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FeedTest Kitchen
An immaculate, award-winning stainless steel kitchen becomes the stage for one of Sam the Cooking Guy’s more casual meals
From his Mission Hills living room, the late Ken Spotts could watch the planes land and take off from Lindbergh Field. The glass wall that spanned the south side of his California ranch home not only provided natural light, it served as a movie screen of sorts, featuring travelers off to amazing locales and adventures. So when it came time to remodel his galley kitchen, the retired businessman and collector of mid-century furnishings wanted a space that would “first and foremost be a piece of art.”
He hired Arclinea San Diego to open up the kitchen and make it blend with the architecture of the home. He also requested that it be designed with modern materials and technology. What Spotts got was a shiny new kitchen—ultra-sleek and sexy, outfitted wall-to-wall, ceiling-to-floor, in the highest grade recyclable stainless steel. Cabinetry, counters and backsplash feature 18/10 stainless steel (18 percent chromium, 10 percent nickel), made with recycled materials and polished with hair-thin tampico fibers for a soft sheen. Glass-front appliances add to the room’s appeal.
“It’s so industrial outside, we knew it would make sense to mirror the look inside,” says Lisa Wilson-Wirth, president and owner of Arclinea San Diego. “The use of hygienic and durable stainless steel provides light reflection and the perfect visual counter to the industrial machines spotted in constant motion below.”
Arclinea gutted the original 14-by-9-foot room while retaining the footprint. In a kitchen this small and narrow, the materials—glass, steel and oak floors—were integral to creating a commanding space that would flow easily into the living and dining rooms. And there is no doubt it is eye-catching.
“I wanted stainless steel because you can’t hurt it,” Spotts said. “But once they put it in, it was so beautiful, I told everyone not to touch it.”
Passionate about modern design, Spotts admitted he had no intention of cooking in the kitchen. “This is still a bachelor’s kitchen,” he said. “I’ll use the fridge ’cause somebody has to.” Other than that, he was happy to simply look at his new piece of modern art.
And then Sam Zien came along.
“It’s so immaculate and clean and stainless everything,” says Zien, otherwise known as Sam the Cooking Guy, whose witty cooking show airs regularly on Channel 4 San Diego (check thecookingguy.com for times). He was looking to film in someone else’s “really cool kitchen” when we introduced him to Arclinea and Spotts.
“A show about cool kitchens doesn’t necessarily mean huge kitchens,” Zien says. “This is really a pristinely perfect kitchen. So why not make really casual food like meatloaf?”
And just like that, Spotts’ kitchen became a scene of uncommon commotion. Zien arrived with his two-person crew to film one of his TV segments. He banged a few pots on the stainless counters, had a hard time getting over how cool the shiny surfaces were and cursed when he couldn’t get the new Gaggenau oven to preheat. But in what seemed only minutes, he turned out an impressive twice-cooked meatloaf and proved once again that for Sam the Cooking Guy, all the world’s a stage.
Sam the Cooking Guy's Twice-Cooked Meatloaf
1 pound ground beef
1 pound ground pork
3/4 cup bread crumbs (Japanese panko crumbs work really well)
1 package fajita seasoning
4 ounces diced green chilies
2 eggs, beaten
Glaze
1 cup ketchup
1/4 cup apricot jam
2 teaspoons chopped chipotle pepper
Preheat oven to 350. Mix all meatloaf ingredients together and put into a greased loaf pan, or shape into a loaf and place on a greased baking sheet. Mix the glaze ingredients together in a bowl.
Bake the meatloaf at 350 degrees for 15 minutes and pour about half of the glaze over it. Return to oven and continue baking for about another 30 minutes. Allow to cool slightly, slice into 1-inch-thick pieces, and finish by grilling on the barbecue. Serve with extra glaze. Serves eight.
Details
Kitchen design by Lisa Wilson-Wirth, president and owner, and Jeremy Gleiberman, project architect, Arclinea San Diego, Bankers Hill, 619-564-7440; arclineasandiego.com. Floor is solid red oak with polyurethane finish from Bedford Lumber Company, supplied and installed by Winfield Flooring, Miramar, 858-587-9007; winfieldflooring.com. Kitchen cabinets are from the Arclinea collection, featuring Convivium door with grooved Elegant handle and doors constructed of 18/10 (AISI 304) stainless steel in Tampico brushed finish. Kitchen countertops also are from the Arclinea collection, featuring custom 18/10 stainless steel countertops with welded sinks by Foster, for Arclinea. Countertops feature single-piece construction and integrated backsplash. Kitchen appliances include Gaggenau fully integrated fishwasher, 30-inch gas cooktop, 36-inch wall hood, 30-inch wall oven and built-in microwave and Sub-Zero 27-inch over-under fully integrated refrigerator-freezer. Glass raised bar and glass backsplash by Karl’s Glass, downtown, 619-239-1711.
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