O level Notes : Food Technology Design - Kitchen - Kitchen organisation ,siting and positioning

Abrief background on the kitchen

The kitchen has throughout the centuries been the most adventurous and the heart and soul of every household. It has been regarded as the centre of social life. In the first primitive homes the kitchen served a purpose for the whole family. In the castles and mansions, the kitchen was the meeting place for all the house hold servants. In rural areas it was the largest and most important room where numerous activities were conducted.

Most kitchens by then were usually dominated by a fire place. The fire place was quite large and was made in a shape of an inglenook (therefore surrounded by a bench to seat on), on which several people could sit in warmth, comfort and shelter from the cold and dampness and this promoted family unity.

However, in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries kitchens were made so small that it was often impossible to fit some of the essential furniture. Although small kitchens still exist, large kitchens are now trending to accommodate the increased modern kitchen fittings and furnishings. Also on the rise are open kitchens, reflecting the concept of a kitchen as a centre of household activities.

Sites and positions of a kitchen

Sites and positions of a kitchen differ according to the type of homestead or industry. The kitchen is the focal point of every home therefore it must be located in such a way that it serves its` purpose efficiently. Aim to create a barrier free design and make the kitchen accessible to everyone. Generally, the following points are considered when siting a kitchen:

• Locate the kitchen near dining area for efficiency in serving meals.
• Akitchen must be located where it is possible have an outside door for ease of receiving deliveries and waste disposal.
• Akitchen must not be located under or above a toilet or bedroom in the case of a story building for hygienic purposes.
• Locate the kitchen in the south east corner of the house to prevent direct glaring light.
• For outside traditional kitchens hut (bikiro or umkhulu) they should be located near the main house to minimize movement.

Morden kitchen organisation

Kitchen organisation refers to how kitchen elements are arranged. Kitchen furnishings and fittings must be arranged in such a way that free and unhampered movement is possible, while at the same time minimising unnecessary movements. A well planned kitchen allows the smooth running of all kitchen activities. Although small kitchens are still available large, spacious and well equipped kitchens are common nowadays. Many women are now working fulltime jobs leading to the use of more labour-saving equipment to help them maintain a neat, clean house and prepare balanced and fresh meals with little labour after work. Commonly kitchens are characterized by the following features:

-     food storage facilities such as freezers, refrigerators, cupboards and food safes;

-    cooking areas for example; hobs, ovens, grills, gas burners;

-     sinks and washing up facilities such as dishwashers, washing machines, tumble dryers;

-    small equipment storage facilities.

The above-mentioned kitchen equipment should be positioned in a logical order so that they form a continuous working area.That will suit the sequence and stages of the main activities carried out in the kitchen. For example, sequence for main kitchen activities is as follows:

Food storage → preparation → cooking → serving → cleaning up.

The following suggestions on how to arrange the common equipment found in the kitchen.

The refrigerator & The sink

Placing the work sites far away from each other wastes a lot of steps while preparing a meal thus wasting time and it is quite tiresome. If placed too close together this results in a cramped kitchen with no adequate space to prepare and cook meals. The following illustrations show how the work triangle can be implemented in different kitchen layouts.

The triangular arrangement of equipment has the following advantages: 

-   Unnecessary movement is minimised.

-   Equipment is arranged in a logical sequence according to activities.

-   Minimises fatigue or tiredness.

-   Working in the kitchen becomes efficient.

• Place a storage cupboard for food and utensils under surface used for food preparation.
• Next to the food storage cupboard is the cooking area.
• Besides the cooking area is a fitted cupboard for storing serving equipment and the surface used for dishing food.
• Next to the serving cupboard there is a sink and a dishwasher.
• Next is the refrigerator or food safe.
• Place the refrigerator away from the cooker since heat from the cooking process disturbs the condensation process.
• Place the sink under window for good lighting.