KBB - January 2015 - 116

LEARNING CORNER

Chef's Ahoy
Land-based kitchen design takes a few
tips from yacht galleys
Consider for a moment a yacht going out at sea with 10 guests and
20 crewmembers for four days without landfall. This sort of trip requires
much support to accommodate the needs associated with this number
of passengers at sea, particularly in the galley (the kitchen space on a
yacht). Such a trip will require up to two chefs preparing up to eight meals
a day (as the crew will work 24/7 on a trip of this nature) multiplied by
30 persons, which equals 240 meals per day. Considering a four-day trip,
the total amount of meals served, on average, equates to 960! Such demands in a limited, self-sustaining environment require an intense design
process to ensure that all needs are met and all measures are taken to
ensure a successful, seamless dining experience for the owner and his/
her guests.
These conditions require a yacht galley to include a tremendous refrigeration system comprised of both walk-up and walk-in refrigerators
and freezers, a well-planned dry pantry system and the accommodation
of the inventory needed to facilitate such a trip. If that isn't mind-boggling
enough, consideration needs to be given to the setting aside of space for
the accommodation of trash (both perishable as well as non-perishable).
Perishable trash requires freezing to prevent decay and foul odors, and
non-perishable trash requires compaction.

The owner of this home is a professional chef, therefore he had much
involvement in the layout and operation of this galley-like kitchen. He likes
light and open spaces with dramatic contrasts, hence the dark walnut,
white painted cabinets and white Cararra marble.

Simple Similarities and Dramatic Differences

A family-style galley is what these particular owners requested, as they
would occasionally cook for themselves, eat in the galley and enjoy the
unique ocean views.

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While there are speciﬁc challenges that come with designing for a
yacht, the same principles can be applied in land-based residential
homes to make the kitchen a more functional and useful space. First
and foremost, on a yacht, given the per-square-foot cost of construction,
the galley is typically intended to be almost entirely functional and efﬁcient. Although it may be dressed up aesthetically from time to time to
accommodate the occasional owner who might choose to visit or cook
in the galley, the intent is for the galley to serve as a productive work
space. This is always a designer's challenge in the kitchen - combining
form and function.
For prime productivity, designers must lay out the galley to accommodate service and trafﬁc ﬂow patterns. Regardless of the size of the vessel,
the chef and server areas are critical. The immediate space surrounding
the chef is compact and efﬁcient with all necessary appliances and tools

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KBB - January 2015

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of KBB - January 2015