"Fitness is a lifelong journey, and I could not imagine a life of eating boring, bland food just to be healthy," says Kevin Curry, cookbook author and founder of Fit Men Cook. "Now more than ever, I firmly believe that healthier food options do not have to be boring." But because great cooking often requires a large assortment of spices and fresh ingredients, an organized kitchen is an absolute necessity. After Kevin turned to The Container Store to help organize his fridge earlier this year, he was ready to take on the rest of the kitchen in his studio, and we were excited to offer our suggestions. We also sent in one of our expert in-home organizers to ensure it not only looked fantastic, but was functional for daily recipe development and filming his hit social media content. Check out the results below!
Cabinet and Countertop Organization
The first order of business was Kevin's kitchen cabinets. As someone who produces cooking videos, he knows firsthand how vital it is to keep his spices in order, and our Large 3-Tier Bamboo Expanding Shelves displays them perfectly so he can easily find what he needs. iDesign Linus Pantry Bins and a Divided Lazy Susan were also used to sort his various condiments and broths.
On the countertop below, Stackable Bamboo Storage Bins (perfect for wine, spirits, and glasses) were added and Glass Canisters with Matte Black Lids for dry baking ingredients. And for lesser-used mixes and other assorted items, the open shelf space above his cabinets was smartly utilized by stacking neatly-labeled Charcoal Nordic Storage Baskets. With their optional bamboo lids, they coordinate well with the other bamboo products and add a handsome (and sustainable!) touch to the space.
For his island countertop space, Yamazaki Black Tosca Baskets with Wooden Handles corral all of those colorful fruits and veggies. And to keep all of his utensils and cutlery instantly accessible, he now uses a Divided Bamboo Utensil Holder and Acacia Universal Knife Storage Block.
Drawer and Lower Cabinet Organization
To prevent his measuring cups, can openers, and peelers from turning into a cluttered mess, Kevin now has Acacia Organizers inside his kitchen drawers. Because they're modular, they're easily removable and can be shifted around or stacked to accommodate any newly-acquired culinary gadgets.
For those lower cabinets full of lids, pans, and mixing bowls, we again suggested iDesignLinus Pantry Bins, but supplemented them with Chrome Roll-Out Cabinet Drawers mounted to the bottom shelf. These allow heavy loads (up to 55 lbs.) to glide out with ease, which helps the cooking process go off without a hitch.
Pantry Shelf Storage
Kevin uses the open shelves near his fridge to keep a selection of spices, dry goods, and oils at hand. In addition to using Yamazaki Baskets and 3-Tier Bamboo Shelves for some of the contents, he now uses Bamboo Lazy Susans (for oil bottles and cooking sprays), Bamboo Stackable Shelves (for small bowls and mortars), and a Progressive ProKeeper+ Baker's Storage Set (for dietary-specific baking ingredients such as coconut or oat flour). Of course, each of the food storage containers is clearly labeled to prevent any confusion.
Another item Kevin finds extremely useful is our Large White 3-Tier Rolling Cart. He has two, and they can be loaded up with his Pantry Bins, Nordic Baskets, or ProKeeper Containers as needed and used to transport ingredients to his set for filming with ease. For more specialized ingredients like xanthan gum and arrowroot, one of the carts also houses a small set of OXO Steel Pop Containers.
With his newly-outfitted kitchen, Kevin is now ready to shoot his cooking videos, host meals with friends, or just rustle up a quick snack. His carefully calibrated organization, he says, is very inspiring and helps him stay motivated. "I feel energized when I walk into my kitchen," he raves. "All those labeled jars are not only aesthetically-pleasing--they make me want to cook!"
(You can shop all of Kevin Curry's favorite kitchen storage products here.)
