“People who love to eat are always the best people,” that was what American chef, author and TV personality, Julia Child, used to say. If you love cooking, then you should know who she is. When it comes to kitchens, Julia is a known expert and one who has much experience in. So, if she gives tips on arranging your kitchen, you are sure that the American French Chef will not frustrate. Here are some kitchen layout designs to try in your own kitchen from “In Julia’s Kitchen: Practical and Convivial Kitchen Design Inspired by Julia Child.”

Tip #1: In the kitchen, make the table the center of gravity.

Placing a table in the middle of the kitchen, automatically makes that particular table a supplementary work area. It is one of the most practical things to do if your kitchen is always busy. Although modern kitchens would have barstools, a functional kitchen will use comfortable chairs to sit on in order to work well. This same table will provide the setting for the hundreds of meals you would prepare for your family and friends.

Tip #2: Have your kitchen’s Batterie de Cuisine arranged on a pegboard.

Put simply, “batterie de cuisine” is French for “kitchen artillery.” Having these on display in your kitchen, whether on the walls, racks, or shelves, makes your kitchen most striking just like Julia Child’s kitchen. She had the metal cooking implements, gleaming copper pans, strainers, ladles, pans, and strainers arrayed and cleaned out weekly. These become decorative and also makes it easy for home cooks to find everything they need at arm’s length.

Tip #3: Prefer the restaurant-style gas range.

Julia particular liked this type of stove because it was easy to clean and also had a salamander for quick boiling. Such a stove was one of her favorite pieces of kitchen equipment. Although these types of restaurant ranges are not recommended because some features are deemed unsafe, there are other companies who make commercial-style ranges that are safe for home use.

Tip #4: Make the main kitchen countertops butcher-block counters.

Why? Simply because in the kitchen, you will do a lot of chopping and cutting. Butcher-block countertops are made from cuts of wood which are glued together into thick slabs that provide a stable and sturdy work surface. This can be used as a cutting board, tabletop, or counter. They age gracefully over time if well maintained.

Tip #5: Consider having more than one pantry.

Julia Child had more than one pantry, she had three to be exact. One was found near the kitchen entrance with large pots and other things she didn’t use much. The other two pantries linked the kitchen to her dining room. She had one pantry for pastry which was made of marble for rolling out pastry dough. Here, you would find various baking trinkets: dough cutters, flour sifters, rolling pins, a scale, a food processor, and others. The third pantry was used as storage for dish and glassware. The glassware pantry had a sink to serve cocktails and wine. The Child’s loved their wine, so they had their own wine cellar in the basement.

One other thing about Julia Child’s kitchen that we don’t talk about much anymore is the “work triangle.” This is pretty much the work zone in the kitchen that links the sink, stove, and refrigerator. This concept began in the 1940s and was the standard in kitchen design. Ideally, each side of this imaginary triangle should only be between four to nine feet long. But of course, at the end of the day, when it comes to kitchens, the arrangement should be more particular with functionality and efficiency.
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