The pandemic has changed the way we eat as a nation. Rather than buying take-out and going out for dinner, many of us were forced into our own kitchens and found to our surprise that we liked it there! A 2021 survey found that 92% of families plan to carry on dining at home.

If you've got a taste for your own food, you may be wondering about how to upgrade your kitchen to a true chef's kitchen without spending the earth. The great news is that you can put together a fantastic, high-end chef's kitchen using RTA cabinets.

Let's explore how it's possible to get the kitchen of your dreams without breaking the bank.

What Is a Chef's Kitchen?

A chef's kitchen is the ultimate dream for the home cook. A kitchen equipped with everything a high-end chef would need to prepare restaurant-quality food. Yet it's nestled right in your own home.

It needs to include:

• A lot of counter space
• More cabinet space than the average kitchen
• Awesome appliances, such as double ovens and prep sinks
• Great kitchen storage organization

You can get all of this and more using RTA cabinets. RTA stands for ready to assemble. You can buy them either in flat-pack or ready assembled form.

Then all you have to do is have a contractor install them or install them yourself if you've got some serious DIY skills. They're the easiest way to get high-quality, well-constructed cabinetry. And you don't have to spend tens of thousands on custom cabinets.

How to Design a Chef's Kitchen

Your starting point will be the space you have available in your kitchen. There'll be a clear working triangle between the refrigerator, cooktop, and sink. You can never have too much counter space. Take this into account when considering where to store small appliances such as coffee makers and stand mixers.

Island Focused Chef's Kitchen

Ideally, a chef's kitchen will revolve around a large island.

If you've got the room and the budget, you can take your preparation game to the next level with a prep sink that's plumbed into your island. Put it in one corner to make the very best use of space. You'll find yourself tossing your eggshells into it with a small flick of the wrist just like Ina Garten does in Barefoot Contessa.

Double Galley Chef's Kitchen

If you don't have the space for a kitchen island, that doesn't mean you can't have a chef's kitchen.

If you've got a long, narrow kitchen then a double galley is your best option. Your goal is to limit the number of steps you need to take in the kitchen. A double galley, with cabinets and counters on both sides, allows you have everything you need at your fingertips.

Start with Appliances

Every kitchen design needs to start with the appliances and work from there. You do not want to design your dream chef's kitchen only to find that you have to compromise on the range or refrigerator afterward.

Research appliances either that you already have or are within your budget to buy. Crucially, find out and note down their dimensions. Also, think about gas lines, plumbing, and outlets.

If you're doing an entire kitchen remodel, it may be possible to move these around. If you're going the whole hog, an extra luxurious feature to consider is adding a pot filler over the range or cooktop. This is a tap that allows you to fill pasta pots or add water to dishes while cooking that's situated right above your range.

If you've got your heart set on a refrigerator with an ice-maker, think about plumbing. The closer you can situate it to an existing water line, the cheaper it will be to install. But always try to maintain the working triangle as much as possible.

Don't Forget Kitchen Storage

A walk-in pantry may be every serious home cook's dream, but most of us are not fortunate enough to have a separate room in which to store all our dry goods. We need to maximize the space that we have available in our kitchens and that means getting clever with kitchen storage.

You can achieve this with the right balance of base, wall, and tall cabinets. Tall cabinets need to be used with care because they can eat into potential counter space. But they also allow you a lot of extra storage space, so every kitchen should consider including at least one as a pantry unit.

An RTA kitchen gives you a lot of options for all of these types of cabinets. They come in multiple sizes and styles, so you're not limited to making do with something that fits. For tall cabinets, there are two-door, four-door, and oven pantry cabinets.

Oven pantry cabinets give you the luxury of a built-in oven. At the same time, they provide plenty of storage space for bakeware and roasting dishes in the cupboards below and above the oven. This makes great use of vertical space, which is so important if your kitchen is on the smaller side.

Use an RTA Kitchen Design Service

The thought of designing your own chef's kitchen with RTA cabinets could be quite overwhelming. That's why the best RTA cabinet retailers provide free visualizer tools. You can see what your design looks like in situ before you order it.

Also, you can work with a kitchen designer. They can use the styles and sizes available from your preferred RTA cabinet retailer to create a bespoke kitchen for you.

They can include storage ideas that make the best use of space. These include wine racks, wastebasket cabinets, lazy Susans, and deep drawer base units.

Choose NuForm for Your RTA Cabinets

If cooking is your passion, you need a chef's kitchen that will unleash your culinary creativity.

NuForm Cabinetry supplies high-quality hardwood and plywood RTA cabinets. They're designed to look great and stand the test of time. They're available in a huge range of colors and styles to suit every taste.

Check out our huge range and place your order today!