The kitchen is a magical world. It has always exercised a great fascination on both adults and children. It is a place made of flavors, scents, sounds, colors, rituals… The kitchen has turned over the years, until it became the real heart of the home, the perfect synthesis of form and function.
Today the kitchen is the place dedicated to conviviality, and cooking is a moment to be shared with family and friends. As the chef Nicol Maria Pucci points out in her “Manuale di cucina per bambini”, in the past children were introduced to cooking with naturalness, through knowledge, manual skills and stories – told by their mothers or grandmothers. While they were preparing meals, these women welcomed their children into the kitchen – the domestic hearth.
The kitchen designed for children
Teaching children to cook means keeping alive a cultural heritage that has been handed over generations. Inspired by this very new and at the same time ancient way of conceiving the kitchen, Francesco Vasquez is the young product designer that designed NaNa Kitchenette.
The aim of his kitchen concept, sponsored by Alta, was to devise a system that would encourage conviviality and ergonomics for children. A solution that would allow them to safely approach the stove, with a greater safety compared to traditional kitchens.
This is the NaNa concept, the mobile kitchen with height adjustment, designed for different scenarios and suitable for both indoor and outdoor use.
The kitchen for fun and learning
NaNa is composed by two units, equipped with wheels: they are easily transportable, flexible and versatile in use. Moreover, the adjustable height: from a minimum of 50 cm to a maximum of 90 cm. The round shape was designed specifically to encourage cooking together and recreate a space for union, collaboration, learning and cultural growth.
NaNa concept does not intend the kitchen only as a fun opportunity to spend time together, but also as a place of culture and learning, in which the baby chefs could learn the basics of food and environmental education.
Children can experiment with new recipes and dishes next to their parents, learning about food and creating a good relationship with even the least favorite food, such as fruits and vegetables.