Size matters

You think your kitchen is small? Some Gotham restaurants manage in equally cramped conditions. See how Graffiti chef-owner Jehangir Mehta makes his 40-square-foot space work-and readers, do try this at home.

By Daniel Gritzer Wed Apr 23 2008

Photograph: Beth Levendis

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“In Holland they have these storage baskets hanging all over the place in apartments,” says Mehta. He uses this one for dirty aprons and dish towels. It can be easily lowered using an old boat pulley that he scored from an antique market.

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Any New Yorker knows that smart use of vertical space is essential when real estate is limited. “We keep many things on our shelves,” Mehta says. “The 15 spices we use the most, about ten stacks of small plates and a few metal canisters for our cooking utensils.” The powerful commercial convection oven sits on a shelf at head level, forcing chefs to dodge the burning-hot stainless-steel door as it opens and closes throughout service. Home convection ovens are sold at cooking.com.

Photograph: Beth Levendis

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Don’t mistake these for hot plates. Induction burners use an electromagnetic current to heat cookware, shifting temperature as rapidly as gas. They can cost hundreds, but their energy efficiency lowers the bills. Mehta uses Iwatani models from Broadway Restaurant Supply (21 E 17th St between Fifth Ave and Broadway, 212-807-8877).

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Counter space is a hot commodity in an undersize kitchen. Cooks need it for their cutting boards, containers of salt and other essentials, and to plate food before sending it to the customers. Mehta planned many details with this in mind. “If we had put in an oven with the range top, we wouldn’t have enough space to work,” he says.

Photograph: Beth Levendis

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Mehta proudly shows off his clever double use of these rice cookers. “We fill the bottom with a small amount of water and then insert stacking bamboo trays, which we use to steam dishes like our pork dumplings with grapefruit confit,” he says. This gets the two induction burners off of boiling duty, freeing them to do what they do best: pan-roasting and sautéing. Eight-inch steamers: $20 at Bowery Kitchen Supplies (Chelsea Market, 75 Ninth Ave between 16th and 17th Sts, 212-376-4982); Breville ten-cup rice cooker: $59.99 at bedbathandbeyond.com.

Photograph: Beth Levendis

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These minibraisers nest so they’re easy to store, and are good for heating individual portions. “I bought these at a restaurant-closing auction, which you can find listed in the Times on Sunday,” says Mehta. Eight-inch versions can be found from $94.99 at cooking.com.

Photograph: Beth Levendis

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Most of the gear here is for commercial use, but Mehta also incorporated a few home gadgets: “Those work well for us because they are designed to be compact.” Take this strainer, which collapses for easy storage; it’s available for $14.95 at crateandbarrel.com.

Photograph: Beth Levendis

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There’s no room here for a walk-in refrigerator, let alone the freestanding variety. The solution is under the counter: two half-size units plus one freezer. It’s a setup common to restaurant kitchens, allowing cooks to access items without having to move. The subcounter space is also where you’ll find the dishwasher. Restaurants use industrial appliances, but this system can be replicated at home with versions designed for residential use, like those sold at cooking.com.

Photograph: Beth Levendis

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Some say that no self-respecting chef uses a microwave. But the truth is, they are acceptable for certain jobs. “When I reheat my lentil soup or shredded braised pork, the microwave doesn’t change anything,” explains Mehta. It’s an important tool in a kitchen this small, freeing the induction burners for essential tasks. “I bought the smallest one I could find,” he says. Compact models by Sharp are $79.99 at bedbathandbeyond.com.

TH3 NUMB3RS @ Graffiti
224 E 10th St between First and Second Aves, 212-464-7743