Tony Tobin
Celebrity chef Tony Tobin has cooked up a treat with the help of Price Kitchens.
Tobin, known to millions for his appearances on Ready, Steady, Cook, is entertaining friends and family with a new high quality, individually designed family kitchen.
Claire Douglas, sales director of Price Kitchens, worked on the design in conjunction with Tony, who runs two restaurants in Reigate and Banstead close to his Surrey home.
They got together after Tony and his wife Katie visited Price Kitchens in Croydon to look at the different finishes available ahead of knocking two rooms into one large kitchen and dining area.
Claire, together with local contractor Hystar Construction, then visited Tony at home to discuss building works, how they envisaged using the room and general ideas for the layout before preparing her design which Tony fine-tuned. All aspects of the logical use of the kitchen were considered.
The large double butler sink is a feature and it was agreed to centralise it under the large picture window with the dishwater near to it for ease of use. The range and chimney hood were centralised on the adjacent wall with handy, narrow pull-out baskets either size which Tony insists will be “just right for oils”.
The symmetry was continued with large integrated fridge drawers. Tony said: “These are in a central position between the sink and range and I find them particularly useful when I am preparing for large parties.”
The deep pan drawers are on the opposite side of the range with beautiful curved units at the end to soften the run upon entering the room from the hall door.
Part of the brief was a breakfast bar area. Claire said: “I incorporated this away from the main cooking and preparation area. The angle gives it more interest and sitting with your back to the wall is more sociable being able to talk to people either in the kitchen or dining area. I mirrored the same soft curves as on the main run of units.”
Tony and Katie chose the Dante finish which is a solid European oak with a raised centre panel and selected from 15 colours a soft white cotton painted finish. Stainless steel appliances, handles and beautifully shiny black glass splashback tiles and granite give the room a slightly more contemporary feel.
Once the layout and quotation had been agreed Price Kitchens visited the site with Hystar and finalised all the dimensions before manufacturing and delivering the kitchen. Price Kitchens were on hand throughout the project for practical advice to ensure they ended with the kitchen of their dreams.
The choice to use local experts proved a winner for Tony, whose television credits also include Can’t Cook Won’t Cook, Spice World, The Green Gourmet, Food and Drink and The Generation Game. He said: “Using a local kitchen manufacturer and contractor who have worked together in the past paid dividends as both parties were easily able to visit our home to resolve the inevitable
teething problems that arise with a project of this size.”