With the holidays right around the corner, now’s the time to develop a game plan and get your clients’ kitchens ready for hosting. These practical tips and strategies will help ensure their entertaining success—no renovation required.
Organize Work Zones for Multiple Cooks
When a family enjoys working together to prepare holiday meals and party foods, their kitchen needs to keep up. The best way to accommodate multiple cooks is to establish work zones. An efficient zone locates everything needed to perform a particular function within a self-contained area. While altering the layout may be off the table, re-organizing cabinets and drawers around this approach can go a long way.
The prep zone, for example, requires a large work surface (maybe the kitchen island); knives, peelers, and other tools should be within easy reach. Beyond its work surface, a well-thought-out baking zone includes storage for measuring cups, a rolling pin, baking sheets, and so forth.
Create a Drinks Station
A kitchen logjam can dampen the party spirit. Having guests help themselves to beverages is great –except when they’re in and out of the refrigerator while the cooks are still bustling about. Help your clients identify the best place to locate a bar, away from chaos. Depending on the kitchen layout, countertop space near a sink may be far enough removed to create a convenient wet bar. If not, a bar cart can be a simple yet glamorous solution.
Set Up a Serving Area
No holiday host wants guests crowded around the cooktop when it’s time to serve the meal. Establishing a separate serving station will make entertaining easier. In many cases, the kitchen island can be pulled into service as party central. However, if some guests will be perching at the island to enjoy their meals or the kitchen lacks one, consider other possibilities, such as the breakfast table or dining room sideboard. A rolling island, which can be wheeled out of the way when not in use, is another great option.
The key to successful entertaining is to develop a solid game plan in advance. Incorporating these strategies will make a big impact. As always, the experts at Friedman’s are here to help.