Opinion | How the open kitchen design trend shows Hongkongers’ waning love of cooking Chinese food

One of the biggest home design trends in the last 25 years is the rise of the open kitchen.

Watch any home renovation TV show and the most frequent advice given by the construction expert is to tear down the walls separating the cooking space from the living and dining room to create one large, casual area that invites flexible and communal functionality.

This design innovation began gaining popularity in the mid-20th century, highlighting cooking as a social activity and allowing mothers to keep an eye on their children while making dinner. By now, the design format is pretty much a norm in North American homes – and it is also becoming a preference here in Asia.

In Hong Kong, almost every renovation dream is to open up space, expand the kitchen and create more “flow” by reducing unnecessary barriers. It might not completely eliminate the claustrophobia of our tiny flats, but 300 square feet (28 square metres) suddenly feels much bigger when it is a studio instead of several cramped compartments.

Property agents love to tout the fabulous social gatherings and parties you could host, in which you wow friends and relatives by encouraging gourmet interaction. They might even suggest that a modern open kitchen will enhance market value. And why not use the space to display that fancy espresso machine and KitchenAid mixer too?