Here's a great blog entry about the steps you would go through to turn those cabinets into a beautiful white space. The more preparation and care you give to your project the better the outcome for years to come. The less you do to prep the cabinets the more likely you're going to have chipping and peeling paint very quickly.
http://www.allthingsthrifty.com/2012/08/how-to-paint-your-kitchen-cabinets.html