According to Vastu Shastra, the Lord of Fire (Agni) predominates in the southeast direction of the home, hence the kitchen should be placed in the southeast direction of your home. If you are unable to do so for any reason, the north-west direction will suffice. You should also ensure that the kitchen is well ventilated. A fan or air conditioner should be installed outside the house towards the south direction. Vastu recommends that you should not install a dishwasher in your kitchen. The noise it makes can disturb your meditation or yoga practice. Also, it uses a lot of electricity which is not recommended from an environmental point of view. Cooking devices like ovens and stoves should be placed in the northeast direction of the house. This is because that area is considered to be pure and holy. Agni, the lord of fire, resides there and anything cooked in this direction will be done so with devotion. It is recommended that you should not place the cooking device right behind the wall. Instead, leave at least one clear space between the stove and the wall. This way, you will avoid any issues with smoke damage to the wall. You should also make sure that the floor of the kitchen is made of cement or stone. These materials are immune to heat and water.