I don't know, but I'm very curious, because that's almost exactly what my kitchen looks like right now!

I'd do both:

Go look at the other dilemma you posted last Wednesday.

https://www.houzz.com/discussions/lighting-over-island-with-cathedral-ceiling-dsvw-vd~984859

Island centered under peak.... Went with pot lights... Might add pendants later...going to live with it for w bit.:)

make sure you wire for adding them at a later date... it will be a pain to add after the drywall goes up. not sure why your contractor said no to pendants other than he likely doesnt personally like them.

check out these cool new light alternatives from Edge Lighting. I love their softline product and have it in my showroom with a 12 foot ceiling and people are WOW'd by it.

http://www.edgelighting.com