From Natural Cookware To Home Garden, Here Are The Home Kitchen Trends For 2022

Chef Bani Nanda, chef & founder at Miam Patisserie, Delhi, observed that while most Indian kitchens are modular in design, none of them is fully functional. 'Who even keeps a cutlery drawer right under the stove?' quips Chef Bani. We agree. The demand for making the kitchen more functional and in-tune with your personal preferences and choices is something that will be on-trend according to her. If you are spending time here, you might as well make it worthwhile and not a Herculean task. Ankur Damani, Country Head of Le Creuset India says that the personalisation comes in the form of indulgent bespoke kitchen applications to personalized accessories that fit into one's lifestyle. Adding themes and colour to the kitchen to make it more attractive and inviting is another thing Ankur observes. 

Kavya Cherian, the founder of Green Heirloom, tells us how her customers often request cookware that is compact and portable. It makes sense since most of her customers are folks who live in metro cities and in rented apartments where space might be a constraint. Chef Bani adds that people might not be looking to invest in multiple pieces of cookware, but only invest in a few really good pieces that will help you do all your cooking. Ankur mentions how people who upgrade to better cookware and appliances also uplift the culinary experience at home. 

Brands We Love: Le Creuset, Green Heirloom, IKEA, and The Indus Valley. 

Building from above, the demand for natural cookware is also on the rise as Kavya and Chef Bani puts it. People who are looking to try out more traditional cookware seeing how they are better alternatives to non-stick. Green Heirloom is one of the brands that does a whole range of clay cookware such as clay kadais, tawas, and uralis (a typical Kerala-style pot) and cast iron cookware such as skillets, grill pans, tawas, and wok. "I'll keep a few durable non-stick with me for everyday use but investing in new cookware really depends on what you are cooking" adds Chef Bani. 

Pro-Tip: You can check out this list of top cookware brands in India which some of the brands listed doing natural cookware. 

Gopal Dwivedi, AVP at Livspace and Kitchen Professional of the Year 2019 by India Kitchen Congress winner, in this company article talks about minimalistic kitchen styles will be in vogue as it will keep the kitchen space-optimised and clutter-free. Something which both Chef Bani and Ankur agree upon. "Keeping the kitchen space-optimised and clutter-free would be the motto" says Ankur. You need a space where you can function at peace. This means investing in proper storage units, kitchen organisers, and compact kitchen utensils. 

Brands We Love: Suite Number Eight, Kohana Homes, Amoliconcepts and plenty more here.

House parties and intimate get-togethers have been on the rise, with more and more people wanting to spend time with their near and dear. According to Melwin Reuben, Culinary Head and Brand Training Head for India and Sri Lanka for Weber, people are finding new ways to remain social with BBQ-ing being one of them. Backyards, terraces, and even compact balconies are upgraded to suit this demand according to Melwin. He adds that even companies have amped up their R&D to meet the demand. Weber's Q Series of gas grills are for balcony settings and for compact spaces.

One thing most of us have found time and energy is growing our mini kitchen garden. With microgreens in an all-time high-trend, there are several companies that sell not just DIY microgreen kits, but also things such as DIY mushroom kits. Brands like Green & Brown for their DIY microgreen kit, and Nuvedo for their mushroom growing kit come highly recommended. 

We agree with Ankur when he tells us how the pandemic and the lockdown brought in a new structure to our life and how meals have become the highlight of the day. According to him, everyone's bitten by the culinary bug and there's constant chatter around planning, sourcing, and cooking food. What to cook and what new recipes to try out have become a part of daily conversation. "All this for a fun-loving experience" adds Ankur.

Some of the brands that have helped us become a chef at home include Krishi Cress, a Delhi-based brand that provides fresh produce to folks in Delhi and Wooly Farms in Bangalore. Brands like Chefling also does DIY kits.

With families making the kitchen a central part of their lifestyle, Ankur observes that there will be a rise in the demand for newer technological upgrades that help in making cooking easier. Say hello to dishwashers, air fryers, and even smart kitchens. In fact, we've done various kitchen appliances and gadgets you can consider investing in. These include top-rated OTGs on Amazon, best multi-pots, and a range of must-have kitchen appliances.

Another kitchen design trend that Ankur believes will be big in 2022 is how the concept of 'colourful spaces' will take over how people would want their kitchen. Contrasting colours to break a single colour monotony and thereby create a livelier experience will take precedence. Ankur mentions how while open kitchens have been a norm in many households, with cooking now becoming a more collective activity that brings families and couples together, there's going to be more demand for this norm.