Two kitchens – zero confusion
)
Blum Inspirations: Eva, you have recently renovated both your studio kitchen and your private kitchen. First of all, it must be said that it's very unusual for someone to have two kitchens in Austria – how did that come about?
Eva Fischer:I know it sounds like a luxury to some, but my second kitchen – the studio kitchen – is first and foremost a place of work for me. As a photographer, having a separate area where I can prepare and stage the food for my photos is very important to me, it's a bit like someone setting up an office because they work from home. I see it as a clear distinction between my private life and my professional life.
Eva's private kitchen...
...and her studio kitchen
Blum Inspirations: But surely a kitchen's just a kitchen?
Eva Fischer: Odd though it may seem, actually not. How I work in my studio kitchen is very different to how I cook in my private kitchen; in the studio, it's all about accomplishing a task quickly and efficiently. I also use different appliances and ingredients.
In my private kitchen, on the other hand, I like to feel relaxed when I'm cooking. It's a space in which I can prepare meals for my friends, my family and myself at my leisure, and as my partner is also keen to help, the kitchen has to suit him too.
The different requirements are reflected in the layout and design of the kitchens.
Blum Inspirations: Speaking of design – as a food stylist, how important was the look of your kitchens to you?
Eva Fischer:Very important. I'm someone who likes things to be aesthetically pleasing and I have a passion for interior design, so I've naturally brought this passion into my kitchens, which I designed together with interior designer Anna Wieser and Armellini Design. As I have two very different requirements profiles for my kitchens, they are based on two different concepts.
In my private kitchen, the island takes centre stage. We incorporated a clever little visual trick here – the living room side is finished in a muted tone, while we used eye-catching red on the other side so that the kitchen immediately draws your attention when you walk in.
This contrasts completely with the colour concept in the studio kitchen, where we used a calming lime green and a blend of matt and glossy white tiles. Our approach here was to ensure that the kitchen could also serve as a background for my photos, which I use on social media platforms like Instagram. We therefore opted for light-coloured furniture, a simple worktop and natural daylight, all of which comes together to allow to the dishes to shine in the photos.
)
)
)
)
)
)
Blum Inspirations: It doesn't sound easy to juggle two kitchens, so how do you keep everything in its place?
Eva Fischer:My kitchens are both fully equipped, although I've only bought the more expensive appliances once, so they live in one or other of my kitchens, depending on where they are needed most often. Colour coordination also helps to keep things organised to some extent: I know right away that the red food processor belongs to the red private kitchen, for example.
Everything in the kitchens is logically organised, with spices near the hob and cutlery near the dishwasher, and I use practical inner dividing systems in the drawers to avoid confusion. In general, it helps that – unlike in the past – we now always have the cooking processes in mind when finding a place for things.
Tips and tricks for efficient kitchen planning:
)
Blum Inspirations: Wasn't that the case in your previous kitchens?
Eva Fischer:Unfortunately, it wasn't always possible because I simply didn't have the space. The layout of the cabinets wasn't well thought out so they were cluttered, and anything I didn't have room for had to sit on the worktop or even be kept outside the kitchen, taking up space elsewhere. Everything is quicker and easier when it's organised like it is now because I can find everything right away, which makes cooking so much more enjoyable!
The fact that my two kitchens used to be in two different buildings also made things more difficult. Now I only have to walk into the next room when I need something from the other kitchen, such as props for staging my photo shoots. I've got a lovely collection of handmade ceramics, for example, which I usually display on a shelf in my private kitchen, but which I sometimes use when creating my photos.
)
Eva keeps everything she needs for a relaxing coffee break in a separate coffee bar, along with part of her ceramics collection.
Blum Inspirations: What do you personally consider to be the highlights in your kitchens?
Eva Fischer: I love my spice drawers, they are much better than before. I have a spice holder from Blum in both of my kitchens, so everything is now neatly and clearly arranged, which makes a huge difference. I'm always keen to show off the drawer when I reveal my new kitchen to my friends. I also really like the knife holder, which keeps everything safely stored and yet still to hand. My film dispenser is a real game changer, as you can imagine. I've also fallen completely in love with our bottle pull-out in the studio kitchen – in fact I've actually installed two in here: one for oils and vinegar, and the other for the bottles of wine and other drinks that I often need for my photos.
)
Eva is always keen to try out new things, which is why the passionate cook keeps her spice drawer extremely well stocked. With the practical spice holder from AMBIA-LINE, she has everything clearly organised.
)
With the convenient knife holder, Eva has her knives readily to hand when cooking – and when she's finished, everything goes back in the drawer so the worktop stays tidy.
)
With the film dispenser, there's no more searching for the start of the roll and Eva can quickly get back to cooking and taking photos.
)
The bottles of wine for Eva's shoots are neatly stowed away in the bottle pull-out and are easily accessible.
Blum Inspirations: Before you fitted your kitchens, you did a "kitchen test drive" in the Blum showroom in Dornbirn. How did you find it?
Eva Fischer:My visit to the showroom was fascinating because it really showed how practical a kitchen can be. When planning a kitchen, I think most people have the aesthetics in mind rather than where things belong. The practical use of a kitchen should always be a key factor.
Find your Blum showroom
)
About Eva Fischer
Eva Fischer is an Austrian cookery book author and an expert in food styling and food photography. She runs the "foodtastic" blog, where she specialises in healthy and gluten-free recipes with a focus on indulgence. In her latest book, Eva takes a creative approach to traditional Vorarlberg cuisine. Eva lives with her partner and parents in a multi-generational house in Dornbirn, where she has set up her own studio kitchen in addition to her private kitchen.
Eva's blog and website
)
A journey through Vorarlberg cuisine
If you're hungry for more, Eva has prepared another classic recipe from Vorarlberg: Bierakratzat. Bierakratzat is the fruity, regional counterpart to "Kaiserschmarren" from Vienna. It is made with pears, and is recommended as a dessert. You can find even more recipes like this in Eva's cookery book "Vorarlberger Küche".
)
Bierakratzat is a traditional recipe from Vorarlberg
The interview at a glance:
Eva Fischer has a private kitchen and a studio kitchen, with the latter serving as her "home office".
The different requirements are reflected in the layout and design of the kitchens.
Workflows have been taken into account in each kitchen, with everything being placed exactly where it's needed.
Practical inner dividing systems prevent messy drawers,
while smaller aids such as spice holders and film dispensers make working in the kitchen easier.
A separate bottle pull-out provides quick access to oils and vinegar.