Don't Sterotype Kitchens or the Cook

You can’t stereo type people any more, especially when it comes to kitchens, and who the primary cook is. The kitchen isn’t just for women, and the garage isn’t just for men. For years & years now we’ve seen most men actively involved in the kitchen design process as well as being the primary cook. I have a number of close friends and neighbors where the “man of the house” is the primary grocery shopper and the primary cook, especially when it comes to cooking gourmet meals.

I on the other hand, to a certain degree, am the old stereotype. But I have a good reason. I have a wife who runs the majority of her business out of our home so she has time at the end of her day to start dinner. While I on the other hand, am sitting in traffic on the way home to Forest Lake from Minneapolis. The truth is my wife has always been the primary gourmet cook in our family. My wife’s mother was a caterer, so cooking has always been in her blood. Her mother also instilled in her that the food is one thing, but, “it’s all about the presentation.” So our family dinners are rarely served on a paper plate, or in front of the TV.

But like some men who serve as the chef’s assistant or secondary cook, I have some specialty meals that are my signature pieces as well as being the grill master. I cook a mean Cornish Game Hen, and my signature omelets and my Cajun Breakfast are legendary in my family!

While I may have a few signatures meals, my wife on the other hand has not served the same meal twice – or so it seems. I’m exaggerating to some degree, of course, but she’s always looking for ways to improve a main entre or the side dishes. She’s her worst critic.

When we remodeled our kitchen my wife, had a list of wants and needs, including high BTU gas burners, that also incorporate a low simmer setting, a larger than standard refrigerator, and large drawers for her Dutch oven and other favorite cookware.

Though our kitchen is small, it now functions perfectly for our style of cooking and entertaining. A raised snack bar, which wraps around one of the large work counters, is a perfect spot for family or guests to sit while the cook (yes, primarily my wife) puts the finishing touches on the meal or the last appetizer. The large work counter on the other side of the snack bar is also the perfect spot for me to set up the bar and act as bartender for party guests sitting at the raised snack bar.

So, if you’re remodeling or redesigning your kitchen, make sure you get input from everyone in your family. Don’t stereotype your own family members. They may have a good idea to share. Oh and by the way. Since our kitchen is so small, many bulky kitchen items are stored in cabinets in “MY” garage. Sorry, she never cleans it, so it’s mine. And yes, I do clean the kitchen, and I do clean the dishes. So it’s “OUR” kitchen!

And don’t forget. Just because your kitchen is small, doesn’t mean you can’t turn out some great meals! Click on the links above for some recipes that may help.