The best contemporary kitchen in the world is right here in Winnipeg's River Heights, according to an international design contest.

Appliance makers Sub-Zero and Wolf put on the contest and received 1,700 entries from 16 countries. Architect Dov Secter is the winner, and the kitchen he designed is his own, which also serves as his office as he brings clients in to show them his work.

Secter's kitchen has a minimalist design theme and features white, grey and marble. The design does not decrease the kitchen's practicality, Secter told CBC.

"The kitchen used to be utilitarian, where it was a room you could close it off and not even go in there," architect Dov Secter said. "Now with everyone wanting open concept, knocking down walls, expansion of the family unit and entertainment into the kitchen, it's got to look good all the time." (David Lipnowski/subzero-wolf.com)

"My wife is a great cook, and it's really a functional kitchen where the family all works together so we want to be able to hide things away quickly, have things quickly accessible, and if a client comes through, have places where everything can kind of disappear," he said.

Still, Secter did not expect to win one of the eight awards for best contemporary kitchen.

"I can tell you the kitchens were amazing," he said.



"We were kind of in awe and a little humbled. Very surprised when at the award ceremony they called our name and described our kitchen."