Nobody uses the buildings entertainer’s kitchen so let’s stock it with chef-made meals.

A few years ago I lived in a building with a lot of useless amenities and the one I hated paying for the most was our communal kitchen.

It was a beautiful chef kitchen with a huge marble slab island, luxury fridges (yes multiple) and a farmhouse style sink topped with designer tap ware.

I was excited to use it. That was until I moved in and realised it was simply a stage for serving with no way to prepare food.

It was my own fault, I should have looked closer during the tour. Instead I was distracted by how embarrassed I’d feel for all my neighbours to see me burn dinner as they passed by on their way home from work.

The kitchen being placed in an insanely high traffic area of the building should have been my first clue it was just for looks.

That discovery was made after I’d invited friends over for dinner only to spend most of the night running upstairs to my apartment because the drawers did not hold cutlery or other serving essentials as I had assumed.

Developers love to add these “kitchens” to common areas.

Are they for the residents though or just to pad promotional material?

It doesn’t matter because I have the perfect solution. Add a chef and this turns into a beneficial space for the whole community.

Who wouldn’t want chef-made meals regularly?

A few nights a week (or more, depending on general interest) have a chef prepare dinner and portion it into single serve containers that residents can pick up from the fridge on their way home in the evening.

My building also had a separate drinks fridge that was always annoyingly empty that could also be kept stocked with drinks and sweet treats to go with the meal.

When the cost is shared across multiple people it would become a very reasonable expense. Having healthy and flavourful dinners, prepared and ready to heat and eat is a huge luxury.

It’s not just residents that would benefit either. Chef-made meals would be a deciding factor for many people when choosing where to live so the development team would undoubtedly reap the rewards too.

It would be so easy to implement too. The infrastructure is already there.

All you need is a private chef (even one just starting out, no one is expecting a 6 course meal), they could release a menu 2 weeks ahead. Residents submit how many they want of each dish (I’d order extra for lunch throughout the week) and then you pick up your order from the fridge.

There could be some stealing but most buildings boasting entertainers kitchens also have plenty of security cameras that would deter a lot of dishonesty.

If you wanted to go a step further you could add a stove and oven and have the chef cook on site. Or even offer cooking classes to the residents as well.

Trust me, there’s nothing millennials love more than food related events. It would be a hit. And I’d feel like I’m getting some worth out of an otherwise abandoned space.