How to have an organized and efficient kitchen

Find the function
Items are easy to reach when they are housed around the kitchen's functional areas. For Bernhard Spogat, corporate chef with Sparin Foods Incorporated in Charlotte, North Carolina, this means centering different activities around his oven and refrigerator, which are at opposite ends of his kitchen. For each area, he never wants to reach too far for anything that he needs.

"I keep my pans underneath the stove," he says, which allows for easy access. Instead of placing seasonings and spices in a distant cabinet or pantry, Spogat keeps them above the range. For his refrigerator, he prefers packing dairy products on top shelves, and preservatives and marmalades in the middle.

Keep it clean
The upper areas of the fridge may vary based on the preferences of the cook, but Spogat believes that everyone should keep seafood, chicken, pork, and beef all on the lower shelf.

"Meat should always be at the bottom," he says, "because we do not want any cross-contamination," he says.

Food borne illnesses are a threat for chefs. A single occurrence could bring widespread negative media attention to their restaurant. However, the germs that cause these illnesses are also a threat at home, where the problem may be worse. A recent study published by the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) states that even though a single outbreak may garner a lot of attention, "a much greater number of cases of food borne illness in restaurants and the home are not reported." (IFT Scientific Status Summary, July 2004). When handling all raw items, Spogat takes great care to isolate anything that could sully other foods. When he is finished cooking, he also adds a small amount of bleach to his dishwater to kill off any remaining bacteria.

Maximize space
Not every chef has an industrial-sized kitchen at home. Darlene Lawrence owns a food shop in Austell, Georgia, but she describes the size of her home kitchen as "not ideal." She maximizes its size by only using counter space to house her most frequently needed tools.

"I keep my stirring and mixing utensils in canisters on the countertop," she says. "They are easy to grab." She recommends using canisters because they can help cooks save drawer space that is better suited to store less frequently used items. She also keeps her coffee maker and toaster in lower cabinets. "All of my electrical appliances are put away," says Lawrence. "I do not leave them out."

Take the time
When it is time to prepare the home cuisine, Spogat encourages home chefs to assemble all of their materials first before starting. Once everything is together, he suggests starting with "whatever takes the longest to cook first." This usually means preparing the meats first and cutting up the vegetables second. (To save time - cut your vegetables the day before). This is his strategy while at work, and he has found that the routine is great when at home. The same dinner that may take his wife one hour to complete usually takes him about 15 to 20 minutes.

Keep It fresh
Spogat believes in using the freshest ingredients possible, especially when it comes to spices and seasonings. However, he does not have an endless supply of spice jars. He tosses spices after six months because they lose their freshness. "During the summer months, try to buy fresh herbs," he advises.

Cut the cooking clutter
Regardless of whether cooking is done for business or for pleasure, it is difficult to prevent a kitchen from getting messy at times.

"There is usually a lot of clutter around me when I am cooking," admits Lawrence, but she insists that cleaning up after the process can still be simple. The key is assigning each item to a home. "You should know where everything is in your kitchen," she advises. "When putting away groceries, group similar items. Place fresh vegetables together in one place, boxed items together in another place, and canned goods somewhere else. Have a home for everything."

Spogat also emphasizes the importance of keeping a schedule. "We have a good routine," he says of his family. "I do the cooking and grocery shopping, my son cleans the dishes." His wife arranges the d�cor, and she makes sure everyone puts the newspaper or mail in an appropriate basket on the kitchen table.

Whether the menu is for one special person or 100 paying customers, an organized kitchen can make a huge difference when preparing food. Give yourself a little more space to work and it can make all the difference in the world about how you feel about being in the kitchen at the end of a long day!