The role of the kitchen space in Vietnamese family life.
On July 15th, Mr. Nguyen Van Binh – CEO of Bsmart Company, the leading brand in kitchen cabinets, had a conversation with reporters of the “Happy Family Handbook – FM Family” program about the role of the kitchen space in Vietnamese family life.
During the interview, Mr. Binh shared his thoughts on the current trend of Vietnamese consumers’ concern for their kitchen space. He expressed his happiness that in the past 1-2 years, Vietnamese consumers have started paying attention to their kitchen space and considering it an important part of their home construction. In developed countries like Europe, the kitchen space is even more highly valued than the living room, as it represents the breath and quality of life of each family and person. Moreover, the kitchen space also contributes to demonstrating the class of the owner.
When asked about the past attitude towards the kitchen space, Mr. Binh confirmed that in the old society, the kitchen was only considered a cooking area, a part that was not highly valued and was seen as an insignificant part of the house. However, now the trend seems to have reversed as people increasingly understand the importance of the kitchen space. The kitchen space has become even more important as it is now often integrated with the living room. Up to 80-90% of designs of penthouses, high-end apartments, villas, and castles arrange the living room and kitchen space together. This way, while entertaining guests on the luxurious sofa in the living room, the host can still showcase their spouse cooking in the kitchen space that is harmoniously blended in.
On the other hand, in the past, we didn’t have the right view of the kitchen’s role. Cooks didn’t want to cook and were hesitant to enter the kitchen because of the smoke, smells, and heat. Where was the passion, the creativity to create a delicious dish? But now, everything has changed, and women are comfortable and love their kitchens. From there, the emotion of cooking is transmitted to make delicious dishes.
FM Reporter: In your opinion, as an expert in this field, what is the trend for a modern kitchen’s design and space?
Mr. Nguyen Van Binh: The most important thing that people are concerned about is the modernity and the application of technology in today’s kitchen space. It’s similar to fashion! Maybe in 1 or 2 years, the trend will be to prefer this color, this tone, but in 2 or 3 years, it will change to another material or style. In particular, today’s technology is clearly and sharply demonstrated in each kitchen space. For example, in the past, women didn’t want to go into the kitchen because it was hot, smoky, and dirty, but now, things have become more straightforward thanks to modern technology: induction cookers solve the problem of heat, and air conditioning can still be used in the kitchen. The smell of food is processed by air purifiers and exhaust fans to make people feel comfortable in their kitchen space.
FM Reporter: How important is the utility of a kitchen, and how do you evaluate the criteria for utility in designing kitchen spaces for families?
Mr. Nguyen Van Binh: In Vietnam, there is a fact that 95% of kitchen designers have never cooked or have rarely entered the kitchen. So, they cannot really create a practical kitchen space.
