All these beautiful, functional kitchens, I am jealous.
Thoughts on the work triangle idea
- Thread starter Rocklobster
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If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
bakechef
Executive Chef
Today I learned that I need a peninsula to keep people out of the kitchen...
RPCookin
Executive Chef
Having an island like the one in my photo above will do the trick too. with chars on the outside of the island, plus having the kitchen/dining/living room all on one great room means that you are never out the group. I can be sitting here at my computer desk and still be in the discussion in the kitchen. It's compact living without feeling cramped (we have some 1400 square feet of deck wrapped around the great room).
Mom had slate floors in her kitchen and one day she grabbed a piece of chalk and drew a line on the floor announcing, "NO kids or cats beyond this line, when I'm fixing dinner!" It was funny to watch the cats get up to the line and then lean over so far to watch her. Pupdog (a cat not a kid) actually fell over the line, you never saw a cat jump up and run so fast.
Addie
Chef Extraordinaire
Here in Boston when you are looking at ads for an apartment, the big seller is EIK. Eat In Kitchen. That means it is big enough to put a table and chairs in it and still have room to work. Until I moved into an efficiency apartment, I always had an EIK. It was the place where the whole family got together at meal time. And it was where my second husband proposed to me while he watched me cooking supper. So whether you have an island or EIK, it still is the center of family living.
It was where I and my first husband taught our kids to become great cooks. Every night one of my kids was in the kitchen with me sitting at the table peeling veggies, breading fish or other meat, etc. When they became old enough, they stood at the stove turning the meat or eggs, bacon, and watching other foods. My youngest daughter loved to sit at the table and read my husband's copy of the JOC, original first edition.
There was no radio or TV in my kitchen, ever. Family sounds were all you were ever going to hear.
It was where I and my first husband taught our kids to become great cooks. Every night one of my kids was in the kitchen with me sitting at the table peeling veggies, breading fish or other meat, etc. When they became old enough, they stood at the stove turning the meat or eggs, bacon, and watching other foods. My youngest daughter loved to sit at the table and read my husband's copy of the JOC, original first edition.
There was no radio or TV in my kitchen, ever. Family sounds were all you were ever going to hear.
Andy M.
Certified Pretend Chef
Crime scene tape works too.
Dawgluver
Chef Extraordinaire
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Electric fence and a stun gun too.
GotGarlic
Chef Extraordinaire
A great idea! I have trouble keeping folks out of the way as well but have found that having an open wine bottle on the other side of the island and a few glasses, helps
Steve Kroll
Wine Guy
Unfortunately that doesn't work. I have a peninsula and people still seem to want to congregate in my kitchen work area.
I start off by throwing out passive-aggressive hints, like "Excuse me, can I get around you?" When all else fails, I've found that the best way to handle it is to say in a loud and clear voice, "I need people to clear out of the kitchen.... NOW PLEASE".
It's not subtle, but I guarantee it's effective.
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Dawgluver
Chef Extraordinaire
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Unfortunately that doesn't work. I have a peninsula and people still seem to want to congregate in my kitchen work area.
I start off by throwing out hints, like "Excuse me, can I get around you?" When all else fails, I've found that the best way to handle it is to say in a loud and clear voice, "I need people to clear out of the kitchen.... NOW PLEASE".
It's not subtle, but I guarantee it's effective.
I take it you haven't tried Andy's or my suggestions.
Andy M.
Certified Pretend Chef
...I start off by throwing out passive-aggressive hints, like "Excuse me, can I get around you?" When all else fails, I've found that the best way to handle it is to say in a loud and clear voice, "I need people to clear out of the kitchen.... NOW PLEASE".
It's not subtle, but I guarantee it's effective.
I guess we have more passive friends and family than you. On Easter, my younger daughter came into the kitchen when I started browning the angel hair pasta in brown butter for the pilaf. She said she loved the smell and just stood by the stove for a bit and chatted with me then retreated to the far side of the peninsula to keep me company along with my older daughter.
Non-family guests tend to stay where we put them. Usually at the table in the dining area or on the far side of the peninsula with a glass of wine.
GotGarlic
Chef Extraordinaire
Unfortunately that doesn't work. I have a peninsula and people still seem to want to congregate in my kitchen work area.
I start off by throwing out passive-aggressive hints, like "Excuse me, can I get around you?" When all else fails, I've found that the best way to handle it is to say in a loud and clear voice, "I need people to clear out of the kitchen.... NOW PLEASE".
It's not subtle, but I guarantee it's effective.
If people stray into my work area, I hold up my knife and say, "I'm used to working alone in here and tend to walk around with it in my hand. You'd be safer over THERE!"
Works for me!
If people stray into my work area, I hold up my knife and say, "I'm used to working alone in here and tend to walk around with it in my hand. You'd be safer over THERE!"
Works for me!
I like it.
bethzaring
Master Chef
If people stray into my work area, I hold up my knife and say, "I'm used to working alone in here and tend to walk around with it in my hand. You'd be safer over THERE!"
Works for me!
LOL, is this more friendly than an electric fence and a cattle prod
?
GotGarlic
Chef Extraordinaire
LOL, is this more friendly than an electric fence and a cattle prod
What, I'm smiling when I say it!
LOL!!!
I am very passive-agressive, I hand over the utensil I am using to the person crowding me, leave the kitchen and go watch TV.
I am very passive-agressive, I hand over the utensil I am using to the person crowding me, leave the kitchen and go watch TV.
bakechef
Executive Chef
Lots of great ideas, thinking the electric fence is a good idea...
Maybe a more elegant solution would be an invisible fence system, I could just fit guests with a collar when they enter, they'll look silly but I won't have an unsightly fence blocking my kitchen doors.
Maybe a more elegant solution would be an invisible fence system, I could just fit guests with a collar when they enter, they'll look silly but I won't have an unsightly fence blocking my kitchen doors.
Dawgluver
Chef Extraordinaire
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Yes! They make some very elegant collars nowadays.
Andy M.
Certified Pretend Chef
Nothing like a little electric shock therapy to keep unruly guests in line. IT'll be fun to see how quickly they make the connection between the shock and going into the kitchen. It'll be easy to identify the slow learners.
