For a layman, a closer look at kitchens in TV shows such as That '70s Show, Mad Men, or Modern Family will reveal how the change in decades not only affects the way we dress but also the way we cook. This Friday, chef Manu Chandra will discuss how social behavioural changes — be it gender equality or nuclear families — set trends in kitchen design; as part of Social Kitchen, organised by German modular furniture brand, Nolte. Chandra, who will be in conversation with architects and designers to give a holistic view, elaborates on a few key aspects of the subject.

What led to the birth of the modern kitchen?
The most industrialised nations of the 1920s and '30s, Germany and USA, were at the forefront of creating urban centres or the concept of an apartment. The trends were driven by design and architecture to create functional and comfortable spaces within these small dwellings. You couldn't plug a large wood-fired oven of course, but it would have all modern conveniences, which would make lives a lot simpler. That's the genesis of a designed kitchen.