National Geographic had a feature on the Air Force One kitchen that aired some time ago. One of the things we found most interesting: the kitchen. If you were watching the show on mute, you’d think that this was a typical culinary kitchen. Chefs mill about garnishing dishes, rolling silverware in cloth napkins and the appliances are gourmet, professional grade. The kitchen is spacious and has an institutional stainless steel look. And then you see the list of coffee orders:  Pres. Bush- Black w/ Equal, Mrs. Bush – Skim w/ Equal, Sec. Rice – Strong decaf, cream and Equal on the side. And it becomes clear that this is no ordinary kitchen!

It’s hard to believe that this highly functional kitchen is actually flying through the air! The fare served up in the Air Force One kitchen even surpasses the first class meals on transatlantic flights. This isn’t a hard roll and a bag of peanuts with half a glass of flat Sprite. You’ve always hear President Obama say that he has “a lot on his plate,” but now we know that he’s really referring to his gourmet, in-flight meals!

Here is but one of the prep sinks in the Air Force One kitchen. As you can see, there’s a lot of food to get out and a lot of cooks in the kitchen. If this sounds like your typical night as a host of a dinner party, then you’ve undoubtedly considered getting a second prep sink or bar sink. After all, too many cooks in the kitchen won’t do any good if there isn’t proper workspace. In addition to a second kitchen sink, you can also get a hot water dispenser. With a near boiling hot water tap, you’ll never have to wait for a pot to boil ever again.

Speaking of flight, check out this aviation-inspired kitchen that was featured on HGTV.

The style, as well as the materials were derived from aviation. In fact, the workspace is made from recycled aluminum from airplanes! The futuristic kitchen sink and faucet is spacious and accommodating, making it easy to fill pots and wash dishes. While you may not have access to as much recycled aluminum as this designer, you can get that shiny sheen with an aluminum farmhouse sink. A somewhat novel combination, Bates offers such a sink that melds traditional charm with modern texture. Browse through the rest of our selection of stainless steel sinks for some more ideas.