What makes a well-appointed kitchen?
We’ve heard from some of the best interior designers in Westerville about what makes a cooking space functional, but what does a professional chef think? Olivia Lewis, owner of Westerville’s Contagious Kitchen, spoke with us about her ideal kitchen.
Westerville Magazine: What’s your favorite part of your own kitchen?
Olivia Lewis: The giant window in thecorner of my medium-size kitchen. It allows natural light and air in and elevates my cooking experience.
WM: Kitchen islands or no kitchen islands?
OL: I love kitchen islands – the more space the better. I love how I can come at it from all sides when I’m running around the kitchen. I also love islands because of their storage space and flexibility to be able to move around if needed. In our home,we often pull up bar stools to our kitchen island and just eat right there!
WM: What are some fun ways to personalize and decorate your kitchen?
OL: Color! Our brand color is yellow, so as you can imagine, nearly all my tools are yellow. I like a white kitchen so everything else pops! I like to keep most of my tools hidden away rather than on the counter so I have more space to work. Another tip is to have lots of plants around your kitchen. I like to have a plant on each side of my sink and to dry herbs for decoration.
WM: What are the essentials in any kitchen?
OL: A cast iron skillet and dutch oven go a long way. These are the only two that I use when it comes to frying, baking and sautéing. They elevate ANY recipe and will probably outlast you. Another favorite tool is a meat masher. I recently found one Amazon and it’s a phenomenal addition to my kitchen. I use it for crumbling ground beef, turkey or chicken and it’s the real deal.
WM: What kind of lighting do you prefer?
OL: Cooking with all your senses is important! You can’t just cook with your nose and ears. However, when I cook at night, I often dim the lights for a “mood” feel. But I love natural light during the day instead of harsh lights.
WM: What are your favorite colors you like to see in a kitchen design?OL: Yellow, of course! I also love wood, navy and whites.
WM: Which kitchen tools can be left out on the stove or countertop?
OL: Cast iron skillet, Dutch oven and cutting boards are the only tools I leave out. I do have all my spices on my counter as well on a spice rack with mason jars that contain all my dry goods.
“You can tell (what kind of a chef someone is) right off the bat by seeing the brands, their knife set and spices. That will tell you everything you need to know about a chef!”
WM: What kind of kitchen cabinets do you like?
OL: I love cabinets that open like french doors.
WM: What’s the most inter- esting kitchen organization tool you’ve seen?
OL: An over-the-sink-dish drying rack is not only aesthetically pleasing, but it’s so helpful. All the water goes back into the sink, it looks organized and clean, plus you look like a real expert!
WM: Can you tell what kind of chef someone is when you see his or her kitchen?
OL: Absolutely. All of the chefs that I work with have different styles of kitchens. You can tell (what kind of a chef someone is) right off the bat by seeing the brands, their knife setand spices. That will tell you everything you need to know about a chef!
Mallory Arnold is an editor. Feedback welcome at marnold@cityscnemediagroup.com.
