What comes to mind when you think about the task of preparing a meal? Depending on your culinary skills, this may or may not be the highlight of your day.

Now, think about sharing that task with a friend or family member. Sounds like fun, right? Maybe ...

When two cooks work side by side, it often seems as though one person is always waiting on the other to use the sink. It's been that way for centuries, but thanks to today's innovative sink manufacturers, that no longer needs to be the case. They recognize that the "one size fits all" mentality does not apply to sinks. There was a time for example, when the only choices in sinks were porcelain versus stainless steel, single bowl versus double bowl, and standard bowl versus one that is extra deep. At Elkay, however, that's only the beginning. Elkay recognizes that today's homeowners have different needs, different style preferences, and different lifestyles.

To meet these varying needs, Elkay produces a seemingly endless line of sinks. One of the most exciting new innovations in the sink industry, for example, is the undermount sink. Undermount sinks bring an unprecedented level of style to today's homes because they are installed under solid surface counters, enabling kitchen designers and homeowners to create a highly stylized and customized look. In addition, undermount sinks offer a superior kitchen cleanup, since there is no rim to get in the way when wiping water and food scraps from the countertop into the sink.

Elkay currently manufactures more than 60 styles of single, double, and triple bowl, stainless steel undermount sinks. By offering a variety of choices, Elkay delivers just about any size, shape, or configuration imaginable, and they can be mixed and matched to allow for a variety of layouts and designs. In fact, Elkay has even engineered an undermount solution for the "two cooks in one kitchen" scenario. In April 2000, Elkay introduced their new undermount Prep Sink.

"We created a veggie sink to enable homeowners to more conveniently handle the many tasks associated with food preparation," says Mike Gicela, Product Planning Manager, Sinks and Faucets for Elkay. "Now, two cooks can easily work side by side in the kitchen. While one person is filling a pot with water at the main sink, a second person can be chopping vegetables at the prep sink."

The Elkay prep sink is a small, single-bowl undermount sink with a recessed ribbed work area and is an ideal size for a garbage disposal.

Of course, design and style are not everything. Consumers want sinks that will last through a lifetime of hard use. Again, Elkay products fill the bill.

"Elkay sinks are crafted from stainless steel that is polished with a scratch-resistant finish and protected with Sound Guard undercoating to prevent condensation and deaden sound. Additionally, Elkay stainless steel sinks wonÕt rust, fade, crack, or chip, and they provide a little extra 'give' to reduce breakage of dishes and glassware," explains Gicela. "The end result is a distinctive look with built in quality that stands up to many years of use and enjoyment."

Elkay has demonstrated that every detail of a home can reflect its owner's style—right down to the kitchen sink. In fact, they've been influencing the evolution of the modern kitchen since their inception in 1920. The founders, Leopold and Louis Katz, a father and son team, first introduced a butler's pantry sink made of German silver and constructed entirely by hand. Elkay also was the first company to manufacture a full line of kitchen sinks made of stainless steel.

This year, Elkay is celebrating its 80th anniversary. Under the direction of Chairman and CEO, Ron Katz, son and grandson of the founders, Elkay is noted for its many accomplishments and innovations in the plumbing industry including sinks, faucets, water coolers, and drinking fountains for both residential and commercial use. The company is headquartered in Oak Brook, Illinois, and is the parent company of CORDLEY/Temprite (a leading manufacturer of bottled water coolers), E.B. Tecnica Mexicana, Elkay Canada, as well as Yorktowne Cabinets, Medallion Kitchen, MasterCraft Cabinets, and Westwood Custom Cabinetry.