Kitchen of the Week: A Rental Kitchen That Moonlights
An up-and-coming California food photographer puts her kitchen to work as both a cooking lab and a photo studio
Andy Sermonia is one of those rare renters with a great kitchen, which includes ample wood cabinets, granite counters and a granite backsplash. But prepping and photographing dishes for Sermonia's blog still can be a challenge when she's working with a lot of ingredients. The photographer and mom maneuvers like a whirlwind, making the most of her San Mateo, California, kitchen by finding new storage tricks and keeping her counter space clear and clean.
Cabinets are organized carefully by task and types of items. Keeping often-used items close to work stations helps keep counters clear and the kitchen looking spick-and-span. Any extra counter space can be used to dress things up with pretty and practical kitchen accessories.
To keep her cabinets extra organized, Andy often makes use of simple white hooks that can be attached with mounting tape. "It has definitely helped me in terms of storage, and it's great for renters with landlords that don't allow drilling in the walls."
Q. What's one storage or space-saving secret you've learned from your kitchen?
A. Keep everything close by — not that they aren't yet! Have everything categorized; that way, looking for things you need becomes much easier.
To keep her cabinets extra organized, Andy often makes use of simple white hooks that can be attached with mounting tape. "It has definitely helped me in terms of storage, and it's great for renters with landlords that don't allow drilling in the walls."
Q. What's one storage or space-saving secret you've learned from your kitchen?
A. Keep everything close by — not that they aren't yet! Have everything categorized; that way, looking for things you need becomes much easier.
Sermonia's hardwood floors make cleanup a breeze. Since she rents, she didn't choose her kitchen finishes, but her all-white kitchen accessories and dishes create continuity and brightness.
Q. What are three of your kitchen luxuries or accessories that you love?
A. Definitely the food processor — I use it a lot to prep; the mixer for when I bake pastries; and the oven.
Q. What are three of your kitchen luxuries or accessories that you love?
A. Definitely the food processor — I use it a lot to prep; the mixer for when I bake pastries; and the oven.
Sermonia shoots most of the material for her blog and portfolio in a small spot right next to the kitchen. A small table with white and black backgrounds nearby helps her get the most out of her home's natural light.
Q. What's one thing you hope to change in your kitchen in the near future?
A. Since we are just renting, I'm learning more and more what I really want in a kitchen. Definitely lots of space, bigger cabinets and a really big pantry! An island would be nice too. And since I'm 80 percent photographer and 20 percent cook, I really need big windows to let a lot of natural light in to photograph my little kitchen experiments.
Q. What's one thing you hope to change in your kitchen in the near future?
A. Since we are just renting, I'm learning more and more what I really want in a kitchen. Definitely lots of space, bigger cabinets and a really big pantry! An island would be nice too. And since I'm 80 percent photographer and 20 percent cook, I really need big windows to let a lot of natural light in to photograph my little kitchen experiments.
Straightforward, crowd-pleasing pasta dishes are one of Sermonia's favorite things to whip up for a dinner party. This creamy mushroom pasta is a staple in her house and can be put together with minimal cookware and ingredients.
Q. What's your go-to dish for a dinner party at your home, and why?
A. Almost anything Filipino. I grew up eating Filipino food and have watched my mom, dad, aunts, uncles and grandmas cook it. It was something that came naturally and still does. And then there's pasta! It's easy, and everyone likes it.
Q. What's your go-to dish for a dinner party at your home, and why?
A. Almost anything Filipino. I grew up eating Filipino food and have watched my mom, dad, aunts, uncles and grandmas cook it. It was something that came naturally and still does. And then there's pasta! It's easy, and everyone likes it.
Like most food-loving renters, Sermonia dreams of the day when she can have a new kitchen exactly to her liking. "The best advice I can give is to make sure to always clean your kitchen and clear out the countertops as much as you can," she says. "The less things on them, the better."
Magnetized items help keep must-haves neat. Magnetic spice holders and notepads — like those on the side of the fridge at the far right of this photo — help Sermonia stay organized. "Notebooks are really important for my recipes," she says. "I always have one in the kitchen."
Q. What's one thing that you love about your kitchen?
A. It has a lot of storage. I am able to hide away kitchen equipment easily, which is important to me, because I like having a lot of countertop space to work with.