Why We Have a Prep Kitchen & What is it?

When we built our last home from the ground up, one of my favorite decisions we made was including a prep kitchen. And when we bought our current house—where the kitchen was already done—we didn’t skip a beat: we turned the oversized walk-in pantry into a prep kitchen of our own. It’s a little bit hidden, totally practical, and honestly one of the best features we’ve had in both homes.

So if you’ve ever wondered what a prep kitchen actually is—or if it’s worth the hype—here’s how we use ours, why it works for us, and how it might work for you too.

First off: What even is a prep kitchen?

It goes by a few names: prep kitchen, back kitchen, catering kitchen. Some are huge with a second fridge and full-size oven; others are just a super functional nook. The idea is the same—it’s a space near the main kitchen where you can handle the behind-the-scenes stuff: prep work, cleanup, storage, or messes you’d rather not show off when guests are over.

How we use ours

In our current house, we turned the walk-in pantry into a super functional prep kitchen with a big sink, tons of storage, a built-in trash can—and our microwave, which we purposely tucked in there to keep it out of the main kitchen. We don’t have a dishwasher in this space, but it’s where all the not-so-pretty (but totally necessary) appliances live: the blender, the toaster, the stand mixer, etc. Everything stays out of sight, which keeps the main kitchen feeling clean and clutter-free.

Here’s how it works in our daily life:

• My husband does most of the dishwashing, and he uses the prep kitchen sink to keep the main kitchen mess-free while we’re cooking or hosting.
• We use it as our “ugly appliance zone.” You know the ones—super useful but not exactly display-worthy.
• It’s a backup sink during cooking. The main kitchen sink stays dedicated to active cooking tasks like rinsing veggies or straining pasta.
• We only hand-wash in the prep kitchen. The dishwasher is in the main kitchen, right where we eat and store dishes, so it made more sense to keep it there. That way, all the day-to-day workflow just… works.

It’s not a second full kitchen, but it makes a huge difference in how clean, calm, and functional our kitchen feels.

What a prep kitchen can be (if you’re planning your own)

Even though ours is pretty simple, prep kitchens can be as minimal or luxe as you want. Here are a few ways people design them depending on how they cook, host, or live:

• The entertainer’s dream: Includes a second fridge, sink, dishwasher, and lots of countertop space so you can prep food, stash dishes, and plate things out of sight while keeping the main kitchen pristine for guests.
• The baking zone: If you love baking, you can add a second oven or even a marble counter for working with pastry dough.
• The coffee + smoothie bar: Built-in espresso machines, blenders, or a juicer can live here so they’re always ready to go but don’t crowd your main kitchen space.
• The mess-hider: If you’ve ever hosted a party and wished you could magically make the dirty dishes disappear… yeah, this is the space where that magic happens.

Is it worth it?

If you’re building a new home or remodeling your kitchen, I’d say 100% yes—especially if you love to cook, have a busy household, or just hate looking at countertop clutter. You don’t need to go big. Even a small, well-planned prep kitchen (or converted pantry like ours!) can be a total game-changer.

It’s not just a luxury—it’s one of those thoughtful design decisions that actually makes everyday life smoother.