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Comment by animalnewbie | Hacker News Reader

I am not suggesting that personal cooking or kitchens be abolished. I am only fantasizing, out of selfish interest, that the infrastructure around cooking is so developed that I can buy kitchen time and raw materials in required quantities at my local public kitchen and cook whatever I need, whenever. By the time I'm done cooking, the other portion of my meal will have been prepared by chefs elsewhere.

You're free to make and clean and keep pest-free your own. Kitchen if you're so inclined.

My fantasies haven't accounted for a kid yet I should confess .

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I really don't understand this. But I really don't understand. Isn't a kitchen inside your house more convenient? I mean, then you can eat the food at home, which is much nicer than eating out.

Maybe if I'm trying to make something fancy, a fancy kitchen which is equipped with stuff I don't have would be useful? Paired with cooking lessons?

But if I want to make pancakes on the weekend before I put on my coat and boots, I need a kitchen at home.

The rental kitchen for fancy meals is still pretty useless unless either 1) you live in a high-rise condo and it's in your building, a short elevator ride away from your home, or 2) you're going to eat at the rental kitchen.

Otherwise, you're going to make some really fancy meal, then pack it up, bring it home, and by the time you get home and unpack it and plate it, it'll be stone cold. What's the point of making fancy food if it's going to be cold when you eat it, or you have to microwave it?

The main issue that I run into with this idea is that it would require cooking to be the only activity done at a time. I like to slowly prepare food over several hours, relaxing whenever there are steps that require waiting. Knead the bread, then do something else while it rises. Dice the tomatoes for the marinara sauce, then read a book while they simmer.

So instead of having a kitchen right in your house you'd rather pay for the privilege of having to walk, bike, or drive there? And then have half your food delivered anyway? What selfish benefit is this even supposed to provide in your own fantasy?

Having a full array of high quality appliances and utensils, without the need to invest thousands of dollars over many years?

And maybe there's staff to clean up when you're done? Doesn't sound like a terrible thing to me. People love to take cooking classes which are a similar experience.

You can cook most common meals with a few pots and pans and a hot plate, maybe a couple hundred invested, tops. An array of high end appliances and utensils makes it easier, but is by no means necessary.

The point is to make it more enjoyable and easier. I only need a few tools. However a lot of those expensive tools make it easier and more fun to cook. My kitchen lacks a springform pan which means my cheesecake isn't right, and I lack the storage space for a pan that I'd use so rarely.

What exactly is the point of using these expensive appliances and utensils to make a really nice meal, if it's going to be stone cold when you finally get it home to serve it? Or are you going to eat at the rental kitchen?

> I can buy kitchen time and raw materials in required quantities at my local public kitchen and cook whatever I need, whenever. By the time I'm done cooking, the other portion of my meal will have been prepared by chefs elsewhere

I think there are several types of restaurant like that already.

> My fantasies haven't accounted for a kid yet I should confess.

Most fantasies don't.

I think this is a great idea. Similarly, we should stop putting bathrooms in our residences, and just have businesses where you can go to buy bathroom time. That way, you don't have to keep it clean on your own, or pay for it in your home (which would make the home cheaper). We can use smartphone apps to set up appointments to use these rented bathrooms. I can't imagine why anyone wouldn't want to adopt this.

This would just be obnoxious and impractical, like not having your own washer and dryer.

Which was the case for literally everyone barely 60 years ago.

Yes, and it was obnoxious.

It wasn't too long ago that nobody had running hot water in their homes either, and that also sucked.

Not so sure about that. Having your laundry done for you and delivered is now a luxury service...

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