Platinum List 2015: Kitchens

The age-old adage, “If you can’t stand the heat, get out of the kitchen,” is being turned on its head by a Top Chef-style brigade of high-end kitchen companies that are, quite literally, cooking up a storm for passionate home cooks.

Innovations in design and technology are taking once humble kitchens and transforming them into holy grails of gastronomy with restaurant-quality countertops, cooktops, appliances and tools.

In what proved to be the most hotly contested Ocean Home Platinum List 2015 category, our judging panel narrowed its choices down to four exceptional companies, each offering a unique spin on how contemporary kitchens should look and perform.

Clive Christian

Despite intense competition from American and European kitchen specialists, the bespoke British design firm Clive Christian wowed the judges with its outstanding craftsmanship and exacting standards in custom cabinetry, paneling and construction.

Founded in 1978, the firm fuses the highest quality handcrafted design and materials with a strict environ- mental policy, including zero emissions, zero landfill and channeling waste into renewable energy.

Using carefully selected timbers such as European oak and American walnut from managed resources, Clive Christian adds its own artistry with marquetry, woodcarving, burr veneering and even personalized monograms to create kitchens for the world’s finest private homes. clive.com

Viking Tuscany Ranges

In the ovens category, our judges loved the new Viking Tuscany Ranges, which combine professional performance with eye-catching designs and styling and are perfect for coastal homes and lifestyles.

The recently released ranges are available in 36-and 48-inch widths with various top configurations, coordinating ventilator hoods and dark blue, stainless steel gray, graphite black and antique white color finishes. vikingrange.com

Bosch Benchmark

The judges also loved three new appliances from the Bosch Benchmark range. Its 24-inch glass door refrigerator, 24-inch wall oven and 24-inch electric and gas cooktops are all ideal for compact coastal cottages and vacation homes. bosch-home.com

Wolf Appliances

Long synonymous with the highest quality kitchen equipment, Wolf Appliance impressed our judging panel with Wolf Gourmet, its new line of premium countertop kitchen appliances and tools.

A collaboration with Hamilton Beach Brands, a leader in small household appliances, the line includes a countertop oven, blender and a two- and four-slice toaster, perfectly complementing the stellar kitchen ranges by Wolf and Sub-Zero. subzero-wolf.com

Image Credits: Photo courtesy of Wolf Appliances.