I am remodeling my kitchen ( 24' x 11') and plan to install a hardwood floor. Is there any one type of floor or wood that is preferred for the kitchen area? Thanks

Not really, it's personal choice of graining / colour etc., and what goes with your furnishings/style of house etc. Most people would go with engineered wood because of height whilst many prefer solid wood.

Not a lot of help am I?

Art

There are many thin solids on the market now, so engineered is not the only wood on a diet.

Kitchens seem to be the favorite place to put hardwood these days, but it's one of the places it has the shortest lifespan. Kitchens have amongst the highest traffic, pivoting, debris and moisture of anywhere in your house - all bad for wood. I know that many never have any problems, but I've torn up at least as many floors where they did.
As a customer you need to realize that you'll need to be careful, and put down lots on protection (Mats). On top of that, you need to be honest with yourself about the life of your house. I've had people come in talking about how clean they are, and how they live alone; Fact is they had a housekeeper that came in behind them twice a week, and they had many older children that would show up with armies of young grandchildren.

Have you ever seen someone's reaction when you tell them their 1yr old premium wood floor can't be saved. It gets better when the insurance company says they won't cover it because it was done by abuse and neglect.

Anyway, just think about your situation before you proceed......Please!

I have been installing hardwood flooring in kitchens for 20+ years. Andrew is correct about this room of the house being the most used. A while a ceramic tile floor may perform better with less maintainence, those floors have their problems as well. Now, a wood floor in a kitchen will require abit more care than say, in a dining room, it can provide many years of use without replacement if certain simple steps are taken. Choose the right flooring to begin with. I'd stay away from engineered floors with thin veneers. You want a floor that can be sanded a couple of times and still have some wood left. If possible, use a solid. They are easier to patch, repair, refinish than a glued down engineered. Consider a finish on site floor. While the finishes are not better than factory finished floors, because the floor is finished in place, spills won't get under the flooring as easily. Speaking of site finishing, pay the extra to get more finish applied. You want the surface to be totally filled with finish. I recommend four coats of a commercial top end waterborne urethane. Trex+, Street Shoe, Traffic are a few of the best. If you live in an area where the finishers use acid cure, that also would be a good way to go. Keep the floor clean by following factory recommended cleaning instructions, use area rugs and use QUALITY felts glides under your chairs. This is the area I see getting worn first. The ones I recommend are Safeglides. Plan on getting the floors recoated in about 3 to 5 years. This will avoid having to refinish and is less expensive and inconvenient. Don't wait till you've worn the finish off. If you're not sure, ask a pro to give you an inspection. I have had wood floors last many years in my customers homes without issue. All it takes is some common sense and proper care.