While Rachael Ray may be one of the most recognizable professional chefs and cooks up some delicious recipes in Instagram-worthy kitchens, it’s not always like that. According to Timeout, Ray has an apartment in New York City, where she’s forced to trade her beautiful and fully equipped kitchens to a measly couple of cupboards and cabinet space. Her advice to those who find themselves in a small kitchen space is to be strategic.
When cooking in a small apartment, you have extremely limited counter and storage space. She advises people to figure out what they enjoy cooking and baking, and only buying the supplies that they know they’ll be using. For example, if you cook more than bake, then stocking up your kitchen with all the latest and greatest cake, pie, and tart pans won’t do you any good. Additionally, you can get creative and strategic with the space that you do have. If you find more shelving in your living room instead of your kitchen, no one is preventing you from using that space how it works best for you. If you want to store some kitchen essentials in other rooms, go for it!
“Specifically tailor your pantry and the stuff you invest in on what you use all the time. If there is a silverware drawer, for example, it doesn’t mean you can’t stock it with spices,” Ray said.
Additionally, Ray also said to focus on open shelving. If your apartment allows it, you can open up more space by ripping out part of the apartment’s cabinetry and storage and swapping in open shelving. With that said, don’t bite off more than you can chew, and make sure you know how you can transform the space with the blessing of your landlord.
