The Old-School Kitchen Island Substitute That's Trending Its Way Back To Homes

Sick of the same old kitchen island but not sure where to turn? Consider the cook's table. Whether it is placed in a peaceful countryside kitchen or an apartment surrounded by the ambient buzz of a city, a cook's table brings a certain rustic charm to whatever space it occupies.

Commonly found in the center of European kitchens, sturdy, expansive cook's tables traditionally serve as both a communal dining location for sit-down meals and as a surface to place ingredients or prepare plates before serving. Two key benefits of placing a cook's table in the center of a kitchen are that serving meals can be as easy as turning around. Even better, you only have to take a couple steps to grab seconds!

The main drawback of a cook's table is that it does not necessarily provide that extra cabinet space for sauce pans and sauciers alike that kitchen islands so often do. Still, the contrast between a cook's table and kitchen island is not entirely one-sided. While a built-in kitchen island is a commitment in terms of placement, a cook's table can be more easily repositioned.

Even though a cook's table is placed in the heart of the kitchen and can function as another surface for you to place food upon, it does not necessarily create an atmosphere of productivity (or frenzy, depending on your cooking style). Instead, a cook's table is more suited to creating a relaxed eating atmosphere by fusing dining and kitchen spaces. Similar to how a restaurant's environment can make the food taste better, many find that there is something very pleasing about enjoying a meal in its cooking space.

Though a cook's table is perfect for putting a few of Ina Garten's dinner party hacks into practice, it can also function as a surface for plating meals before serving them in a more separated dining room. Ultimately, however, the choice between this table style or a kitchen island is up to you and your household's specific needs. After all, a kitchen island may still be your go-to for the extra storage space it can provide. A few guests may even find their perch on a barstool at the kitchen island to keep the cook company while meal prep is ongoing.