Multi-bowl sinks are the hall-mark of the new importance of the basin within modern concepts of kitchen design, according to a kitchen expert.Writing Kitchen and Bath Design News (KBDN) designer Ellen Cheever explained that kitchen sinks were emerging from the shadows of the kitchen and taking centre stage marking an evolution in kitchen use.She told KBDN For many years, the kitchen sink acted as little more than a double compartment water appliance, strategically placed between the prep center and the cooking center. But the designer proceeded to explain that more people were now cooking together, requiring the sink to evolve into multi-bowl functions that separated preparation and clean-up activities.Ms Cheever added Today, the food/meal preparation function is often separated from the clean-up function of the water source appliance to accommodate multiple cooks working together, as well as the specialised nature of modern kitchens.Top kitchen manufacturers such as Franke, Astracast and Carron Phoenix offer sinks with variable bowl configurations, including one and a half bowl models from Franke that help to order food preparation tasks.