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design thesis on expedition kitchen
Hi everyone,
as I am doing an expedition kitchen for thesis project in industrial design I would like to ask you what you would expect from an expedition kitchen? What is crap on the ones on the market existing, what requirements do you have on an expedition kitchen. Mine will be designed for car overland travellers. Please tell me your experiences, your wishes, your thoughts about it:-) Thanks a lot Frank |
I've never seen an off the shelf expedition kitchen, but if I was desiging one I would want it to be:
+Compact +Secure storage for cutlery, plates, etc without too much rattle over bumps. +Dual burner gas cooker (pref with grill) with good side and back protection/shelter from the wind. +A solid surface for food prep. +Easy access to food store and fridge. With so many options to consider with regards vehicle, number of travellers, storage space that would be very difficult to create an off the shelf solution. ------------------ Cheers, Julian Euro Landcruiser Owners Club http://www.landcruisers.info/lists/ |
That was the reason why I chose the topic for my thesis. During my research I realised that all overlanders chuck a stove, some boxes and cooking items together, sometimes in banana boxes and that's it. the only good two burner stove i think is the coleman one.
my aim is to design a well composed kitchen package, with all the ost necessary stuff included. The points you mentioned are important I think. Nothing worse after a long day traveling than a hungry stomach and a hard to handle cooking procedure.. - Do you have experience in cooking with petrol and diesel? - where yould you personally place the kitchen when storing and cooking? rear door? inside storage, cooking away from the car or attached? ....? what items does your kitchen have? Regards Frank |
My 2 cents:
- A campinggas 2 burner stove (much cleaner/easier smaller, lighter then the coleman stove) - a 12kg gas bottle - something that allowes you to cook near but not in the vehicle. Some sort of shelter is apreciated - good wind protection - easy access to water (without spilling all over the car) etc... |
yep, gasstoves are the cleanest way, no doubt.
I think I will integrate a multi fuel stove..then you are flexible all over. Ok, so here's a scenario and another question on your experiences: I know cooking in the car is more or less a no-go, so what do you guys do when you're standing somewhere in africa and it rains kudus and lions and it won't stop - and you're terribly hungry and have to cook sth:-)...? |
Hi Frank,
At the moment I am a travelling virgin compared to most here, but am aiming for a couple of trips to North Africa either with a friend or my family (wife + 3 kids) using a Toyota Land Cruiser. Travelling with the friend, I would just go for a compact dual burner gas stove that would go on a fold up table, with cuttlery, plates, cooking kit, etc all stashed away in a draw unit in the back of the LC. For a family trip I would take a trailer along as well which I would build myself to incorporate kitchen facilities although there are a number of companies that sell similar things. At the end of the day the design really hinges on your type of vehicle. With something like a LR with barn style doors in the back, I have seen some people put in fold down gas cookers (folding down from the door), but you can't do this with an LC with the horizontally split rear. Also with a diesel vehicle I would rather go for a gas cooker as opposed a petrol one, although with a petrol vehicle a petrol cooker would make more sense. One thing that I have seen that looked inpressive was a suitcase style box used for storing cuttlery, cooking utensils, etc that you opened up and put on it's end and was a cross between a picnic hamper/kitchen unit. Something like that would be very handy and easy to setup, but the dimensions would again need to tie in with your vehicle. ------------------ Cheers, Julian Euro Landcruiser Owners Club http://www.landcruisers.info/lists/ |
Julian,
do you know what kind of suitcase box that was?which brand? I know that it's hard to create sth that fits all cars. it's not possible i think. It's all about compromises! If you would have to buy all the stuff you mentioned, would you rather put everything together by yourself or could you imagine buying a kitchen off the shelf. I have to find out what people want...what they like to do by themselves and what they wanna buy.... cheers frank |
Trek Overland make a folding stainless steel expedition kitchen that fits into a LWB wagon rear body. They have also put one in their expensive expedition trailer. Silly money - they are stainless steel.
Ive replicated one using an ex-military wooden box and shelving, fitted with a camping gas twin burner stove, various shelves etc, and used alonsgide an Engel 40l fridge. They all fit neatly and unobtrusively in the back of my LR 110 and can cater for four people. The food is stored separately in a cupboard unit. Will send pix if you want |
yes I would love to see it. Looking forward to pictures. Where have you been travelling with it?
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Frank,
When you say "kitchen" for car use, I guess you meen "cooker" or "stove", and when you say "expedition" I guess you mean eating out in the wild ;-) The one thing that matters most is the type of fuel to be used. Most people prefer propane but it's fine as long as it lasts and refilling gas bottles is always a pain as each country has it's own thread on the hose connector. Thus, ideally, the cooker should be able to run on various types of fuel, liquid, solid and gaseous. Let me give you an idea for a soild fuel type unit: investigate a very clever device called "Volcano kettle". Other features that matter highly - ease of cleaning, assembling, light weight, solid storage box with more than one function, good wind protection, for gas cookers - no need for pressure regulator. Finally, you are able to cook only what you can carry with you, hence most often you will use pre-cooked meals and very few products than must be stored in a cold place, like raw meat. ------------------ Roman (UK) www.overlandcruiser.info |
My set-up I think was both simple, flexible and convenient.
I had a 12kg Gas bottle (european main land type bottles can be refilled in all french speaking african countries. Different fittings for everything in each different country must be something language related...), with which did more then 3 months before it needed refilling. Attached to the bottle was a 3m tube. long enough to cook at the back (on the folding table in the rear door, or just on the rear bumper), or on the side of the vehicle. (hope this works: http://us.f2.yahoofs.com/users/3f64c...l9wCBQDvwYp8v) The camping gas cooker is cheap and incredibly reliable. The only thing to take care of is wind protection. I made something up from a large tin. this wind shield fittend under the grill. I think cooking times more then halved (both because it kept out the wind and reflected the heat). In case of heavy rain, I would roll out the shelter (highly overrated attribute for an african trip by the way) and cook under the shelter. In all other cases I would cook on the rear bumper. Water Jerries needed lifting out the vehicle each time, so there could be some improvement. But really, simple does it. I'll try to send you some more pics. Volcano kettles are clever, efficient but also bulky and messy things. And about cooking what you can carry. Most overlanders do carry a fridge (typically for beer rather then meat), and there's always local markets with fresh produce that can be carried at least untill your next meal, and occasionally you'll find a nice peace of meat or fresh fish that just can't let go... . |
Robbert,
thanks a lot for the tips...could you please check the link, I can't enter it cause it's forbidden....you can also send me pics to hofmann.f[at]gmail.com |
The guy that runs Trek Overland was also developing an exterior kitchen unit for bolting onto the outside passenger side of a hard top. All included in it, bottle on the roof so all you needed to do was to put the gas line in when you opened it up.
Don't know if this is theone he has now developed into the stainless steel unit mentioned above... last one I saw was a big thin ali box mounted on the side of the vehicle.... The conecpt was great but he was having difficulty getting the cooking surface low enough... was at chest height when folded down... was looking into special hinges for it... As I say don't know if its the same one... this one had done several shows as their show vehicle and been off-roading - NO broken plates glasses etc... Doubt you'll find a photo of it though unless you contact them. http://www.trekoverland.com Nothing on the website about it.... Tony. |
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PS I made sure there's a fire blanket and fire extinguisher within reach as my cooking at home tends towards the incendiary.... PPS Mind you I do love camping over and open fire and so have a couple of cast iron pots, kettle, grill tray, hotplate etc for this, as well as the Volcano Kettle Roman mentioned, its getting redundant these days but I do love it! |
so, did you connect it to the rear door or to the side door?
...You probably meant "ont the roof" right:-)?....yes, please send me pics....you can send them to hofmann.f[at]gmail.com...looking forward....thanks |
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Sorry. 'On the hoof' is English idiom meaning 'on the move' - as in, I designed a bit here and a bit there, adding ideas as trips suggested different needs (and the container for teabags grew and grew!!!) I will take some photos this weekend and email them. My gas canisters are stored in a large locker in front of the rear wheel, the size of two jerrycans. That way ferry companies cant see them and start hassling about carrying explosives!! It also keeps the weight down and hence the centre of gravity lower. |
My wife and I have just returned to England after a 2 year safari through Africa.
We travelled in a Defender and found that simple and light is the answer. We used a Coleman two burner stove (unleaded fuel but leaded worked fine as well), a platic day box that had tea/coffee/sugar/cups, etc. When we stopped we would be sitting in our chairs having a cup of tea/coffee in les than 10 minutes. So, one coleman stove + 1 platic box (60/30/30cm)+ Engel fridge=kitchen. Of course if you have £6000 you can get a safari trailer with built in kitchen, roof tent, lounge tent, awning, fridge/freezer! You nedd to add +-£20000 for the car to drag it around |
Sounds you had a wonderful trip....good for you...I can't wait to go, so my project is good preparation:-)...
You said you had a fridge: How intensive did you use it? Just for cooling beer or for food in general as well? I haven't set my mind yet if a fridge is really necessary. Would like to hear your opinion. With the kitchen, of course it's always a matter of money and how comfortable you want to travel. How was the handling with the Coleman, especially the preheating procedure and the regulation of the flame? Was it a big mess cookig with petrol? A lot of soot? Cheers Frank |
Dear Frank
I am enjoying the many contributions to your ‘cooker thesis’ questions Cooking My answer is the ‘Kitmax twin-top tuck-box’ (world patents pending) Never heard of it…? I designed it to provide nutrition, in a hurry, in good or bad weather, in desert, mountain or moorland, indoors (onboard) or outdoors (desert or tent). The box has two lids, each of which serves a different function in food preparation. One part provides a vegetable cutting mat too. It also carries plates, cutlery, mugs, openers, and of course a cooker, tea, coffee, sugar, etc. Fridge I don’t use a fridge now - I used one on a 6 month trip a while back. After many miles the vibration fractured the gas pipe, and I haven't used one since. Water To keep water cool I use a French legionnaire’s water bottle. Soak the outer cloth cover with a little water, and evaporation will bring the temperature down very effectively. It works like a guerba waterskin. For beer cans you use an old sock to do the same job…! Photos If you are interested I shall get some photographs of 'the box' on my website for your design thesis (in the next fortnight). Article I have been planning do write a 'desert cookery' article, complete with cutting list for the twin-top box, and your question has renewed my interest! All best Kitmax ------------------ Kitmax - Traveller Desert Pictures at http://www.kitmax.com/kitmax/kit03ph...velgallery.htm homepage http://www.kitmax.com |
Hi Frank,
Very interesting topic and good luck with your thesis. Afew yesrs ago I spent 5 week s camping in NT of Oz with rented,fully rigged LRD.Built into the back of it was a slide out drawer unit extending the full width of the back of the vehicle.It was a slide out kitchen containing: 2 ring gas stove 1 Small caravan type sink 1 Draining/chopping board 1 Cutlery drawer 1 From memory 40l water tank The unit was fully plumbed with electric pump.Worked an absolute dream especially veg preps on board and sink.Operad with slps bucket an evironmentally frienly setup in organized camp grounds.With an awning over the rear of the vehicle and a camp table and various boxes laid symetrically around the back of the vehicle I sometimes felt like a real Floyd the chef!Definately encouraged a higher form of camp cooking. The company I rented the vehicle from was Aussie Trax based in Hervey Bay Queensland.They have a website(which I can't locate at the moment)and I believe the kitchen unit was a homebuild idea based on stainless steel pull out drawers quite common in Oz. Again,good luck and I will follow this thread with interest. Tony. |
My usual setup,which I have used for years is 2 ring gaz stove and pots stored in purpose built wooden box approx 350w x 400h x 650l with lid,cutlery,lamp pots etc in another identical,wooden box which nests on top of or,beside the first,dry goods in Rubbermaid plastic box(see thro) and fresh food in a fridge.
The wooden boxes can double as seats.I set the seats/boxes up to the side of and at 90deg.to the cooker with the fridge beside me and enjoy a beer whilst cooking. Constantly fiddling with this arrangement but hell,thats part of the fun!! |
Well I cook inside the vehicle (my vehicle is that bit bigger so it makes it easy)
The stove is removeable if I want to cook outside I cook on gas carrying 2 * 907 campinggaz cyls Also carried is a multifuel stove with Coleman fuel as a backup You should also see 'chasing rainbows' by Peter & Eileen crichton for their V8 exhaust manifold cooking guide. By all accounts the toughest of meat could be made tender by 200k a day ------------------ Rich LR101 300Tdi Ambi 'Tiggurr' |
Sorry for the long silence. My thesis kept me quite busy and at this stage the design of my expedition kitchen is more or less done. I am just about to start building the prototype...mid of octobe is my presentation at uni and then....we will take it on the road with us to Africa...i will show pics when ready.
Some of you mentioned to send me some pictures of your kitchens....if you have any I am still interested to see them. You can send them to: frank[at]designforafrica.com Thanks:-) |
I haven't told you about our Africa trip:
It's a trip along the east side of Africa and will go from Sweden to Cape Town in probably 10 months. The aim of the journey is not only a travel adventure but also the realisation of a 3-months design project in the Nairobi slum, Kenya. As we are both industrial designers we want to find out, how design can be used as a development tool in poor areas. We gonna work with the people in the slum, identify problems with them and try to find solution they can realise with their possibilities. You can find further details about it on *** www.designforafrica.com *** We will be happy if you follow the project and trip and of course, very happy if you spread the news about it. If you have any comments we're happy for your feedback Thanks Frank |
Hi Frank - sorry I havent sent the pix - just got back from Africa. Will email them when I get time this evening.
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Hi Runner,
still interested in your pics :-) ... Thanx. |
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