Italians love to eat, so it should come as no surprise that they are also passionate about their kitchens. Italian architect and designer Antonio Cittero has made it his mission to bring warmth and professionalism to the kitchen, making it the social epicenter of the home.

Cittero's company, Arclinea, was founded in Vicenza, Italy, in 1925 as a carpentry shop, specializing in kitchen cabinets. Beginning in 1960, however, the company was transformed into ''Arclinea Cucine Componibili'' (Arclinea Kitchen Components) and dedicated itself exclusively to kitchen furnishing.

An Arclinea showroom opened in Coral Gables in 2004 and is run by a jovial Nicaraguan economist with an academic background. Gustavo Arcia, whose interests are architecture and the arts, thought that South Florida was ready for the fusion of function and technology that Arclinea personifies.

''Citterio has introduced three phases of design,'' says Arcia. ``One has to do with the conviviality of space, where you combine cooking and sharing and family rituals. Next came the professional kitchen, using professional elements, such as ample work surfaces and plenty of storage space, plus accessibility to tools and equipment.''

The latest phase is the metamorphic kitchen, which can transform itself into something else. For example, he says, pointing to the table in front of us, ``if you raise it, it is a table for cooking but if you lower it, it becomes a dining table.''

Everything is accessible in the Arclinea kitchen, Arcia says, and the ideal is to create closeness between the cook and family or friends, who can sit at a large wooden table integrated onto the island where the cooking takes place.

Another appealing aspect of Arclinea, says Arcia, are its high standards and ecological awareness. 'The company uses recyclable materials: aluminum, stainless steel, glass and strives for reduced wood consumption. The `green' issue is taken very seriously in Europe.''

How much does all this style and innovation cost? The range is $15,000 to $100,000, according to Arcia.

The second member of the Arclinea Miami team is project manager María Ysabel Comella, a native of Venezuela. An architect by trade, she provides the know-how to handle the architectural details; she also travels to Milan sporadically to check out the latest trends. What distinguishes an Arclinea customer? ''What sets our clients apart is that they are people who love to cook and who also love fine design,'' says Comella.

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