This post (by Jim) is a follow-up to Meredith’s ideal home kitchen design.
I loved Meredith’s recent article about how homes of the future will be designed without kitchens. I think the good news is that in the future it will be possible for people who don’t like to cook to thrive without ever cooking. It’s just that that will never be me, and probably, since you’re reading this, not you either.
Given the choice, I would cook 2 or three nights a week. (I’m at my restaurant 3 nights, and I go out to a restaurant at least one night a week). I love to cook. I loved the counter top in a previous home where people gathered to talk and watch and ask questions about cooking, life, etc., while I finished making dinner.
I think what I’m looking forward to in the future is the convenience of coming home to food delivered fresh from a local supplier, already waiting for me in my refrigerator. I look forward to not going to grocery stores. As a devoted home chef I ‘get’ meal kits but I would never use one. I don’t want anyone doing my prep for me; I enjoy that part as much as any other part of the process.
There are a lot of people like me. The term “foodie” doesn’t really describe us. We’re way more than that. If you want you can call me food obsessed, that’s probably accurate. I watch other stations, but only if there is just a baking show on FoodTV (I don’t bake because I hate following recipes) and if I’ve watched all of my favorite food series on Netflix. I love ingredients. I love preparation techniques. I have a love/hate relationship with kitchen gadgets. I read every Cooks Illustrated magazine cover to cover and try out many of the techniques and recipes described. I watched every episode of Good Eats, at least twice.
I’m lucky, because food isn’t just a hobby for me. As a restaurant owner I get to serve food to members of my community, literally every night. I work in the kitchen sometimes when we’re really slammed. That’s even better than cooking at home. The printer prints, we look at what has been ordered, assemble the recipe in our heads and cook, again and again, all night long. Under pressure. Can you imagine? I love cooking under pressure!
I think the great thing about the near-term future is that Meredith is going to have the choice to have a house where her kitchen is de-emphasized as a feature. She will be able to take-out, delivery, and even sometimes meal kit her way to 362 dinners per year. And I think another great thing about the future is that I’ll be able to cook, or order takeout or delivery, groceries or whatever I want, whenever and however I want and I’ll be like, “30 minutes? You’ve got to me kidding me that’s so 2018, get it here in 10!”
And I’ll still have that great, show kitchen with a hologram generator showing the series 17 of Chef’s Table at my beck and call.
Onward.
Jim | CEO | @onwardjim