Editing Kitchen (section)

{{short description|Space primarily used for preparation and storage of food}}
{{other uses}}
{{pp-semi-indef}}
[[File:La cuisine (musée dart nouveau, Riga) (7563655820).jpg|right|thumb|250px|An early-20th century [[Art Nouveau]]-style kitchen in [[Riga]]]]

A '''kitchen''' is a [[room (architecture)|room]] or part of a room used for [[cooking]] and [[food preparation]] in a dwelling or in a commercial establishment. A modern middle-class residential kitchen is typically equipped with a [[Kitchen stove|stove]], a [[sink]] with hot and cold running water, a [[refrigerator]], and worktops and kitchen [[cabinet (furniture)|cabinets]] arranged according to a [[modular design]]. Many households have a [[microwave oven]], a [[dishwasher]], and other electric appliances. The main functions of a kitchen are to store, prepare and cook food (and to complete related tasks such as [[dishwashing]]). The room or area may also be used for [[dining]] (or small meals such as breakfast), [[entertaining]] and [[laundry]]. The design and construction of kitchens is a huge market all over the world.<!-- This article is about the kitchen as a room. Details about pans and cookware are not needed in lead. -->

Commercial kitchens are found in [[restaurant]]s, [[cafeteria]]s, [[hotel]]s, [[hospital]]s, educational and workplace facilities, army barracks, and similar establishments. These kitchens are generally larger and equipped with bigger and more heavy-duty equipment than a residential kitchen. For example, a large restaurant may have a huge walk-in refrigerator and a large commercial dishwasher machine. In some instances, commercial kitchen equipment such as commercial sinks is used in household settings as it offers ease of use for food preparation and high durability.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.homedecorexpert.com/the-pros-and-cons-of-using-a-commercial-sink-at-home.html|title=The Pros and Cons of Using A Commercial Sink at Home – Home Decor Expert and|date=2018-06-14|work=Home Decor Expert|access-date=2018-07-22|archive-date=2019-03-30|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190330022733/https://www.homedecorexpert.com/the-pros-and-cons-of-using-a-commercial-sink-at-home.html|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1982/12/09/garden/the-commercial-kitchen-at-home-pros-and-cons-by-carol-vogel.html|title=The commercial kitchen at home: pros and cons |author=Vogel, Carol|date=1982-12-09|work=[[The New York Times]]}}</ref>

In developed countries, commercial kitchens are generally subject to [[public health]] laws. They are inspected periodically by public-health officials, and forced to close if they do not meet hygienic requirements mandated by law.<ref>{{Cite web |title=What Should Be Done Following Health Violations From an Inspection? |url=https://www.fooddocs.com/post/what-should-be-done-following-health-violations-from-an-inspection |access-date=2024-07-22 |website=www.fooddocs.com |language=en}}</ref>