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One of the less inspiring models was a narrow galley kitchen with granite counters over builder-grade cabinets with inexpensive appliances. It even had an old electric stove - but not old enough to be retro and cool.
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21 Comments on What Makes A Kitchen A “Gourmet Kitchen”?
Patricia,
In condos, it is usually all standard, so i would be surprised to know that they are gourmet kitchens, even the best of them. Maybe it still implies taht it is something with much higher or professinal grade equipment and something custom.
Just my 2 cents
Hi Pat !
This is a great qquestion as I have encountered a few recently that were FAR from gourmet kitchens, but advertised as such !
I think Jon may be right in terms of hi end appliances like Viking or Sub Zero, but I tend to envision open granite prep stations, and ambient lighting, along with well laid out cabinets made of quality wood.
Interesting though as there dont seem to be guidelines for what qualifies !
Cheers pat !
Sheldon :o)
Pat I know just what you mean, the word is over used. Gourmet should as you stated, be a well constructed kitchen with top of the line cabinetry and appliances and most of all funtional.
No way can the cooking stove be electric! 2 dishwasher drawers for sure and maybe 2 dishwashers. Throw in a wine chiller and soft-close cabinets, preferably gasketed. And make sure those knives are Henckels with 2 guys, not the cheap one-guy type. The list goes on and on.
You know what they say, "beauty is in the eye of the beholder!
Jen, I had a listing with one of those! It was a condo with a fabulous kitchen!
Jon, it's hard to get a real gourmet kitchen into most condos. Sometimes we'll see a loft that has one.
Sheldon, somehow, lots of agents think that all you need is granite and stainless, which is now almost dated.
Jennifer, and functional is so important!
Richard, I'm with you, except that I strongly prefer Global knives!
And Edward, I'm with you there!
Patricia - Gourmet seems to be running neck and neck with "Contemporary", "Cute" and "Cozy".
I like your post! way to get to the point!
It would be great to enjoy some sort of standard!
Pat,
Then, I guess, to make the package complete you need someone who can actually cook too.
Pat: Who decides whether a kitchen is a "gourmet" kitchen or not ? Obviously, the listing agent... LOL.
Gourmet -- Adjective (1) Kitchen has it all, but I'm feeling lazy (2) Kitchen has a cook that thinks she is all time (3) Kitchen is good enough I'm not embarassed to carry the listing (4) Kitchens bore me, I've never used one. I definitely don't know much about them.
Pat - I stopped using the word gourmet a while ago for the very reasons that you stated! It was OVERUSED and just really slapped on an description of a kitchen.
Around here it is the glamour bath LOL The phrase is not used sparingly or accurately!
I've noticed that gourmet has become the descriptive word of choice for kitchens. We use it for the granite, appliances & functionality. We have switched over to state-of-the-art for the dishwasher drawers or Viking range or features that just plain stand out.
I designed my own Gourmet Kitchen....I started with 42" Hickory cabinets with pull outs and drawers with slam proof devices and dividers, granite countertops are great for making pie crusts and certain doughs. Double wall ovens, 42" cooktop stove, microwave range hood, and a really good dishwasher, not to mention the island with all them amenities. I find if you can organize your kitchen gadgets and utilize the space right you will enjoy cooking a lot more.
Pat - as we all know it's all about marketing, and using the right words, whether accurate or not. I doubt it fools anyone but it still happens. And a gourmet kitchen will not necessarily make a gourmet out of the cook. Perhaps some advice from a real chef would clarify?
Jeff
Hey Pat, Interesting post. What does qualify a kitchen to be called gourmet. I guess it depends on who's looking at it. Some real food for thought, there...
Pat: I thought another criteria of a true gourmet kitchen was double ovens. I don't know where I heard that, but I'm sure that I picked it up somewhere along the way.
Top of the line appliances, double ovens, warming drawer, custom cabinetry (ie spice trolleys, platter storage, deep pan drawers, glass-faced cabinets, self-closing mechanisms, etc) and island with vegetable sink are some of the things that need to be in the kitchen before we market it as "gourmet". Slab granite counters is the standard, although we'll go with French limestone in a pinch ... as long as its seamless, "tiled" counters are out. I don't think we've ever called a galley kitchen gourmet because the prep space is non-existent in a galley model. "Cook's Kitchen" is used more frequently for spaces that don't quite have the "hardware and space" needed to call it a gourmet kitchen.
Anything with granite counters and stainless steel appliances in a $500K home makes it GOURMENT in Frisco TX.
Lisa, here "cute" and "cozy" mean really, really small!
Steven, so many of the kitchens I see would be totally wasted on me!
Karen Anne, du-uh! You hit it on the head!
Jim, you totally are missing so much! Kitchens are great fun to play in.
Leesa, maybe "cook's kitchen" but gourmet is overused!
Barb, I now have one of those! The rest of the house is kind of a wreck!
Susan, "state-of-the-art" is a good one!
April, oh my! I have kitchen envy!
Jeff, I have a listing with a kitchen designed and used by a professional foodie, and it has not a square inch of granite, but dang, it's functional! Once I walked in while they were filming a cooking show!
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