The open kitchen: When two become oneThe open kitchen: When two become one

Display kitchens have been widely used for almost 40 years. Once considered a fad, they remain popular in every segment of the industry, from casual service to five-star fine dining.

Also referred to as open or show kitchens, display kitchens work because of the culinary and visual excitement they create for guests as well as the reduction of wasted back-of-the-house space — the pickup area is shared with dining-room circulation. They also become a stage to showcase special equipment, like wood-fired ovens and rotisseries, tandoori ovens, and expensive European cooking suites.

Display kitchens traditionally have been separated from the dining area by glass walls, fixed counters and/or a food-pass opening. They were built this way because o...