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Fortunately, massive space is not required for a professional kitchen of your own. In fact, many chefs prefer a smaller kitchen to spend more time cooking and less time walking from one area to another. Here are the top 10 tips so you can set up your own professional-style kitchen at home.

7. Floorplan

This is an essential element for any kitchen. You’ve probably heard about the magic triangle – with the fridge, cook, and prep areas being the three points of the triangle. With this layout, reaching for a forgotten item or giving the sauce a quick stir as you prep other elements of the meal is easy. Trash cans with automatic opening lids let you keep your area tidy.

6. Work Zones

Professional kitchens have a zone for every stage of meal preparation. Have part of your space just for assembling the individual ingredients or mise en place. For instance, this is where you would clean and cut down carrots and other vegetables for a soup. Then you would move over to the cooking area to bring the soup to life. Keep commonly used utensils in each area to further simplify your tasks.

5. Appliances

Any chef will tell you that the end result depends on the quality of your equipment. That said, higher-end residential appliances are perfect for cooking at home. Leave the commercial equipment to busy restaurants. You’ll save money and energy, while avoiding costly upgrades often required to power and ventilate commercial kitchen equipment.

4. Countertops

Granite is beautiful and can make any kitchen look fantastic, as long as it’s assiduously kept up. If you cook a lot, go for soapstone or compressed quartz. Both of these products look good, are easy to maintain, can handle high heat without damage, and are perfect for rolling out pasta or pastry doughs.

3. Pots and pans

Good pans make cooking much easier for the chef. When searching out the best pots and pans, look for ones that are made of heavier gauge materials. These pans will hold heat evenly and are less likely to warp. For low and slow cooking, such as braising, a cast-iron Dutch oven is essential. This pan can be used on the stovetop for searing meats and sweating vegetables before heading into the oven. By having one pan for both steps, you don’t lose any flavor and you save on clean-up.

2. Knives

The most versatile knife in any kitchen is the chef’s knife. This is usually an 8 to 10-inch knife with good balance and feel. Try plenty of styles before you settle on a purchase since this knife will get the most use. Also, look for one with a metal tang, which has the metal of the blade running down the length of the handle. If you’re lucky, the chef’s knife you choose can be part of a larger cutlery set, with a block or magnetic strip for simple storage to complete your professional kitchen.

1. Organization

The key to any kitchen, from the smallest to the largest, is organization. Group cookware in one area and keep spices close by as well. The pantry is a great place to keep boxed and canned goods, as well as bulkier items like flour and sugar. Group like items together, such as baking soda and powder near chocolate chips and chopped nuts. Smaller items, such as seasoning packets or boxes of gelatin can be put into a clear container, to keep them from scattering throughout the pantry or cabinet.