Building the Kitchen

Ken's Kosher Kitchen: It took me months just to get the basic kitchen together. First, there was the design. The main problem was trying to figure out where to put the basics, especially the sink and the stove. Then there was the technical issue of how to get wastewater out of the basement. I resolved that, eventually, by getting an under-the-sink pump, but I didn't know what steps to take. Did I have the plumber over to do rough-in plumbing before putting the cabinet in? No, but I had to communicate with the plumber to make sure I located the sink in a reasonable place. We had found a charming 20-inch used gas stove, and we were expecting the plumber to install a gas hookup. However, a friendly kitchen designer warned me off of putting a gas stove in the basement. Too much hassle, with venting and safety issues. Did I tell you that none of this is code? Kitchens are not allowed in basements here. Anyway, I got the plumber in to do his piece and searched for an electric stove. We found one and then had to get an electrician in to install a 220 outlet and some other electrical frou-frou. In the meantime, I had added another countertop and set a small refrigerator underneath. None of this had too much to do with kosher, except the stove and the refrigerator were used and so required cleaning. However, I did design the kitchen somewhat symmetrically, so it would be easier to separate meat and dairy (and parve, oh my) utensils from each other. The whole thing probably cost a couple thousand dollars by the time all was said and done. What (or, more accurately, who) pushed me was Carole, somewhat to my surprise. She approached it as a project that needed to get done. Whatever the reason, I was grateful for the push. For a guy who is not exactly Mr. Handyman, getting this far was a miracle. Schueller House