<p style="text-align:center;"><img class="aligncenter" style="border:0 none;" src="http://www.remain-silent.com/cm/kitchenenvy/chuckhugheskitchen.jpg" alt="Chuck Hughes Kitchen" width="450" height="326" /></p>
What's that rather fetching man doing at the centre of this weeks Kitchen Envy you ask? He is a key feature of a kitchen I have mucho envy of. It's no secret that <a href="http://www.cookingchanneltv.com/chucks-day-off/index.html">Chuck's Day Off</a> is by far one of my most favourite shows on the Cooking Channel. Not only does the show-titled host have an almost supernatural love of food, (he is decorated in tattoos of lobster and lemon meringue pie - <em>miam miam</em>), but he moves around the kitchen with the ease and familiarity of a dancer reciting a tried and tested routine. I could go on and on about Chuck..but his kitchen, ahhh..that kitchen!

First of all let's be fair. The kitchen is a 'professional' one as it resides in the restaurant Garde Manger that Chuck owns, so it has space for features that the average Joe-Schmo would be unable to have.  In my fantasy world, I would live in a raw loft space where I would have the flexibility to build such a kitchen.

Take a peek behind Chuck's back and over his shoulder to see just why i envy him:

- <strong>Fruits and Veg open and out in receptacles for quick easy access.</strong> Need a handful of Cilantro? Grab. A Meyer lemon? It's right there. All washed and ready to go the elongated workspace is flanked by fruit, veg and herbs that are organised, clean and ready to use. Sometimes I get all turned around in my small kitchen space and am constantly opening draws, digging in baskets and bumping the fridge door into my legs to get what I need. Having what's needed at arms reach is truly a dream.

- <strong>Beaucoup, beaucoup burners and a shelf above the stove. </strong>You can just make it out behind Chucks right shoulder - the huge cooker allows for simultaneous cooking of a lot of stuff and different sized pots of stuff.  ( I likes me some 'stuff', especially food 'stuff'), and the shelf above it holding a slew of cast iron pots helps keep the stuff that just came off the stove warm. Practical, enviable and a neccessity in my fantasy kitchen.

- <strong>Multiple work surfaces on the go.</strong> Chopping block on one side for fruits and veg. Cutting surface on the other side for meats - or in my case tofu's and tempeh's. I am a freak about not cutting certain things on the same board. Even though I no longer eat meat, I won't let my fruits and veg touch my tofu/tempeh etc cutting board - force of habit. If I could have both on the go at once (my kitchen doesn't have enough space to allow this), then I would be beyond happy.

- <strong>Serious ceiling height.</strong> You might think I am clutching at straws here but think about it. Ever had a rambunctious sauce get the better of you and end up on the ceiling? No? You will. Having an insanely high ceiling to let steam, AWOL sauces and the like do their thing without causing you a paint job is truly an enviable kitchen feature.

I could go on and on - the ladle rack, the utility sink, the variety of textures from subway tile to wood to stainless steel to terracotta tile but I won't. You will just have to <a href="http://www.cookingchanneltv.com/chucks-day-off/index.html">tune in to the show</a> to get an even fuller experience of the space.

One day I will for sure make it to Garde Manger in Montreal and { hopefully } get a closer look, but in the meantime, I am willing to drool over this lovely kitchen from afar.

<em>image via <a href="http://blstb.msn.com">msn canada</a></em>