Food incites emotion. Ask a guy to recall his mother’s most delicious dessert or his favorite meal on his last trip to Italy, and he’ll likely have plenty to say. Perhaps because they're food-related, shows on the Food Network conjure similar passions—just read any blog comment on perky Rachael Ray, sultry Giada DeLaurentiis or exuberant Emeril Lagasse. It seems that even when we’re not eating their meals, we often respond to the processes and presentations as if we’re a part of them.

Like them or not, the proliferation of cooking shows has made people more curious than ever about what others are swilling, stirring, baking, and braising. This voyeurism has encouraged diners to gravitate from booths to bars and into dining rooms that allow them access to the kitchen.

Both mid-priced and haute dining rooms around town have created spaces that show diners what's happening on the range, in the oven, and on the chopping block. Stop by Crème to watch chef Terrell Danley barely break a sweat as he plates that Kobe beef hot dog with homemade condiments. Peek into the CityZen open kitchen for a glimpse of the ingredients prepped for the night’s entrees. Book a seat at Jose Andres’ Minibar to admire how expertly the masters prepare courses from the tasting menu. Or check out the dramatic kitchen at the new Agraria, where diners can see a sous-chef at every station.

And the open kitchen isn’t just a city phenomenon. Even exurban diners demand access. Customers of Front Royal restaurant, Apartment 2G, protested when owners Stacey and David Gedney attempted to dismantle the closed-circuit televisions--leftover from the building's former life as a culinary school and mounted in every room-- that broadcast live the goings-on in the kitchen.

Part of this trend means that more people are willing to sit at the counter or bar rather than tucked away at a table for two. Although this has been the case at sushi bars since we’ve been craving raw fish, it’s a fairly recent development for other restaurants. As noted by Frank Bruni in "Yes, the Kitchen’s Open. Too Open," BLT Fish chef Laurent Tourondel observed that watching what’s happening in a restaurant’s kitchen or bar “is like being at the theater.” No doubt that the Washington edition of BLT Steak, scheduled to open at 625 I Street NW, will cater to diners who want a good seat.

Many restaurants are indulging diners' desires by offering less expensive bistro menus and more comfortable seating for those who want to sit barside. Just recently, Busboys and Poets changed barstools when customers complained that the old ones were awkward. And foodies on Rockwell have dedicated a thread to barstools—which shows how often they’re eating at a bar, whether it’s Citronelle, Firefly, Cashion’s or Palena.

In addition to providing diners entertainment and saving them a few dollars, seats at the bar may end up saving time for District residents who, despite busy schedules, are going out to dinner more often. Metrocurean Amanda McClements agrees. “I think there's something to be said for the time you can save at a counter—you have a captive server, so to speak, who can keep a much closer eye on you and what you might need. Not much chance the bartender will go MIA.”

This trend seems to be heading one step further for our neighbors to the north. As Florence Fabricant reported in the New York Times’ "Look Who’s Behind the Counter Now," some restaurants (like L'Atelier de Joël Robuchon in Paris and Las Vegas, for example) are even doing away with traditional tables, substituting “more flair for formality.”

In addition, some conclude that counter-slash-bar dining is becoming “essential”: “There is one in the restaurant at the Setai in Miami. And in Paris, the bright counter at Delicabar in the Bon Marché store is more of a magnet than the tables for fashionistas grazing on savory and sweet specialties.” Even the James Beard Foundation is planning a dinner by counter-only restaurants in the fall.

Are you among those who have a passion for action when you go out to eat? Please tell us where you embrace the trend and why, or whether the kitchen is best left behind closed doors.