, from food preparation to social interaction, while blending seamlessly into the living and family areas of the home. The challenge was to successfully achieve a delicate balance between form and function.

After much thought and consideration, the cool, clean lines and the warm, rich sexy textures of the Bazzèo CERES collection was selected for its almost “Zen” like qualities. The clean and simple lines of the CERES, seamlessly interacted with the Spanish pavers and Moorish details throughout the house.

The foundation of our kitchen was a NAUF (no-added urea-formaldehyde) cabinet box, in combination with doors and drawer fronts produced from an eco-sensitive core material made from compressed wheatgrass. The doors were then covered with a reconstituted oak veneer and then finished in a Chocolate Brown, non-toxic, water-based stain.

At the heart of our green kitchen was the Energy Star rated appliances. In the average American, the kitchen is responsible for nearly 40% of all household energy consumption. Within these kitchen walls, the family refrigerator consumes over 40% of the usage for this room alone. We selected two, 24” integrated models from Liebherr for their efficient energy usage and their seamless integration into the cabinetry. For the remainder of the appliances we selected two FAGOR convection ovens, a water sensitive FAGOR Dishwasher, The center piece for our kitchen was a magnetic induction cook-top. Compared to a traditional gas or electric cooking surface, induction uses a 10th of the energy to heat a pot or pan without generating heat on the surface of the cook top.

Shortly after the completion of the home, it was announced the United States Green Buliding COuncil (USGBC) had bestowed the First Platinum LEED certificate for a site-built home in California. We took great pride in knowing that we had contributed our fair share to the total points required.

GREEN FEATURES:

EPP Certified Recycled Furniture Board Carcase
no added urea-formaldehyde
100% recycled and/or recovered wood fiber
Reconstituted Veneer over a ¾” Micro-Stand Wheat Board Substrate
All raw materials are toxic free, renewable and exceed all USGBC standards.
Manufacturing waste and cuttings are recycled or reused.
Non-Toxic, Water Based Lacquer Finishes
All natural wood finishes and veneers are from certified renewable resources.
Made in the USA
EnergyStar Refrigerator
Magnetic Induction Cook-Top
Water Sensitive Dishwasher
Convection Ovens

The Chefs Secret...Cooking with Steam

2009-07-05T22:23:00.000-07:00

Great chefs…like great magicians, have always had their little secrets that make an ordinary meal magical. Küppersbusch, one of the world’s largest and oldest manufacture of commercial restaurant equipment, now makes one of those little secrets available to the home owner. The secret to a great meal is the right amount of dry heat with just the right mixture of moisture and with the Integrated Steam Oven their secret is now yours.

For centuries, the ancient Chinese used reed or bamboo baskets to steam cook their meals. They understood the power of steam to keep food crisp, while at the same time releasing the natural flavor without losing nutrients. Just like you find in any fine restaurant, a residential steam oven allows you to cook meat and vegetables without losing moisture, nutrients and flavor.

Today the Integrated Steam Oven, combines the advantages of a steam oven and a convection oven in a single appliance. This ingenious dual-function oven combines the dry heat of a convection oven with non-pressurized steam in just the right calculated balance. Combining hot air and steam injection allows for all kinds of cooking opportunities from defrosting to steaming to baking to browning, from the perfect roast to the flakiest pie crust to crisp vegetables.

The Integrated Steam Oven offers a host of benefits including faster cooking times as well as optimum retention of vitamins, nutrients, flavor, color and texture. With steam cooking, food absorbs only the moisture it requires – which means never over cooking. Food prepared in the Integrated Steam Oven will prove to be healthier for you as you will not need to add oils or fats to keep food from drying out in the cooking process.

Here are a few models to check out for yourself:

Gaggenau BS 270/271

Küppersbusch EKDG 6800.0M

Miele DG 4082

2009-07-03T23:21:00.000-07:00

Radiant vs Convection

One of the most common questions asked during my speaking engagements is “What is the primary difference between a traditional radiant oven and a convection oven”. Besides the simple benefit of energy savings due to triple pane glass, advanced insulation and faster cooking times…the fundamental difference between a regular oven and a convection oven is airflow…convection has it and radiant does not.

At the core of all oven technology is the ability to generate heat. The heat generated in a traditional radiant oven is that it is “static” or simply put…it does not move, while the air in a convection oven is in constant movement with the aid of a fan. This air movement ensures that the temperature is equal throughout the oven cavity, so foods are cooked evenly, regardless of position in the oven.

"In a radiant oven, the temperature can differ from one area to another within the oven cavity, but with a convection oven, the fan distributes the air evenly throughout the oven, ensuring a consistent distribution of heat. In a traditional radiant oven, hot spots may acquire and food will dry-out, while food prepared within a convection oven will be browner, crisper and, in many cases, moister.

The Advantages of convection Cooking. ·

Faster Cooking -- As the air is virtually static in a radiant oven, it takes a while for the heated air to warm the layer of cold air that surrounds food. In a convection oven, the fan in the back of the oven circulates the air up to 90 times a minute before expelling, so the entire oven heats quicker, cutting cooking times by up to 25 percent. ·

Multi-Layer Cooking – With convection, it is like having several ovens in one as you can prepare several items on different levels all cooking at the same time without flavor transfer. For example, with convection you could bake four or five levels on cookies all cooking evenly at the same time. By contrast, cookies baked on several levels in a radiant oven need constant attention to avoid uneven cooking and burning. oven, ·

The Plus Side – When using a convection oven you will notice that breads, rolls and cookies will be browner on the outside and lighter and softer on the inside. In addition, when cooking on multiple levels, like baked chicken on one rack and roasted garlic potatoes on another, both items will cook evenly.

Convection Cooking Tips: ·

Convection Ovens heat up faster than Radiant, so need for pre-heating. ·

Convection Ovens cook 25% faster than radiant ovens. So adjust your recipes and cooking times accordingly. When roasting meats, don't change the temperature, simply cut the cooking time by about 25 percent. ·

When roasting turkey or chicken, use a low sided pan with rack. This allows for complete circulation. With convection, no basting is necessary as the hot hour seals the bird and keeps the bird moist. ·

Do not cover or use cooking bags as this negates the benefits of convection cooking.

Check Out these Resources:

Dave. Your coffee is ready. Dave?

2009-04-17T10:50:00.000-07:00

THE CONNECTED KITCHEN
“Good morning Kevin” comes a disembodied voice similar to HAL, the self awarded computer from 2001. “You're up early today…did you sleep well?” “Just fine Kitchen” I respond “I have an early morning meeting at the office…so I’m in a hurry”. “Coffee or Cappuccino?” comes the voice…”Coffee please” says I…”Cereal or eggs?” asks the Kitchen. “Just toast this morning” I answer…”CNN or Sponge Bob” as the screen on the refrigerator comes to life…and so my day begins. Science Fiction? No, just a glimpse of things to come.

Fugoo, in partership with Microsoft has developed a new applications platform for the development of a new generation of neo-diginet (digital Internet) devices. These new devices will deliver rich information and content to "anyware" and "everyware" in the home. A myriad of different styles and form factors will be available to personalize your experience from the comfort of your kitchen. This groundbreaking application will allow appliance and kitchen designers to easily create new products that are "smart" as well as internet enabled.

Just imagine for a moment in the not so distant future when your Fugoo enabled home will permit your dishwasher to call you at work to let you know that it has sprang a leak…but not to worry, it has already informed the service company and they will be out between 9 and 12 on Tuesday.

Or maybe you are caught in rush-hour traffic and you will be 30 minutes late…so you call your oven from your cell phone to recalibrate the cooking time on your roast to be ready at 8:30. Even better your oven will be able to connect with the manufacturer to self-diagnose it-self as well as down-load new recipes and cooking instruction

With this new networking application your refrigerator will be able to take inventory of itself and has placed an order for all pre-programmed items to be replenished automatically with an online grocery service. It has also ordered a few additional items that will be needed for tonight’s dinner party. It may even make a few suggestions for wine.Networked appliances will be the next big thing to hit your kitchen…with “Fugoo” technology slowly creeping into all of our home electronics…it will be just a matter of time before the kitchen, once again becomes the central core of family life.
Appliances that think and plan-out menus, re-order and re-stock are already on the assembly lines. The next wave of microwaves will have a scanner to read the package of chili or popcorn and then preset itself for operation.

The family calendar on the refrigerator will update everyone’s calendar, from Mom’s computer at work to sis’s cell phone. It will be able to download and update brother’s ipod with all of his favorites and Dad can check on the solar collectors on the roof as well as the energy consumption for the entire house…he will even be able to turn off lights from his cell. It will keep everyone informed with all of the days events and activities, including soccer practice and dental appointments…It will even remind Grandma to take her pills and Grandpa that he has a 6:30 Tee-Time.

As for the other appliances…as they are connected to the internet…they will received electronic up-grades and they can self diagnose problems and download cures. One day your kitchen will read your personal electro-magnetic field when you enter the kitchen and begin to brew your favorite beverage and up-date your portfolio, all while you wait for your bagel to be toasted.

Eventually the kitchen itself will become one huge, connected appliance that reads your lifestyle patterns, anticipates your needs for food, lighting, entertainment, and cleanup, and performs functions automatically -- all without an explicit human command.Whether this kitchen comes to pass, the modern kitchen will continue to be the heart, if not the hub, of the modern home, an essential element in our daily lives that touches and affects us both physically and emotionally, a place where we seek communion, rejuvenation, and sanctuary. Of all the items we will choose for our home, today’s kitchen will provide us with a unique outlet for creation and self-expression.