Marc Vetri, restaurant owner and Iron Chef winner, recently remodeled the kitchen in his Philadelphia row home with the support of designer Michael Gruber, who also built Vetri’s restaurants. A special thanks to chef Michael Symon for introducing me to Vetri therefore that I could inquire about his perfect house kitchen.
Chef: Marc Vetri
Location: Philadelphia
Restaurants: Vetri, Amis, Osteria, Alla Spina
TV shows: Iron Chef
Novels: Rustic Italian Food
Specialty: Italian cuisine
Q. What is your perfect kitchen design? It looks like you’ve got a galley-style kitchen with a massive island.
A. We just redid our kitchen last year. We were working within the limitations of an old home, which means you can’t always get whatever you want.
We were able to match an 111/2-foot island, with an overhang at the conclusion that’s room for four stools.
We have our 60-inch range from the island, so that I can cook and talk to people and hang out with my children.
Marc Vetri’s house kitchen; photos by Mark Havens
Q. And also your perfect cooking appliance arrangement?
A. I desired wall ovens, but with all the constraints of this distance, we opted for a Wolf 60-inch stove with four burners, a barbecue and a French shirt. It’s two full size ovens, but they’re beneath the cooking surface. Additionally an external blower; they’re less noisy.
Q. What do you think of available burners versus closed burners to get a stove top? Electric versus gas oven?
A. We’ve got dual fuel at home and all gas, including gas ovens, from the restaurant. For your house, electrical is more accurate and easier to work with. No massive taste on burners, however I use the French shirt a lot. You may cook burgers directly on the metal. It is great to own, but folks get a little preoccupied. It is just a thick sheet of metal which gets hot. A sauté pan is the same thing if you understand how to utilize it.
Q. What one additional kitchen cooking gadget would you propose for a house cook?
A. I believed that I needed an induction cooktop, but I actually couldn’t find what I needed at the time. A wall detergent oven would be good. I really don’t think a counter steamer is essential — you can certainly do this with a pan and water.
Q. Would you rather do an induction cooktop for a substitute for gasoline — or as a supplement?
A. that I think they may be used for everything. Safer for youngsters, too, when you’ve got your cooktop in the island.
Q. What dishes would you cook to test-drive a brand new appliance?
A. I would just cook a meal and find out how things operate.
Q. What kind of refrigeration arrangement did you need?
A. We travelled with a 48-inch side-by-side stainless steel Sub-Zero, however when we’d had the room, I would have done a 60-inch arrangement.
Q. What is your Perfect cleanup arrangement? Sinks first.
A. Ideally would have a sink in the island, and would have loved a second dishwasher.
Q. What about taps? Few individuals actually think about how they can make life simpler depending on the design, however as much as I like function, I can’t endure a unsightly faucet.
A. Frankly, didn’t actually Consider It.
Q. I expected you to say, “One which sprays water”
I understand homeowners that agonize over pops for weeks. I tell folks all of the time that chefs do not sweat some of these things.
Q. What is your favorite backsplash substance?
A. Old subway tile or classic tile.
Q. Your favorite countertop material by the range? For an island? For prepping? For baking?
A. I knew I wanted really thick wood tops somewhere, and we did a really thick marble on the island.
Q. What is your favorite material for a kitchen floor?
A. In a home definitely a wood floor — simpler when you’re standing on it daily.
Q. Your view on perfect lighting for a home kitchen?
A. Recessed can lighting which move so you can steer the light. Enjoy the pendants that we did within the dining table; they’re made from older Campari bottles.
Rebekah Zaveloff | KitchenLab
Q. What ingredient could you not live without?
A. Oil.
Photo by Steve Legato
More: Watch what TV chef Michael Symon likes in a kitchen