Paper short abstract:

The paper presents the phenomena of secondary kitchens – a setting of the dwelling, equipped with kitchen utensils and intended for regular or occasional food processing – in the Vipava Valley. It discusses its different types and purposes as well as conditions and reasons of its establishment.

Paper long abstract:

Secondary kitchen is a setting of the dwelling, equipped with kitchen utensils and intended for regular or occasional food processing, and may also be used for other purposes - dining, socializing, communication and escape. In case of multi-kitchen household a garage, a basement, a hallway or a shed outdoors was equipped with kitchen utensils. Some of secondary kitchens were used occasionally or during summer season, the others were used on a daily basis. With regard to the purpose working, sociable and personal secondary kitchens can be differed.

The conditions for the secondary kitchens were sufficient spatial and economic capacities, whereas the reasons were various and connected with too small, non-functional, representative and/or in the background of the first floor located primary kitchen. Whereas the past kitchens in the Vipava Valley used to be the central and multifunctional setting of the dwelling, the standardized blueprints for a house, common in the 1970' and 1980', didn't provide the usual connection of the kitchen space with yard, but situated kitchens either in the background of the house or on the first floor. In addition, the kitchens were usually too small for some long-lasting and a lot of work space requesting food processing processes as well as for work or staying of more than one person. Newly designed kitchens were not adjusted to the habitual kitchen and dwelling practices of the residents, therefore secondary kitchens took over the role of the fully equipped working place and/or of the multifunctional and central setting of the dwelling.