As spring beckons it’s the time of year for getting out, mentally and physically. Luckily I can offer you a number of virtual and real-life events. I end the newsletter with thoughts about cooking with children, an activity that might inspire some happy times in the kitchen. 

DESIGN YOUR DREAM KITCHEN 

Between 12 and 21 February, US designer Ann-Marie Klobe has brought together 20 experts and influencers for a programme of events. Click here if you would like to join this. My talk is Unfollow The Rules – the Sustainable Unfitted Kitchen.

There’s no charge and plenty of opportunity for questions!

The 1996 edition of The Art of Kitchen Design happens to include a dream kitchen of mine, in the drawing above. It was commissioned by Maytag and JennAir to stimulate ideas about the kitchen of the future. Based on a real dream, the imaginary house was located on the cliffs of an Italian island, perhaps Sardinia, overlooking the sea.

LISTEN IN TO A CHAT ABOUT… KITCHENS OF COURSE

Date: 22 February 2024, 12pm
Time: 12pm

From the Installer Festival 2024, an interview with industry insider Andy Bishop sheds light on my recent thinking about multigenerational design, sustainability, and the history of kitchens from the nineteenth century to now, plus some highlights – heartwarming and grisly – from my long career

THE UNFITTED KITCHEN MAKES LANDFALL IN EAST ANGLIA 

Kitchens Etc in Norfolk provides a beautiful environment where you can go and see our brand-new Unfitted collection in real life.

The showroom is set in the historic village of North Creake and is headed up by Natalie Peters, an old student of mine from the Bucks New University’s Kitchen Design degree course, plus Natalie’s dad, Mick Murphy. They are both passionate about this new collaboration, jointly becoming our first Unfitted Kitchen curators. Natalie says, ‘we are thrilled to have the opportunity to enable customers to experience first-hand Johnny’s furniture, craft and design expertise. Please get in touch if you would like to come to the opening party on 23 May.'. 

Get in touch with Natalie: natalie@kitchens-etc.co.uk.

Eric Ravilious’ painting captures the spirit of the South Downs where much of the produce will be grown and where Elizabeth David grew up

INAUGURAL SOUTH DOWNS FOOD FESTIVAL 

Fast forward to the end of summer, when a new festival of food and culture will kick off at Stansted Park near Chichester in West Sussex. 

The event is being planned in association with the Elizabeth David Estate. Over two days, 15 and 16 September, the stately home and grounds in the South Downs National Park will host a celebration of food and drink produced in this fertile part of the country. Farmers and growers, cheesemakers, butchers and bakers, and wine, beer and cider producers will all be showcasing their products. There is a tie-in here with Elizabeth David, who was brought up in the South Downs near Polegate. One of her earliest food memories was of collecting wild mushrooms at dawn and her nanny cooking them over a fire in the nursery and serving them with rich cream. She also loved to prepare elaborate picnics that included pork loin slowly stewed in milk which jellified when cold and packed in the picnic hamper. There was also a bottle of Sancerre tucked into the basket.

In September, local chefs will demonstrate how to get the best out of our seasonal produce. A dazzling line-up of food trucks, barbecuers and purveyors of picnic hampers is in the pipeline. Along with the food-related activities, there will be live music. Excitingly, we are selecting high profile food writers and related experts to give a series of talks, making this a true celebration of South Downs food and drink. There will also be an appraisal of the influence of Elizabeth David, examining whether she was a friend or a foe to English food traditions. 

BRINGING UP A NEW GENERATION OF COOKS

Looking back to when I was studying architecture in the 1970s, I am shocked at how little focus there was on making designs work for children.

Lectures and project topics rarely mentioned them, nor was there any reference in the books we studied. Ergonomic studies for children (or kitchen design for that matter) seem to have been beneath the notice of architects. That is not good enough these days. To take a look at ways in which we make kitchens that don’t just welcome children but give them practical support to cook, here is at my new blog.