See How Chef Ivlev Brought Order to His Kitchen and Do the Same

A kitchen is a place where the whole family gathers and bold culinary ideas come to life. Therefore, it should be modern and functional. How can this be achieved? For advice, we turned to a professional — chef Konstantin Ivlev, a TV presenter. Based on his new LORENA kitchen, the lead chef will explain how to optimize storage and simplify cooking.

Konstantin Ivlev is a well-known chef and TV presenter who became popular thanks to the show "Ask the Chef" and the reality show "On the Blade." Today, Konstantin leads the Federation of Professional Chefs and Confectioners of Russia, runs a YouTube channel where he shares his original recipes, and is a happy family man.

Everything in Its Place

A convenient kitchen is one where every item has its designated place and can be easily found. For perfect organization in drawers, use organizers for cutlery and spices, bottle holders, drawer dividers, and roll inserts. A well-thought-out storage system in cabinets will free up workspace on the countertop and visually expand the entire kitchen space.

Details That Simplify Life

To make the cooking process easy and pleasant, the space should be equipped with convenient features. In Konstantin's kitchen, cabinet doors are fitted with smooth, quiet soft-close mechanisms that eliminate irritating slams. Gola handles — a new feature of LORENA — make it easy to open and close drawers, saving precious time. What may seem like small details are what make comfort.

Practical Materials

If you want your kitchen to last long, choose durable materials that are easy to clean. But don't forget about aesthetics — today you can combine both. For his kitchen, Konstantin chose beautiful glossy facades made from the innovative material Brilliant — they are resistant to damage, household chemicals, and UV rays, yet have an elegant appearance and high gloss.

Thoughtful Lighting

The working area should be well lit. Natural light sources are insufficient, so additional lighting should be planned. Install several spotlights above the cutting board. Place LED lamps or strips under wall cabinets, or better yet, eliminate the upper cabinet entirely, as the chef did.

Potential of Hidden Spaces

There are many unused spaces in the kitchen that can be put to good use. For example, upper cabinets can extend to the ceiling, and additional shelves or drawers can be hung above the refrigerator. In the chef's kitchen, LORENA specialists installed a pull-out module for storing baking trays — an unconventional solution that allowed them to utilize the narrow space next to the oven. A large shelf was also installed in the free wall space.

Layout Possibilities

If the kitchen and living room are combined, as in the Ivlev family home, they can be separated by a sideboard. First of all, it's visually appealing: accessories, gifts, and bottles can be displayed behind glass doors, while a cozy LED backlight makes it easy to see the contents. Secondly, it adds another storage system: five drawers of different levels are hidden behind a single lower facade that opens with a foot press.

"Smart" Appliances

To avoid cluttering the kitchen space, choose ergonomic appliances with high functionality. German appliances from Bosch offer these advantages for Konstantin. A steam oven replaces two household appliances and saves a lot of space. Induction cooktops, not divided into zones for cooking, allow using pots and pans of any size and shape. The built-in HomeConnect technology enables remote control of the appliances.