Anyone who, like me, relishes playing the role of amateur gourmet chef, whether solely for the domestic crowd or to entertain visitors or both, will understand that a good kitchen is one’s paradise, a playground in which culinary imagination can soar and new delectation triumphs can enrich one’s life. After weeks of watching our kitchen torn apart because of a small pipe leak behind our stove that created some moldy drywall before we were aware of the problem, and then watching and waiting as the floors were refinished, new cabinets were installed, and finally, new granite countertops were delivered and installed, followed yesterday by the reconnection of plumbing for our dishwasher, sink, and garbage dispose-all, the moment has arrived when we can fully enjoy a newly renovated kitchen. Yes, John Milton, kitchens too can be redeemed.

Because many hands are involved in making a project like this happen, credit must be distributed liberally. For one thing, this is not a project with regrets. Everyone involved did a conscientious and quality job, and my wife and I are very happy with the results. I can start by crediting those who had to do the dirty work: Larry Schwarz of Safestart Environmental, who developed the protocol for the mold remediation and performed the inspection to certify that it was done properly, and Marcus Smith at ServPro of Gold Coast/Lincoln Park/Lakeview, whose crew actually removed the moldy drywall and brought in the air filters to remove impurities from the indoor air. They do not get to do the beautiful work, but they did set the process in motion.

Marva Hemphill

The one individual at the center of the action once the remediation was complete was Marva Hemphill, a kitchen designer for Home Depot on Elston Avenue in Chicago. Such people often go unsung, but Marva is a dedicated professional who is only happy if the customer is achieving his or her goals and has access to the best design options. Marva spent hours with us on repeated visits to the store, reviewing design options on her computer, helping us find new ceiling lights, choose the granite, the sink, and the cabinets, and numerous other choices. More important, she was our pilot through the shoals of a process that can seem challenging, clarifying who needed to do what jobs in what order so that we understood what to expect. Marva can fairly be described as both personable and patient. She served as our interlocutor with vendors when we were not sure what questions to ask. She was indispensable.

At one point, someone questioned whether we should go through Home Depot, noting that some people have had less than satisfactory experiences. In such a big company, I am sure that is always a possibility. But I also believe that individual people often matter more than the institutions they serve, and Marva was a case in point. Companies succeed because of such people.

Marva worked closely with Steve Sochacki, the project manager for Absolute Construction, the company that performed all the carpentry, plumbing, and electrical work once the remediation was done. My wife, Jean, who was at home with these workers far more than I because I spent most of my days at work, states very clearly that Absolute’s employees were uniformly respectful and did their best throughout the process. They justified our faith in Marva’s recommendation to use them.

Finally, the people at International Marble, which supplied the granite, had to return for a second visit to ensure they got their measurements right, but when they finally delivered the countertops last Friday, everything seemed to fit like a charm. They got it right, and the job is now complete, as the photos attest.

So now, the only question remaining is what to try first—that Black Sea recipe I have used before for stewed turkey with apricots, a savory cacophony of flavors that include cinnamon and onions and cayenne pepper? Or that Sri Lankan recipe I learned after the Indian Ocean tsunami that produces a spicy curried Spanish mackerel stew with Bombay onions and an array of eastern spices, served with rice? Or wait—that Cuban recipe for grilled tuna marinated in lemon juice and garlic?

The options remind me of that famous quote from Sir Winston Churchill as he viewed an ample wine cellar: “So much to do, so little time in which to do it.”

But first, there is the issue of Christmas cookies for the office cookie share tomorrow afternoon.

Jim Schwab