There was a time when  kitchen was a place where food was cooked. In upper middle class homes or above, it was cooked by servants. Or, it was where the wife worked. In essence, it was her office.

Times have changed. Household servants are scarce.Cookery shows have more rating than daily soaps in the urban world and of late , cooking is fashionable.Now Men and Women cook.We have TV  channels exclusively  for food and influenced by the celebrity chefs even kids want to cook.

Smells

Smells were once a big problem. Our venting systems weren’t as efficient. Modern venting can eliminate most egregious smells quickly.Having said that, the fabrics ,sofa ,curtain does absorb smell and they do linger for a long time.Maybe you would love to have some smells to go through the house but still in Indian cooking we do have some food which we wouldn’t want the smell to stay.

So where does all of this lead us.The never ending debate of Open and Closed Kitchen.

Let us take this further a list down the pros and cons of open kitchen before supporting any of it .

Memories

Over the years ,I have lived in 10 houses and all of them had closed kitchen.Closed in the sense ,it had a door but as far as I remember ,the door was  closed only at night.

One of the most beautiful memories of my childhood is associated with the smells that flavored the different corners of the house.”Chechi Amma”  my aunt passed away many years back ,when I was in college.Her house had an open design.She used to teach me while cooking and still remember myself repeating the Multiplication Table and doing homework in the dinning table  while she was preparing all those delicious food.Every time I smell the roasted cumin in fresh coconut  oil tadka, her memories flood my mind.Smell is not a always  a bad thing.I would be a happier soul,if my daughter  remembers  me for the sweet smell of freshly baked cake.

Health Factor

I have also heard this interesting observation  that open kitchen makes you fat.The reason being that the food is easily accessible and so you end up eating too much.Personally I don’t take that argument .Obesity is not always because of eating too much,but not eating nutritious food and thus leaving the body carving for more.In fact, a more enjoyable kitchen can lend itself to more healthful preparations, because you’re less inclined to just throw something in the microwave to be in and out of the kitchen.

Open kitchen also  makes the kids more involved the cooking process.It is  messy but involving children in cooking helps them later in life, because they know how to cook for themselves, and their nutrition and health are better.

Get the Best of Both Worlds

Ideally, the best kitchen is a compromise: One that closes off the smells and mess, and yet doesn’t isolate the cook. Here’s how you can achieve that ideal mix.

Adding a pass-through window is a simple way to connect spaces without tearing out the walls of a closed-off kitchen.

Speaking of walls, taking out a non-bearing wall  and replacing it with a half wall or peninsula is a somewhat expensive but most-obvious way to open up a closed kitchen.
Folding or Sliding doors  separate the kitchen from living areas by opening up when you want continuous flow and closing when you don’t.  Use a clear or translucent glass door to keep light flowing.

Add a raised bar/eating counter to your island. Face the raised part toward your living areas so it blocks views of food prep areas. Kitchen counter tops are typically 31 inches high; raised counters are 40 inches high.

A half wall 40-50 inches tall built between the kitchen and living area establishes physical and visual boundaries for your kitchen. Top the wall with a glass partition to reduce noise, yet allow light transmission.

Quality, sound-dampening appliances cost more but won’t interfere with nearby conversations.

An extra-large, extra-deep sink is a godsend for quickly swallowing messy dishes and pans.

Finally if you have a separate work area then go for an open kitchen.