- Location: - The best location will be eastern or south-east corner of the house. This is helpful in having purified air and also warmth in the morning and coolness during the other part of the day. Pleasantly warmed and its air, purified by the morning sunshine entering would remain cool during the other part of the day.
- Equipment : Kitchen is typically equipped with a stove, a sink with hot and cold running water, a refrigerator and kitchen cabinets arranged according to a modular design.
- Stove / Cooking range: this will depend on the fuel or heat energy used – electricity, coal, coke, gas, charcoal, fire wood. But in all cases it should be on a raised platform about 2-1/2 ft.or 2ft 6inches) above from the floor level.
- Sink: This should be of very smooth material – porcelain, stainless steel, enamel, asbestos, cement etc. as far as possible without joints. The walls adjoining the sink should have a lining of glazed or polished tiles about a foot high in the portion where water is likely to splash. There should be drain boards, preferably two – one on each side, one for the soiled and other for the washed utensils. A dish drain, towel rack, a shelf or a recess for scrubbing material, a soap holder etc. should be provided.
- A garbage bin: this should be below the sink, with smooth surface on the inside, preferably of metal with a close fitting lid at top. This may also be mounted over the shutter beneath the sink. It becomes more convenient that way.
- Some of the households have a microwave oven, a dishwasher and other electric appliances. Other articles of equipment are – an armless chair or a light stool, a clock, and a number of cabinets – amongst them one for milk and other dairy products and the other for fruits and green vegetables. These should have shutters of fine wire mesh to exclude vermin and provide ventilation. If these cupboards are in a wall exposed to outside, a few air bricks in the wall would provide efficient ventilation. Every precaution should be taken to exclude flies from the kitchen, such as providing fine wire mesh spring shutters to the doors.
- Activities and work centers: The main activities in the kitchen are food preparation, cooking and cleaning of food items and equipment. The work area for these three activities should be carefully planned. Height of the working center can be 80 to 90cms depending upon the height of the person working in the kitchen. Kitchen space is divided for performing different works. The standard areas are explained as follows:
- Food storage and Preparation center : Storage space for perishables like food storage cabinets or Refrigerator/Freezer should be close to counter space for loading/unloading; needs nearby storage for serving and packing food, i.e. foil, baggies
- Mixing Center: area between two other work centers--counter space; needs outlets, storage for measuring/mixing/baking equipment, appliances and food ingredients.
- Cooking Range Center: Gas or Electrical Stove/Range, oven, microwave are found in this area. Needs counter space on at least one side, cabinets for food, cabinets for pots/pans, and other kitchen equipment.
- Small Appliance Center: for appliances on the counter that are frequently used like rice cooker, toaster etc.,
- Sink/Cleanup Center: may have a dishwasher, trash compactor, disposal; needs lots of counter space for stacking dishes and a place for cleaning supplies
- Optional Centers:
- Meal service Center: part of counter or separate table; needs enough room for traffic. This could also be used as sit-down desk area with multiple purposes - menu planning, shopping lists, Expenditure records, cookbooks, telephone, calendar, radio etc.
- Laundry Center: handy if close by the kitchen
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