<p><a href="http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2009/12/uygurs/teague-text">Uygurs</a>, a Muslim ethnic minority in China’s Xinjiang region, make mutton pies in a restaurant kitchen.</p>

Mutton Pies

Uygurs, a Muslim ethnic minority in China’s Xinjiang region, make mutton pies in a restaurant kitchen.

Photograph by Carolyn Drake, National Geographic

16 Pictures of the World's Kitchens Show the Hearts of Homes

On World Food Day, we are reminded that food is so much more than just what we eat.

Kitchens may differ drastically around the world, but their role as the center of a home is universal. Whether makeshift or filled with modern appliances, kitchens are a space for family bonding, holiday traditions and child rearing.

Friday is World Food Day, the international day of action to end hunger. More than 800 million people, about one in nine worldwide, suffer from chronic hunger, according to the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations.

To mark the day, we’ve gathered photos of kitchens, places around the world where food is prepared and enjoyed.

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