David Gandy on his Richmond kitchen, and the Sub-Zero fridge he waited years to own

David Gandy leaning against a panelled wall in his East Sheen home, beside the open doorway to the butler’s pantry, with Bakehouse Kitchens cabinetry and a herringbone wood floor. — David Gandy at home in East Sheen. The butler’s pantry behind him, the “engine room” of the kitchen, has its own Sub-Zero & Wolf appliances.

David Gandy’s family home in East Sheen, south-west London, has a bespoke kitchen designed by Bakehouse Kitchens, with a separate butler’s pantry and two full sets of Sub-Zero & Wolf appliances. The renovation was completed in 2022, and the appliances include Sub-Zero 762mm Designer Column Refrigerators with internal water dispensers, Wolf 762mm M Series Professional Single Ovens, a Wolf 762mm M Series Professional Convection Steam Oven and a Wolf 762mm Warming Drawer.

David first saw a Sub-Zero fridge when he was younger, travelling in the US, and decided then that he’d have one of his own one day. Years later, renovating the family home he shares with his wife, Steph, and their two daughters, he did, and not just one, with a second set of appliances in the pantry that does most of the heavy lifting.

The open-plan kitchen in David Gandy’s East Sheen home, designed by Bakehouse Kitchens, with a fluted walnut and marble island, a stainless steel Sub-Zero 762mm Designer Column Refrigerator, and a Wolf 762mm M Series Professional Single Oven above a Wolf 762mm M Series Professional Convection Steam Oven. — The main kitchen by Bakehouse Kitchens, with a Sub-Zero 762mm Designer Column Refrigerator, Wolf 762mm M Series Professional Single Oven and Wolf 762mm M Series Professional Convection Steam Oven.

When did you design the kitchen?

I designed the kitchen with Bakehouse Kitchens as part of our full home renovation, which took two years to complete. We finalised the kitchen design in 2021 and have lived in the house since 2022.

What was the inspiration behind the design of your kitchen, and what were the key elements you wanted to incorporate into the space?

We wanted the kitchen to have some individuality, with elements that people might not have seen before. It was also important that it merged seamlessly with the rest of the ground floor, rather than feeling like a separate space.

The key was creating a practical, flowing design, with a mix of unique materials and textures. We also have a separate pantry/butler’s kitchen, which is really the engine room of the kitchen. Having that space meant the main kitchen didn’t need to be as traditional and could be designed more around how we wanted to use it.

What role does the kitchen play within your home: is it primarily a place to cook, or somewhere you also spend time and entertain?

The kitchen, dining and living areas are all one large space, so it’s a big part of family life and somewhere we entertain a lot. It’s also where my whole family spends most of their time.

A lot of the preparation and cooking takes place in the pantry, and then everything is finished and served in the main kitchen and dining area. It means the main space can still feel social and relaxed, even when we’re cooking for a lot of people.

The view from David Gandy’s dining room through to the butler’s pantry, with Bakehouse Kitchens Shaker cabinetry, open shelving and crockery. — The butler’s pantry has its own Sub-Zero 762mm Designer Column Refrigerator and Wolf 762mm M Series Professional Single Oven.

How does the design of your kitchen and choice of appliances support this use?

Having two spaces meant we needed two sets of appliances. Both the main kitchen and the pantry have ovens, fridges, hot water taps, dishwashers and hobs.

That was really important to us because whether you’re cooking, prepping or serving in either space, you have everything you need there. You don’t have to keep moving between the two rooms to get to a particular appliance, which makes the whole space much more practical.

What do you enjoy cooking most, and where do you find inspiration for the dishes you make at home?

Italian food has always been my favourite, and it’s what I most enjoy cooking. My daughters have travelled to Italy with me over the years and love Italian cuisine too. They’re very particular about their pasta and insist that it’s always al dente.

Over the last few years I’ve also learnt more about Asian and Thai cooking and spices, and I enjoy experimenting with different cuisines and trying something new.

A stainless steel Sub-Zero 762mm Designer Column Refrigerator beside a marble splashback, brass taps and the kitchen island in David Gandy’s East Sheen home. — The Sub-Zero 762mm Designer Column Refrigerator keeps fruit, vegetables and meat in separate compartments, with a water dispenser hidden inside.

How important are the quality and provenance of the ingredients you use, and does this influence how you approach refrigeration and food storage?

Like most people, I buy a lot of my supplies from good-quality supermarkets, but we also have some wonderful small produce shops and delis in East Sheen, where I live. I buy a lot of my vegetables, pasta, burrata and fruit from the Italian delis nearby.

I very rarely freeze anything or use frozen food, and generally cook with fresh produce, so keeping everything as fresh as possible for as long as possible is really important to me.

That’s one of the reasons the Sub-Zero Designer Column Refrigerators are essential. They have specific compartments for things like vegetables, fruit and meat, which really help with keeping everything fresh. When I first started using the fridge, I couldn’t believe how much fresher the produce stayed, and for how much longer.

What did you prioritise when selecting the appliances for your kitchen, and what attracted you to Sub-Zero & Wolf?

We travelled a lot to the US when I was younger and had a property there, and that was the first time I saw one of the huge Sub-Zero fridges. I remember thinking that, when I was older and hopefully fortunate enough to be able to afford one, I would have to have one in my house.

So for me, Sub-Zero & Wolf was always the Rolls-Royce of kitchen appliances. When we came to design our own kitchen, it was a brand I already knew and wanted to use.

Is there a particular Sub-Zero & Wolf appliance or feature that has become indispensable to the way you cook or entertain?

The extra-wide Wolf M Series Professional ovens are a game changer, particularly when you’re cooking for a large number of people. Being able to fit two chickens next to each other, along with everything else you’re cooking, all in the same oven at the same time is incredible.

It makes a big difference when you’re entertaining and trying to get everything ready at once.

Finally, what is the one kitchen essential you couldn’t live without?

My daughters and I love the little, discreet water dispenser inside the Sub-Zero fridge. For me, it means the fridge keeps its beautiful, clean, one-piece design without having a visible plastic water dispenser on the outside. It’s a small detail, but one that makes a big difference to the overall look.