The Kitchen From the Inside is a fascinating journey through the 20th century, showing how the development of technology revolutionized the way in which we get, prepare, process, and store food. The introduction of electricity and gas had a major impact on everyday life and the culinary practices of the Poles. We want to show the scale of the changes that took place in Polish homes: from the work done by household members to the precision of electrical appliances.
The exhibition is divided into seven sections that guide the visitors through the entire process of the changes in the kitchen of the 20th century:
- Getting Food: we look at how food supply changed over time, from traditional marketplaces to modern supermarkets. We also investigate the problem of food adulteration, which, as it turns out, was a problem even before our times.
- Kitchen Space: we follow the evolution of the room itself, from closed kitchens and large coal stoves, through the ergonomic Frankfurt kitchen, to windowless kitchens.
- Storage: we discover the path from pantries and ice boxes, through gas-powered appliances, to modern electrical fridges and industrial methods of preservation, such as freeze drying and pasteurization.
- Food Preparation: machines rule here! We examine appliances such as the legendary Bartek food processor or the valuable Gródek electric cooker. As well as mixers, juicers, and electric cake pans. We show how the application of the laws of physics and mechanics facilitated everyday activities such as cutting, grinding, and frying.
- Hygiene and Waste: we learn the history of keeping things clean, from sand and ash, through the Ludwik dish washing liquid, to the first Polish dishwashers.
- And For Desserts...: the exhibition concludes with an area presenting coffee grinders, the Kawex coffee and tea machine, soda siphons, and appliances for preparing homemade ice cream.
The Kitchen From the Inside exhibition is a real treat for the lovers of vintage design and technology made in socialist Poland. The exhibition presents a wide range of appliances that, for decades, made life easier in Polish homes, becoming icons of the previous century.
