Star Kitchen: Marc Murphy

Chopped judge Marc Murphy designed his New York City apartment kitchen for serious use.

From: Food Network Magazine

Marc Murphy's Upper West Side Apartment

Marc Murphy is used to working in big open kitchens, both at his restaurants and in the downtown Manhattan loft where he and his family lived for 12 years. So when the chef and his wife, Pam, decided to move to a prewar Upper West Side apartment with their kids Campbell, 16, and Callen, 12, they had to completely rework the space for their family. “Most prewar apartments have the kitchen far away from everything, which is not how we live,” Pam says. They decided to gut the apartment, and after an 18-month renovation, they ended up with this sleek kitchen — equipped with three Wolf ovens for entertaining. In the new configuration the room opens into the den, so Marc can be a part of the fun whether he’s cooking for a crowd (the Murphys are famous for throwing great parties) or just making pancakes for the kids. “This area is the focal point for our family,” he says.

Storage Space

Marc and Pam installed floor-to-ceiling lacquered cabinets so they could keep the countertops clear. It’s a lot of storage, but as Marc points out, “No matter how much space you have, you always end up filling it.”

Island Living

Marc likes putting food out buffet-style so everyone can grab what they like. He can serve lots of dishes at once on this oversize island.

Set in Stone

Marble is great for pastry work, but Pam hates how easily it stains. She says that next time they redo a kitchen, they’ll choose something lower-maintenance, like quartz.

Spice Stash

Marc collects spices from his travels, like this batch from a recent trip to Israel, which includes za’atar and ras el hanout.

Bar Seating

The Murphys often eat at the breakfast bar, especially in the morning. Even on busy days they’ll gather here for a bowl of cereal or plate of avocado toast, one of Marc’s favorites.

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