A young woman attempts to figure out adult life and living on her own for the first time, and experiences all ups and downs that come along with it, while being watched over by her kitchen.

SYNOPSIS:

The animated short film Kitchen Stories is a slice of life tale about a year in the life of Stella, a young woman, who moves out of her parental home for university, and striving for independence and walking her own path, she ends up finding not only herself, but also more than love, all while being watched over by her apartment's old kitchen.

The entire film is narrated by and viewed through the eyes of (the) Kitchen, the room itself, the camera positions fixed at different heights of counters, cupboards and appliances.

Kitchen has been around for a long time. It has seen many people move in and out the old apartment, witnessed their lives and stories. Kitchen has been asleep for quite some time now, when it is woken up by Stella. Stella is a young woman in her early twenties, who just moved out of her childhood home and into the apartment. Having grown up with a cultural backdrop which expresses warmth and love through food, the kitchen is a central part of a home. Now Stella has her own ideas on how she creates her own home.

Eager to dive into adult life on her own, Stella cleans, then unpacks her boxes and starts sorting away her dishes, among which is a children's plate, painted with a star, that Stella hides at the bottom of the stack, smiling to herself. After having sorted away her kitchen supplies, Stella starts cooking under the commentary of Kitchen, yet her first attempt goes awry a little: the water cooks over, the pasta isn't remotely cooked, and Stella, lacking a proper strainer, drops everything into the sink. Nevertheless, she salvages her dinner, eating her clump of noodles mixed with a can of tomatoes straight out of the pot. Soon after, Stella enters with (the) Kitchen with a bag of fresh groceries. She starts cooking again, dicing and chopping vegetables, making a soffritto (the base to many Italian dishes, made by sautéing chopped celery, carrots and onions), while cooking fresh pasta. As Stella's cooking picks up speed, Kitchen commends her and remarks that cooking is like music, the rhythm is important, yet soon everything spirals out of control, resulting in the smoke detector being set off. Kitchen tries to encourage Stella that her food still can be salvaged, but she just stirs another can of tomatoes into the pasta. After some forks, Stella pushes away the disappointing pot of food.

Kitchen is in miffed since Stella left everything messy. When she returns, she grudgingly cleans up, just to start cooking again, this time carful and patient. Everything goes well, but when Stella tastes her food, she is disappointed, something is missing. Kitchen does not understand, why Stella feels disheartened. While Stella, who slumped down onto the floor, scrolls through her phone she receives a call from her mother. First playing it cool, she assures her mother that everything is fine. The now obviously homesick Stella asks about the secret of her mother's sauce. After finding out which spices to use, she finishes her cooking, and while she enjoys her first culinary success, lovingly served on her children's plate, her homesickness goes away.

A little later, Stella hosts a party at home. Although everything is full of people, snacks and bottles full and empty, Kitchen enjoys the lively atmosphere, before retiring for the night. The next morning, Kitchen finds Stella preparing breakfast for two in an oversized sweater, and while it is still wondering about the sleepover guest, Ian enters and embraces Stella. Ian and Stella study at the same university, and met through friends. They begin dating and soon find out, that they not always are what they want in the other person, but often what they need. Ian, as does Stella, wants to be perceived as more mature and grown up as he really is, which leads him to belittle others. He tends to stay controlled and calm, even in arguments, which is the opposite of Stella, who's temperament often get's the better of her.

Some days after the party, Stella and Ian cook dinner together in her kitchen, and although - according to Kitchen - Stella lacks many of the proper tools for cooking, they cook Stella's family recipe and make fresh pasta, cheerily rolling out the dough with a wine bottle. Kitchen approves of the lovebirds and cheers in the light of the new-found passion, since the way to someone's heart apparently goes through the stomach.

One evening, Ian and Stella have been dating for quite some time, the two have a intense fight while doing the dishes. Angry about being treated like a child, Stella screams at Ian, becoming more and more unfair. In the end, she smashes a stack of dishes on the counter, breaking her children's plate. Ian storms out of the apartment, leaving a crying Stella behind, while Kitchen watches helpless, unable to stop the fight.

The next afternoon, Stella checks her phone repeatedly for a sign of Ian, who did not return. Kitchen tries in vain to comfort her. Stella starts to cry again.

The morning after, Kitchen sees via a mirror in the hallway how Stella throws up in the bathroom.

Some afternoons later, Stella sits at her kitchen table, poking around in a take-out meal, as Ian enters. He is holding a children's plate painted with stars, similar to Stella's broken one. Stella looks at Ian, then pushes a pregnancy test over the table. It is positive. Ian takes Stella into her arms as she starts to sob.

A montage shows the kitchen through the following seasons, summer, fall and winter, but always without people. The next time we see Stella, it is spring.

Stella looks a little older. She holds a toddler in her arms. Ian comes into the kitchen, carrying a lopsided birthday cake with a single burning candle. Kitchen comments on the relationship of the two. They smile.