Delhi-based Sahil Sambhi, founder of Sahil Sambhi Brands, finds himself at home in the kitchen. The busy restaurateur spends hours there, often also researching the best kitchen equipment for his pan-India, award-winning restaurants, which include Japonico, Latango, Vietnom, the more recent Nadoo, which will also have a London address this November, and Yyaki, India’s first duck bar that just opened in Gurugram.
The kitchen, he says, is where form and functionality get braided through luxury. His personal kitchen at home is luxurious and equipped with the latest technology, while also having an elegant design aesthetic. “It is the place where the family gravitates towards to unwind, relax, and catch up,” he says.
Done in red and white Rajasthani marble with single-tone copper décor elements, it boasts a biometric pantry; smartphone-controlled tabletop sigdi; and temperature-controlled drawer warmers so that food doesn’t lose its flavour or texture. The lighting extends beyond the main kitchen area to cabinets, which are electronically operated. There is also a range of built-in appliances, all hidden from view, and a full-fledged waste segregation system.
“The finish of the drawer shutters is from the same material used in the dashboards of luxury cars such as the BMW and Volvo,” says Tanya Mehrotra, founder-director of Designest, who designed this kitchen some months ago. “Luxury,” says Mehrotra, “is about experience. And in a kitchen, whenever the owner steps in, he or she needs to have that experience even while making a cup of coffee.”
Adds Neeti Maacker, founder director, Vasarte, who has designed kitchens for industrialists, politicians, entrepreneurs, celebrities — you name it — for over two decades: “Today’s homeowners entertain in their kitchens, work from kitchen islands, have conversations over coffee, and often spend more waking hours there than in the formal living room.”
The island kitchen now doubles up as. Photo: Courtesy Vasarte
a space for entertaining guests
That said, even as the kitchen becomes the pride of the home, with many opting for modular, open-plan kitchens, the art lies in smartly concealing everything and ensuring minimal sound. So, the drawers open and shut silently with the gentlest touch. Appliances, even chimneys, sink-tops, and cooktops, are designed so as to efficiently disappear through clever concealment behind marble, veneer, and metallic finishes. Lighting and other gadgetry and gizmos are mostly AI controlled. The overall aesthetic is often minimalist, clean, and efficient.
Speaking of gadgetry, what stands out is the inclusion of healthier steam ovens; built-in coffee systems or home barista corners with precision grinders; tea or hot chocolate makers/dispensers; home dessert bars with granita dispensers; cold-pressed juicers; even food waste crushers; motorised lift systems for storage; smartly designed charging points on island counters, and so much more.
Many high-net-worth individuals are also creating more than one kitchen within their homes.
A recent trend is refrigerators being designed as Victorian cabinets with drawers and ventilation. Imagine an antique French armoire wardrobe, wood-carved with stone inlay, an heirloom-worthy piece with metallic accents that, when opened, reveals a hi-tech, smart refrigerator.
“Kitchen sinks, cooktops, chimneys, everything is hidden away through efficient design that conceals to create an impressive look,” says Mehrotra.
In Yogesh Sharma’s two-month-old, 300-plus sq ft kitchen, an AI-enabled smart refrigerator informs him of when it is time to replenish the stock. “I get notifications when, say, eggs in the house are about to get over. I have put in a system wherein they get ordered instantly,” says Sharma, founder of Karigari Ventures, which runs a chain of pan-Indian restaurants.
Sharma brought in a kitchen specialist separate from the architect and interior designer to do the job. With the decor came the tech, such as a potable water machine that dispenses mineral-infused water, and appliances that have self-sanitising systems. A glass of water, or for that matter any beverage, is automatically disinfected when kept at a particular point in the refrigerator. Ditto for the dishwasher, coffee machine, and other kitchen appliances.
“I feel like cooking more at home now,” says Sharma, for whom the kitchen has become the space where he enjoys entertaining friends.
A smart kitchen with built-in appliances, all hidden from view. Photo: Courtesy Vasarte
Who knows, in the near future, with the click of a button, the kitchen might even turn into a dance floor.
 "Culinary sanctuaries: How technology, customisation are reshaping kitchens")
