What exactly is a chef? The Specialist tell us that he, (or she) is a person who cooks professionally for other people…They are highly skilled and proficient in all aspects of food. Hmm! That almost sounds like most mom’s I know, and some dad’s! 🙂 (Except they don’t get paid! 🙂  The name “Chef” originated in France, though the concept has been around for centuries… Seriously, a Chef’s job is a lot of work…they have to learn all the tricks and trades of marketing, attend Culinary schooling, perhaps specialty classes for a certain metier they are looking to ace and spend many hours doing internships…  Now a days, there are all types of chefs… THEY just don’t look like the ones in our imagination. 🙂

There are several categories of CHEF’S.

Chefs who have gone down in history as being noteworthy, successful and renowned.

Chefs who are famous in the 21st century, who are currently teaching us through television, how to cook everything from healthy, hearty cuisine, to outrageously fancy drinks. Some of these notarized chefs illustrate delicious , everyday, home cooking, BBQ and grilling dishes, decadent seafood dishes as well as fabulous Italian cuisine and divine pastas. (Can’t forget the sweet, decadent confections!) 🙂

How about the successful businesses that began in the home, or still exist in the home but have become so renowned, they are now famous? Each person began as a “Chef,” however humble their predicaments were…They just needed faith, trust, motivation, strength, the smarts and a BIG KITCHEN. 🙂

Lets take a look at some of those people.

Mrs. Fields cookies. “The Cookie Chef.”  This is a beautiful woman who began with baking superb chocolate chip cookies in her own kitchen, and then, joyfully took them out to homes, stores, neighborhoods, (still warm from the oven,) and bestowed upon thousands of people, free samples... Now, look at her success…I wonder how big her kitchen was then, and can only imagine HOW BIG it is today. 🙂

How about the men or women who love to bake at home? Their specialty could be cookies, cupcakes or quiches? Gigi’s Cupcakes offers on line ordering and actually has a menu for a different cupcake everyday. Just think, if you love to bake, you could be the Cupcake-Baking Chef of your own kitchen. 🙂

Another type of bakery chef is a Cake Chef. Do you have a specialty cake that you make that others have begged and pleaded with you, to give them the recipe? If you had a kitchen large enough, and some help, you could begin baking cakes in your own home.   That is what the women on Smith Island,Maryland did. They live on a tiny, remote and serene village Islet.  With most of  their husbands being  fishermen, they   are away, out at sea for about 3 months at a time, so the women of the village got together and began making cakes from scratch…Now they are famous. (Smith Island Baking Co.) What a great “happy ending story.” 🙂

There are Sub Sandwich Chefs, who make a myriad of fresh sandwiches, (hot as well as cold,) from their own kitchens and deliver them to construction sites or professional offices buildings.

How about the renowned restaurant or cruise ship Chefs? These chefs fit the experts definition of what a chef is, as they are paid very well for their expertise and profession, blessing many people who would love to have a great meal cooked for them in the midst of a soothing, pampering and beautiful ambiance. 🙂  

The new and upcoming, highly successful Chefs are those who cater to neighborhoods with home cooked cuisine on a Food Truck.(That would make them Truck chefs or how about  Chefs on the run?) 🙂

Then there are our personal Chefs that we dream we had... some of you single people out there, probably already have yours picked out… (Everyone would probably like to have a, Giada or Bobby Flay.)  🙂 You know the one who will cook dinner for you after a long hard day at the office, bring you breakfast in bed, cook up a delicious Sunday Brunch or put on a five course, five star meal for you and all your friends? (Mine came when I said “I do.” ) 🙂 (He is a fantastic “Grill Master.” 🙂

Lastly, there are the catering Chefs. These men or women do all their creations at home, and yes, they are in dire need of a colossal kitchen. Rehoboth beach has a wonderful catering company only 30 minutes from our home. (“Creative Food without the Tude,” at Nage Catering.) They serve at weddings, parties, brunches, BBQ’s, corporate events and special lunches.

Here are what a few famous chefs have to say about food, life and more food…They should know as they are the expertise on creating, tasting  and eating! 🙂

“Bon Appetit.” ~ Julia Child

“Cooking is the art of adjustment.” ~ Jacques Pepin

“In France, cooking is a serious art form and a national sport.” ~ Julia Child

“Food is life, life is food. If you don’t like my approach, you are welcome to go down to McDonalds. “~ Keith Floyd

“Cooking is like love, it should be entered into with abandonment or not at all.” ~ Harriet Van Horne

“Food, like a loving touch or a glimpse of divine power, has that ability to comfort.” ~ Norman Koplas              (I really like this quote.) 🙂

“Home cooking is a catalyst that brings people together.” ~ Marian Cunningham.

And we can’t forget Forrest Gump….”Life is like a box of Chocolates.”  🙂

So, we have looked into all the diverse types of chefs, but the one chef we left out is the Chef in you! For many of us, cooking, creating, eating new and exciting recipes, entertaining and serving others is our passion…we just lack the big kitchen to reach out to a larger group of people… So in a way, these kitchens you are about to see, (A chefs dream, are our dream kitchens.  I hope they give you some great ideas of how you can turn your current kitchen that you have now, or the one you will build at a future time,  into a kitchen that is perfect for you and enables you to cook, bake, create and enjoy the “Inner chef” that is waiting to take off and fly. 🙂 (That kind of sounds like a talk show theme! ) 🙂

Wow! This kitchen looks like it has two Center Island, marble top tables…can you even imagine the space to create the largest, freshest and most ‘gourmet,’ exotic, Asian Chicken salad you have ever seen? (Filled with ample fresh vegetables.)   The color combination used in this ‘cucino’ is wispy and diaphanous with it’s soft whites and browns, light colored walls and abundance of windows. It is certainly any cooks dream come true.

This kitchen is quite stylish and though on the darker side, fabulously cozy and warm. I love the high ceilings, the decorators display of cast iron pots hanging upon the wall, dried flower arrangements and is that a little TV-computer screen I see in the corner? (I love having a tiny TV in our kitchen.) I could see cooking a large, savory pot of Carolina chili with black beans, lean ground beef and bacon, served over rice in this inviting kitchen. (I am already getting hungry! 🙂 )

This kitchen is amazingly recherche. It exudes charm, character and is ethereal with it’s soft whites, shiny warm floors and the over head lighting is perfect.  I could see this as a kitchen where my guests would want to enter in and have a glass of wine, snack on a few Hors d’oeuvre’s  and enjoy it’s beauty.  How about a nice  chardonnay with a rich, lump crab dip with a banquette of warm sourdough?

Charming, romantic, lovely, welcoming and graceful. This spacious, winter-wonderland white ‘cucino’ is any chefs dream come true, not only for creating and cooking, but for entertaining. The back-splash mural tiles, behind the stove top is once again ,”The in-thing” for kitchen decor today.  The mural that this decorator has chosen is not only  exquisite, but very rich and baronial.  I love this kitchen. How about some homemade carrot cake and delicious Hazelnut coffee?

This kitchen is definitely designed for an exceedingly large amount of cooking, preparing and FUN! It’s more on the baronial, tasteful and handsome side as far as decor.  I could see my husband chopping up all of his fresh veggies, red onion, garlic and cilantro for his famous  Italian Pizza.  Muy Bueno!  Or should I say “Delizioso.” 🙂

Another eminently spacious kitchen. It is anything but modern with all of it’s quaint features…custom built, artful cabinetry, the combinations of light and dark hues, rich colors as well as the warm, faux painted walls that tie in all the tones within this lovely room. The stunning, open dining room, creates an even larger look for this winsome kitchen. This ambiance  reminds me of  a wondrous, early summer evening…a perfect time to make a Spinach Bacon quiche with a savory Caesar salad… and some excellent choices for back ground music as you create and cook away? Maybe some Opera, R&B, or Blake Sheldon’s favorite, country music. 🙂

Very clever, original, refined and polished. You can never go wrong with high ceilings… They wondrously enlarge any room to a spacious, gossamer ambiance.  This looks like a chicken Cacciatore night with fresh asparagus topped with a decadent, French Hollandaise sauce… Mm! 🙂

Implausible and fantastic, this ‘cucino’ is kaleidoscopic, bright, spacious and undoubtedly an inspiring  motivation to research a potpourri of new and exciting recipes for your family… I love this Brobdingnagian center island, the warm, cozy colors of the granite and cabinetry mixed with this  unique ceiling with it’s decorative, rustic beams as well as the open, old brick dining room. Magical! I think  “open space” is the number one ingredient for a Chefs kitchen, no mater how large or small your room is. Space is a hard one for me…(not that I am a hoarder,) 🙂 but I love decorative items to much. 🙂  I am getting better at De-cluttering  as I am getting older… 🙂   This might be a nice evening to serve an ambrosial Caribbean Pork roast, cooked with potatoes and carrots served with a tossed green salad, (lots of fresh veggies,) with a Raspberry walnut dressing. 🙂

OK. I had to put this kitchen in our “Chefs dream” tour. You will never guess who this kitchen belonged to.(I know I didn’t.) 🙂    Micheal Jackson! That man had excellent taste.This room is elaborate with its rich, dark woods, white marble counter tops and intricate design work on the cabinetry. It would be a great kitchen for baking all kinds of confections with your kids, entertaining a house full of guests or teaching your children how to do the ‘moonwalk.’ 🙂  It is not only beautiful but very regal.

A very formal kitchen…The architecture is very quaint and I love the back-splash mural tile…Definitely a great kitchen for  elegant entertaining and creating many a decadent, five star meals…

Charming, spacious, soft, welcoming, inviting and cozy. The colors blend together to a “T.” This ample center Island is fantastic for making kabobs; beef, chicken, steak and shrimp, accompanied with cherry tomatoes, green pepper, red onion, pineapple and fresh  mushrooms.  Slow grilled to perfection over charcoal with a glass of sweet tea, would make for a wondrous summer supper!  🙂 Don’t you just love the back splash mural tile in this ‘cucino?’

This resembles an incredibly popular restaurants’ kitchen…It is almost intimidating, but truly, it is ‘a chefs dream come true!’ It looks as if it comes with a commercial Cappuccino, espresso maker…My husband would frequent that side of the kitchen, morning, noon an night! 🙂

A kitchen with a gorgeous view…That is something you don’t see everyday! Definitely more on the masculine side with its regal blacks and browns, yet very picturesque and noble looking. I imagine a dinner of baked leg of lamb with mint sauce, roasted Brussels sprouts with blue cheese crumbles along with fresh mushroom rice. 🙂 Then perhaps a cup of coffee out on the verandah’s balcony.  The ending of a perfect day!

Our last three kitchens are created with the fabulous and popular color, RED. This first one is down right adorable! It definitely embodies  a cozy- country, with a touch of cottage style, decor. I adore it’s potpourri of plants, diverse textures and shades of red, the abundance of decorative items and the brilliant checkered floor. ( I adore this tile as it is unique, cheerful and FUN!)  You can’t see much of the kitchen, but because of the spacious floor and open dining room, I am guessing it is large. This atmosphere exudes an afternoon of baking a hot apple pie…maybe a dutch apple with Vanilla bean ice cream for dessert. 🙂

This kitchen leans towards the feminine chef… it’s cheery, colorful and clean with a very small amount of personal decor. (It needs a few chefs on it’s bare counter tops.) 🙂  (“Just sayin’.”)  🙂 It is quaint, original, congenial and livening. Maybe a bowl of delicious homemade chicken noodle soup with some hot rolls for lunch would warm up this kitchen a little bit! 🙂

Last, but certainly not least… This a cool, trendy kitchen that would definitely be a conversation piece within any home. It contains a striking and bazarro,  ‘Natural Camillus Buffet hutch.’ I keep thinking someone is going to glide in with roller skates on at any time, to take my order. 🙂 Its original, custom made and nostalgic. A triple decked Ice cream cone or cheeseburgers and hot fries would be perfect!

Here is the fun part…For your ‘Chefs Dream’ kitchen, there are a myriad of specialty accessories and kitchen accents to enhance your ‘cucino.’  (Especially for the red kitchens with black or brown highlights.)  🙂 Actually, they would look good in any of these kitchens. They add so much character, personality and cheer… (I myself, am a connoisseur and collector of a myriad of chefs. They always make me smile as they possess so much personality and  bring forth an abundance of color  to our kitchen.)  🙂

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The Chef in the first photograph below is my new “Mr. Chef,” that my brother and his spouse surprised me with last Christmas while we were visiting  them in Southern California. It  has become one of our families favorite decorative items as it “alerts” all three of us, (Graham  included,) of  what our evening  meal will be. It is great for galas, diner parties and Ladies Afternoon Teas… People love to know “what the menu is for any event.”  🙂  (They even have various colors of chalk to write in, so you can be more creative! 🙂  It is a great gift idea, as well as riveting addition to your kitchen or dining room.

Some more great accents for your kitchen would be Chef hand towels, wall plaques, standing chefs, (in all shapes and sizes,) 🙂 Chef wallpaper, canister sets, salt an pepper holders, spice racks, chef cookie jars, designer paintings for your richly painted faux walls, boarder paper or menu holders. There is a wealth of accessories out there to make your kitchen a “Chef’s theme,” no matter what size it is! 🙂

Here are a few back splash tile mural scenes for the back of your stove top in a “chef-like theme.”

I do not have my colossal, spacious and grandiose “Chefs Dream kitchen” yet, but this blog has given me some great ideas...I am going to create some more space in my kitchen,  stick to one theme, (adorable chefs,) and keep the clutter out so my husband and I can create together, an abundance of new recipes and delicious cuisine. I want to leave you with a spicy and superb recipe to go along with your creation of your “Chef’s Dream” kitchen. Happy Creating and Enjoy!

This recipe is for homemade guacamole sauce. It is great for soft tacos, Tostado salads, chicken burritos, fresh pico de gallo and chips, as well as for your Sunday brunch with Mexican omelets and home fries. I hope you really enjoy it!