If hob is on your island where do you keep your olive oil, salt & pepper etc?

[BangingBetty]

Hi,
We are having an extension and would love a hob on an island. However, where do you keep the things you cook with all the time? At the moment they are all on the counter against the wall by the hob or in a cupboard to the side.
Do you have in a drawer below?

Our island with bin is always kept clear. We have a drawer in the run of units behind the island where spices, salt and pepper is kept, then a large larder unit beside that which holds the oils and vinegars. It looks much better to not have any extra clutter on the surfaces of the kitchen IMO!

Cupboard directly behind. I used to do the same as you but I like that my surfaces are generally less cluttered now.

If you have the hob on the island, you might need to have a false drawer at the top to allow for the fittings underneath the hob which is what we needed to have. Under that is a utensil drawer, then a large pan drawer for pots.

I don't have an island job (though in my dreams I do!) but I wouldn't have things out anyway. Before starting to cook I get everything out and ready ('mise en place' to the French 😉) and afterwards all the clutter is cleared back away.

My hob isn't on an island, but I have nothing on the worktops ever, I get everything out as part of my prep, I have a caddy for the often used items. It gets put away in my larder after.

I've recently had a kitchen refit with the hob in the island. Initially I thought I would use one of the drawers underneath for spices and oils but I soon realised it just didn't work for me and that keeping pans there worked better.
I now keep them in a cupboard on the wall to the side of the island where I can keep them at eye level, easier to spot what I need.
I get them out before cooking and clear them all away straight after.

I have a hob on an island but keep everything in the cupboards. I like to keep the island clear of stuff unless i'm cooking. There's normally just a fruitbowl out on the side.

I have a double door larder cupboard just behind the island where the hob is. Get everything out first and then put it away after. I have space by the hob for prep and cooking ingredients like oil, butter, salt and pepper etc. I try and keep the island clear. The cupboard means everything is at eye level. Below that is a utensil drawer and then crockery drawers. So it’s all handy.

I have 2 waste bins in the island, a prep sink with a waste disposal unit and pan/utensil drawers. I have my second built in oven below the hob. You don’t need much space for an induction hob. Below that is my casserole/oven dish drawer.

I just like having everything in its place and near to my prep cooking area.

Thanks - very helpful. You are all much tidier then me! Putting in pantry sounds like the way ahead.

I had a peninsula, not an island, and realised that it could have hinged doors on the "dining" side as well as the "cooking" side. So you can put some things accessible from there, such as plates, serving dishes and cookery books, and use the "cooking" side for your utensils and ingredients.

The best design I ever saw was built by a theatre set designer. The "island" was on large rubber wheels and could be pushed to the side of the room, or pulled out as a island prep and serving table, with pans, ingredients, bin, utensils, machine etc accessible from the ends and working side. It did not have a sink or hob, though.

Pull out larder cupboard behind. I cannot STAND clutter on the island or surfaces (that doesn’t mean there isn’t any....) but by having the hob more visible I find it makes me more inclined to keep it tidy.

My island is 1300 wide and the far side has the water softener, picnic and unbreakable crockery, bbq stuff, cookery books, less used electric cooking equipment etc.

Having plates near the dining room sounds good but if you want to warm them first or put them near the hob/oven to serve you still access them from the kitchen. Depends how you serve meals though.

I take my lead from Nigella, so most things to hand. I do find it helps to put things on a small tray though, stops them wandering and spreading out and means it’s easier to wipe round .

A tray sounds like a fab idea, a nice heavy one too!

All great ideas. I might be minimal and tidy for at least a couple of weeks......

My island, not quite built yet, has a narrow pullout drawer for herbs/oil/salt to one side of the hob.

I’ve got my bins either side of the hob!