Cooks Kitchen

Who: Juley Le, co-founder of Drip Affogato Bar and blogger behind lifestyle blog Upperlyne & Co. Where: New Orleans, LA Although she grew up just an hour outside New Orleans, in a large Vietnamese family on the bayou, Juley Le has come a long way. She is the founder of Drip Affogato Bar, a sweet shop dedicated to one of our very favorite treats; the brains behind lifestyle blog Upperlyne & Co.; and, last but not least, a new mom.

Who: Nik Sharma, food writer for the San Francisco Chronicle and A Brown Table Where: Glenview neighborhood of Oakland, CA Nik Sharma is a food writer, commercial and editorial food photographer, and pastry cook. His beautiful blog, A Brown Table, won the IACP (International Association of Culinary Professionals) award for Best Photo Based Culinary Blog in 2015 and 2016.

Who: Alice Erb, co-owner of the wonderfully eclectic shop Tail of the Yak Where: Oakland, California Just over the Oakland border, in Berkeley, is Tail of the Yak — or the Yak, for short. It’s a magical, eclectic, jewel-box of a shop, beloved by locals as well as by international visitors who make pilgrimages to stock up on the store’s one-of-a-kind pieces. Alice Erb, along with artist Lauren McIntosh, is the co-owner and has been since the mid-1970s.

Who: Cassandra Gates, owner of bone-broth company Broth Baby Where: Oakland, California Cassandra Gates is the owner of Broth Baby, an Oakland-based bone broth company that serves the greater Bay Area. Inspired by her studies in holistic nutrition at Bauman College, she decided to create a bone broth that is full of good-for-you ingredients, but also really tasty.

Who: Tracy and Jamie Kennard, owners of wine bar Brunette Where: Kingston, New York Tracy and Jamie Kennard are the owners of Brunette, a natural wine bar in downtown Kingston. They’ve converted the space, a former barber shop, into a sweet and stylish spot where you can nibble on gougères over a glass (or a bottle) of something intriguing — orange wine, perhaps?

Who: Hannah Black and Carla Perez-Gallardo, owners and artist-chefs of Lil Deb’s Oasis Where: Hudson, New York Hannah Black is one half of the duo behind Lil Deb’s Oasis, a vibrant-hued, neon-lit restaurant in Hudson, New York. She and her partner, Carla Perez-Gallardo, are both artists, rather than classically trained chefs, who arrived at food as an outlet for their creativity — and this fact is clear from the minute you step into their fanciful spot.

Who: Sarah Copeland, cookbook author and food writer; her husband, András Gipp, a furniture designer; and their two children Where: Hurley, New York You may recognize Sarah Copeland as the author of The Newlywed Cookbook, a must for just-married couples, or Feast, her vegetarian tome, which makes us want to give up meat entirely. After all, who needs meat when you can eat oats with plumped dried plums and lime or apple-rye pancakes?

We’ve spent the past week with Joanna Goddard in her lovely Brooklyn kitchen, getting to know her family and their philosophy on cooking at home. There’s only one question left: What’s cooking this weekend, Joanna? We are making shrimp rolls. On a hot summer evening, you sometimes crave a lobster roll, but they’re so expensive, and shrimp rolls give you 95% of the pleasure of a lobster roll. We use this recipe.

Who cooks and eats here: Joanna Goddard of Cup of Jo, Alex Williams, and their two kids, Anton and Toby Where: Brooklyn, New York Rent or Own? Rent With a busy balance of work, travel, and family life, Joanna and Alex have a lot going on, but their schedule doesn’t stop them from making time to cook with their kids and eat together on a daily basis. Food and fun are major factors in what makes this family tick merrily along.

Who cooks and eats here: Joanna Goddard of Cup of Jo, Alex Williams, and their two kids, Anton and Toby Where: Brooklyn, New York Rent or Own? Rent We toured Joanna’s Streamlined Brooklyn Kitchen yesterday, and now she’s sharing a refreshing recipe! This simple “milkshake” is in regular rotation in the Goddard/Williams household. It’s a healthy twist on a classic, but the kids feel like they’re getting a major treat, and the adults sometimes partake too.

Who cooks and eats here: Joanna Goddard of Cup of Jo, Alex Williams, and their two kids, Anton and Toby Where: Brooklyn, New York Rent or Own? Rent We at The Kitchn have been long-time fans of Joanna Goddard and her lovely, always-on-point lifestyle blog, A Cup of Jo, for so many years! We are delighted to share a peek into the kitchen she shares with her two small children and her writer husband, Alex Williams. (Alex does most of the cooking and all of the dishes! Can I marry him?

Who cooks and eats here: Rebecca Odes and Craig Kanarick, and kids Where: Manhattan Rent or Own? Owned for five years See the kitchen tour: Rebecca and Craig’s Family Kitchen in Manhattan This week we’re visiting Rebecca and Craig, two independent entrepreneurs who live in New York City with their children. They built their dream kitchen — full of smart, interesting details.

Who cooks and eats here: Rebecca Odes and Craig Kanarick, and kids Where: Manhattan Rent or Own? Owned for five years See the kitchen tour: Rebecca and Craig’s Family Kitchen in Manhattan When I talked to Craig Kanarick, founder of Mouth, about his family kitchen in Manhattan, inevitably the conversation turned to pickles. He started Mouth, he told me, with the ambition of building the greatest pickle store in the country.

Who cooks and eats here: Rebecca Odes and Craig Kanarick, and kids Where: Manhattan Rent or Own? Owned for five years See the kitchen tour: Rebecca and Craig’s Family Kitchen in Manhattan We’ve been taking peeks into a family kitchen in Manhattan — one of those dreamy spaces that happen when a homeowner is at last able to build the space they’ve dreamed of for years.

This week we’re visiting the kitchen of the food-obsessed entrepreneur, Craig Kanarick, who, with his wife, Rebecca, built a smart, personal kitchen for themselves and their kids. But while Craig’s interest in food may begin at home, it doesn’t stop there. He’s also the founder of Mouth, a fun and inspiring online store, chock-full of small-batch and high-quality food from around the country — from liquor to barbecue sauce to pickles. Especially pickles.

Who cooks and eats here: Rebecca Odes and Craig Kanarick, and kids Where: Manhattan Rent or Own? Owned for five years Here at The Kitchn we have visited all types of kitchens, from small and cozy to big and dreamy. I love seeing how people make the most of limited spaces, but I also really enjoy seeing cooks’ dream kitchens — their finally, at-last, this-is-what-we-always-wanted home.

Who cooks and eats here: Chef Cameron Stauch; his wife, Ayesha; children, Lyla (11) and Kiran (6); and his family’s cook, Hong Where: Hanoi, Vietnam Rent or Own? Rent through the Canadian Embassy Chef Cameron Stauch has lived and cooked in four very different places: his home, Canada; India; Hong Kong; and here in Hanoi, Vietnam.

I first met Canadian Chef Cameron Stauch when I wanted to stop spending so much money on Indian takeout by making my own Indian food, and I had no idea where to start. Cameron went as far as to bring me recipes and guide me around three different mini-marts where I could find Indian ingredients that had been brought into the country in the shop owner’s suitcase.

Who cooks and eats here: Chef Cameron Stauch; his wife, Ayesha; children, Lyla (11) and Kiran (6); and his family’s cook, Hong Where: Hanoi, Vietnam Rent or Own? Rent through the Canadian Embassy Canadian Chef Cameron Stauch has cooked for Queen Elizabeth, Will and Kate, and the Emperor and Empress of Japan. As the husband of a Canadian diplomat, he’s lived and cooked in Delhi, Hong Kong, and Hanoi, and he’s currently working on a cookbook of vegetarian Vietnamese recipes.

This week we met Samantha Wennerstrom, founder and editor of Could I Have That?, a beautiful lifestyle blog. We toured her airy, bright, newly remodeled kitchen; gleaned her easy entertaining secret; and even got a healthy, quick recipe that’s perfect for a summer gathering. There’s only one question left: What’s cooking this weekend, Samantha? Pulled pork sliders. A severe craving!

Who cooks and eats here: Samantha, Todd, and Elin Mae Wennerstrom Where: Santa Barbara, California Rent or Own? Own We’ve toured Samantha’s airy, bright kitchen, we’ve learned her entertaining secret, and now we’re going to dive into a meal this hostess prepares frequently. Samantha’s cooking style, according to the lifestyle blogger, is “relaxed, seasonal, healthy, and unplanned.” This salad perfectly embodies this philosophy.

Who cooks and eats here: Samantha, Todd, and Elin Mae Wennerstrom Where: Santa Barbara, California Rent or Own? Own Yesterday we toured the lovely home kitchen of this Santa Barbara-based style blogger. Samantha loves to entertain at a moment’s notice; she’s often inviting over friends for a quick charcuterie platter or light tea and nibbles. What’s her entertaining secret for an easy, elegant setup? Read on to find out. Cutting boards!

Who cooks and eats here: Samantha, Todd, and Elin Mae Wennerstrom Where: Santa Barbara, California Rent or Own? Own Samantha, Todd, and baby Elin share a newly remodeled, bright and airy kitchen in Santa Barbara, California. Samantha’s relaxed and timeless fashion sensibility seems to be perfectly echoed in this space — where the couple recently installed open shelving, marble countertops, and new appliances.

This week we visited the quirky cottage kitchen of Leela Cyd and David Kilpatrick. We got to know why they love their cheap storage solution and Leela’s favorite summertime breakfast. So there’s only one question left to ask: Leela, what’s cooking this weekend? After living in India a few years ago, lassis of every variety are now a part of my regular repertoire. I’m going to whip up a batch of pineapple lassis to have with brunch.

Who cooks and eats here: Leela Cyd & David Kilpatrick Where: Santa Barbara, California See their kitchen: Leela & David’s Quirky Cottage Kitchen This kitchen was challenging in its lack of pantry and the fact that there are very few walls, and the existing walls are met with doors to other rooms (bathroom and tiny office), so a large shelving unit wasn’t practical.

Who cooks and eats here: Leela Cyd & David Kilpatrick Where: Santa Barbara, California Rent or Own: Rent We’ve lived in this little downtown cottage for about two years, and although the kitchen has its quirks (no dishwasher, very little built-in pantry storage), we’ve made it work with several DIY fixes. I’ve tested an entire cookbook in this space, experimented with new and old recipes, and have daily breakfast dance parties here.

Who: Ed Cotton, Executive Chef at Sotto 13 in New York, Top Chef Season 7 runner-up, and former sous chef for Cat Cora on Iron Chef America Where: Long Island City, Queens, New York Read the series: Part One, Part Two, Part Three, Part Four If there’s one thing every chef will tell you is an essential part of cooking — both in a restaurant and at home — it’s the necessity of working clean. This phrase pops up everywhere.

While we might focus on the kitchens of home cooks most of the time, we’re not immune to the joy of peeking behind the scenes of some of our favorite chefs as well. Yes, some of the big names have enviable, modern kitchens — specially designed to suit their every cooking need — but many chefs are dealing with cramped cupboards and never enough counter space, just like the rest of us. Here’s a look at 10 of our favorite chefs’ kitchens.

Who: Ed Cotton, Executive Chef at Sotto 13 in New York, Top Chef Season 7 runner-up, and former sous chef for Cat Cora on Iron Chef America Where: Long Island City, Queens, New York Read the series: Part One, Part Two, Part Three We’ve seen his kitchen, the inside of his oven, and learned a bit more about his slide-in range. But we’d be remiss if we didn’t ask Chef Ed Cotton about the most important tool in the kitchen: knives! So, tell us Ed: what’s your favorite knife?

Who cooks and eats here: Ed Cotton, Executive Chef at Sotto 13 in New York, Top Chef Season 7 runner-up, and former sous chef for Cat Cora on Iron Chef America Where: Long Island City, Queens, New York Read the series: Part One, Part Two While visiting Ed Cotton at his home kitchen in Queens a few weeks ago, we couldn’t help but notice his range. It’s a gas stove, but the oven controls are in the front, next to the burner knobs, instead of at the back, which is more standard.

Who cooks and eats here: Ed Cotton, Executive Chef at Sotto 13 in New York, Top Chef Season 7 runner-up, and former sous chef for Cat Cora on Iron Chef America Where: Long Island City, Queens, New York Ed Cotton, the Executive Chef at Sotto 13 in New York, has worked alongside Daniel Boulud at db Bistro Moderne, Laurent Tourondel at BLT Market in the Ritz Carlton, and Cat Cora on Iron Chef America. You may know him as the runner-up on Top Chef season 7.

Who: Charlie Marshall of The Marshal Where: Manhattan, New York See his kitchen: Chef Charlie Marshall’s Tiny, Well-Ordered New York City Kitchen A major feature in Charlie Marshall’s small kitchen is his kitchen cart, placed against the far wall. What’s notable about this cart is its solid wire construction, butcher block top, and the three pull-out drawers on the top shelf.

Who: Charlie Marshall of The Marshal Where: Manhattan, New York See his kitchen: Chef Charlie Marshall’s Tiny, Well-Ordered New York City Kitchen A couple weeks ago, when we peeked into Chef Charlie Marshall’s small New York City kitchen, we couldn’t help but notice what he had stashed in his freezer. In fact, it’s something he believes all cooks should have in their freezers, at all times. Can you guess what it is?

Who: Charlie Marshall of The Marshal Where: Manhattan, New York See his kitchen: Chef Charlie Marshall’s Tiny, Well-Ordered New York City Kitchen Chef’s knives are very personal. We have our own recommendations, but we always love to see what what other cooks use! We noticed Charlie Marshall had beautiful knives when we toured his kitchen, so we wanted to hear a little more about what chef’s knife a chef uses at home! Here’s what he told us.

Who cooks and eats here: Chef Charlie Marshall of The Marshal Where: Manhattan, New York Chef Charlie’s mantra — do more with less — is nowhere more evident than in his tiny New York City kitchen. Space constraints are a reality for most New Yorkers, and it’s no different for Charlie. He has very little countertop space, and no dishwasher — quite a different setup than at his Hell’s Kitchen restaurant, The Marshal.

Who: Bethia Woolf & Andy Dehus of Columbus Food Adventures Where: Columbus, Ohio Bethia Woolf and Andy Dehus are some of the most curious and adventurous food-lovers that I know. This is fitting, as they own a company called Columbus Food Adventures, which runs food tours here in Columbus. (You can read more about how they started their business here.) But they don’t just eat out at restaurants; they are avid and accomplished home cooks, too.

Who: Eva Katz of Cook’s Country and My Front Burner Where: Jamaica Plain in Boston, Massachusetts See her kitchen: Cook’s Country Editor Eva Katz’s Homey, Hardworking Kitchen When I visited Eva’s kitchen a few weeks ago, she was just about to make a batch of brown rice. But lo and behold, there was no rice cooker or saucepan in sight. Instead, she had pulled out her Fissler pressure cooker — a tool, I soon learned, that has totally changed her cooking.

Who: Eva Katz of Cook’s Country and My Front Burner Where: Jamaica Plain in Boston, Massachusetts See her kitchen: Cook’s Country Editor Eva Katz’s Homey, Hardworking Kitchen Eva Katz’s favorite measuring spoons do something a lot of other measuring spoons can’t do. Can you guess what it is? They fit into spice jars!

Who: Eva Katz of Cook’s Country and My Front Burner Where: Jamaica Plain neighborhood in Boston, Massachusetts See her kitchen: Cook’s Country Editor Eva Katz’s Homey, Hardworking Kitchen One of the best parts about visiting people’s kitchens for our Kitchen Tours is the chance to peek at their favorite tools and learn their tricks and tips. We’re always looking for good ideas to steal! So what does longtime Cook’s Country editor Eva Katz rely on?

Who: Eva Katz of Cook’s Country and My Front Burner Where: Jamaica Plain in Boston, Massachusetts See her kitchen: Cook’s Country Editor Eva Katz’s Homey, Hardworking Kitchen Eva Katz has been close to food for almost her entire professional career. She’s worked in restaurants, taught cooking classes at culinary school, and written and developed recipes for Cook’s Illustrated and Cook’s Country (her current position).

Who cooks and eats here: Eva Katz, her husband Philip, and their two sons Where: Jamaica Plain in Boston, Massachusetts Rent or Own? Own If there’s one thing Eva Katz knows, it’s how to make your kitchen work for you. As a recipe developer, writer, and longtime editor at Cook’s Country magazine, Eva is a consummate cook, and a busy one. Her home kitchen serves as the headquarters for both her personal blog, My Front Burner, and her freelance work for Cook’s Country.

Who: Jade and Toby Keller, son Cy, and dog Dot Where: Chiang Mai, Thailand Read Parts 1 and 2: Jade’s Thai Kitchen in Chiang Mai and Why Jade Shipped Her Special Wedding Dishes Across the Globe Jade works as the Educational Program Manager at the SOLD Project, an NGO in Northern Thailand working to prevent the trafficking of children into sexual servitude.

Who cooks and eats here: Jade and Toby Keller, son Cy, and dog Dot Where: Chiang Mai, Thailand See Jade’s Kitchen: Jade’s Thai Kitchen in Chiang Mai As we read yesterday, when Jade and Toby moved to Thailand over four years ago, they thought they might stay for one or two years. Since then they’ve come to feel so at home in their new country, they have no plans to go anywhere.

Who cooks and eats here: Jade and Toby Keller, son Cy, and dog Dot Where: Chiang Mai, Thailand Rent or Own?

Why do we love looking in other people’s kitchens? Sometimes it’s purely for eye candy — the gorgeous light, the pretty dishes, the dream cooking range. But more often it’s because we’re looking for great ideas — that one setup, secret, or tip that makes us say, “That’s so smart! I have to try that in my own kitchen.

An elegant, open California kitchen; a tiny, colorful basement kitchen in Boston; an antique-industrial kitchen in Atlanta with a huge window. These are just a few of the many kitchens we shared with you this past year — real home kitchens used by real cooks, many of them avid readers of The Kitchn. Every space had a personality and style unique to its cook, which is what we love to see. (That, and great design and organizing ideas!) Here are 15 favorites.

Who cooks here: Anna Watson Carl of The Yellow Table & Brandon Carl See the kitchen: Anna’s Yellow Table Kitchen Where: Manhattan, New York Rent or Own? Rent Tiny kitchens are the norm in Manhattan and other dense urban areas, and many people merely use their teeny kitchens as a place to reheat takeout and store bottles of wine.

Who cooks here: Anna Watson Carl of The Yellow Table & Brandon Carl Where: Manhattan, New York Rent or Own? Rent When Anna Watson Carl first laid eyes on the 48-square-foot kitchen in her now-husband Brandon’s Manhattan apartment, she wasn’t sure she could make it work. “There was no pantry, no drawers, and about one square foot of counter space,” she recalls with a laugh. “Not to mention the fact that it was up five flights of stairs!

Who cooks and eats here: Christan Vick & Jenna Novic Where: East Atlanta, GA See the kitchen: Christan & Jenna’s Blended East Atlanta Kitchen Rent or Own? Own Christan’s favorite kitchen hack is to make a large vegetable or veg-and-grain salad that can be safely stashed in the refrigerator for easy lunches and late-night snack raids. Here’s how she makes her favorite Sunday kale salad — an easy make-ahead salad for eating all week.

Who cooks and eats here: Christan Vick and wife Jenna Novic Where: East Atlanta, Georgia See their kitchen: Christan & Jenna’s Blended East Atlanta Kitchen Rent or Own? Own Christan and Jenna’s kitchen is a blend of modern (IKEA cabinets, wire shelving), vintage finds, and family heirlooms. Their 60s style ranch house has limited storage, so everything in the kitchen has to get used regularly to justify the space.

Who cooks and eats here: Christan Vick & Jenna Novic Where: East Atlanta, Georgia Rent or Own? Own Christan Vick and her wife Jenna share a 60s style ranch house in the East Atlanta neighborhood, decorated in equal parts mid-century modern and southern tradition.

Who cooks and eats here: Allen Coin and me, Lisa Pepin! See the kitchen: What It’s Like to Search for an Apartment (and a Good Kitchen) in Hanoi, Vietnam Where: Hanoi, Vietnam Rent or Own? Rent By now, you’ve gotten to know my narrow Hanoi kitchen and how it’s proven to be great for day-to-day cooking. A couple weeks ago, Allen and I put it to the test by inviting our friends from Vietnam, England, Germany, and France over to cook three different dishes together.

Who cooks and eats here: Allen Coin and me, Lisa Pepin! See the kitchen: What It’s Like to Search for an Apartment (and a Good Kitchen) in Hanoi, Vietnam Where: Hanoi, Vietnam Rent or Own? Rent Living near a restaurant supply store is a dangerous thing. If you’re like me, you’ve gotten good at justifying buying too many loaf pans (they’re only $5!), too many little one-use tools (I can make that dessert I saw on Pinterest!

Who cooks and eats here: Allen Coin and me, Lisa Pepin! Where: Hanoi, Vietnam Rent or Own? Rent I’ve done my share of apartment hunting in North Carolina. I know how to avoid the big complexes with the bad reviews and click-baiting ads, screen out the euphemisms that mean “old” or “surrounded by loud students,” and write an email to a Craigslist landlord that actually gets a response.

Who shops and eats here: Batya Stepelman of Sparrows & Spatulas, along with her husband, Matt Berman, and their young sons, Otis and Theodore See her kitchen: Batya Stepelman’s Open, Garden-Powered Kitchen Where: Denver, CO Rent or Own? Own This week we visited Batya Stepelman’s family kitchen in Denver, looked in on her flourishing garden, and walked the farmers market together. Clearly this cook loves her vegetables!

Who shops and eats here: Batya Stepelman of Sparrows & Spatulas, along with her husband, Matt Berman, and their young sons, Otis and Theodore See her kitchen: Batya Stepelman’s Open, Garden-Powered Kitchen Where: Denver, CO Rent or Own? Own We recently toured the open, garden-powered kitchen of Batya Stepelman and were inspired by her city garden and how she finds ways to bring healthier meals and more vegetables to her family’s table.

Who gardens and cooks here: Batya Stepelman of Sparrows & Spatulas, along with her husband, Matt Berman, and their young sons, Otis and Theodore See Batya’s kitchen: Batya Stepelman’s Open, Garden-Powered Kitchen Where: Denver, CO Rent or Own? Own Batya Stepelman never considered herself much of a gardener. In fact, before moving to Colorado, her first foray into growing anything green was tending a struggling strawberry plant on her fire escape in Brooklyn.

Who cooks and eats here: Batya Stepelman of Sparrows & Spatulas, along with her husband, Matt Berman, and their young sons, Otis and Theodore Where: Denver, CO Rent or Own? Own I recently visited Batya Stepelman’s city garden and warm, functional kitchen, nestled in a historic section of downtown Denver. Originally from Brooklyn, Batya is a self-taught cook, seasoned vegetarian, first-time gardener, and author of the popular lifestyle blog, Sparrows & Spatulas.

Who cooks and eats here: Teja Ream & Neil Collier, plus daughter Elsa and baby Owen Where: Los Angeles, CA See Teja’s Kitchen: Teja’s Family Kitchen Rent or Own? Own We’ve visited Teja’s home kitchen and seen her routine for making homemade baby food, and today we’re getting a peek into her beautiful garden! Teja loves fresh and organic produce, so she started a garden outside her Los Angeles home.