Status symbol. Also looks nice. Also - people in very rich homes tend to have things on display for areas that look like you’d do work but then they don’t ever

Status symbol. Also looks nice. Also - people in very rich homes tend to have things on display for areas that look like you’d do work but then they don’t ever work there. So, for the kitchen, you’d have a real kitchen in the back. That’s where your staff would prepare meals. The front kitchen is merely for appearance.