Nothing Profound About It 
 
May 24, 2009 12:56 am 
Updated: May 27, 2009 7:54 pm
For a while, I've been wanting to write some sort of post about men and cooking. I'm a man and I like to cook (and bake), and I felt the need to write some profound post about it.

Well, that profoundness never came.

"You're a man who likes to cook," I'd tell myself. "You're a man who likes to cook, so..."

I tried to finish that thought, and I finally did.

"... so what?"

I don't have any deep thoughts about it I suppose. I like to cook (and bake). In some ways, though, I feel it's an obligation - albeit one that I love to do. It just kind of worked out for our family. Mrs. LB had a great job, got some promotions, started to rise through the ranks and was gone for long hours. I work from home and have taken care of our girls for a while now, so it was just natural that I took over the cooking (and baking) duties.

And I liked it. A lot.

Now, I used to be a typical guy. I can still remember going into the kitchen and not knowing what half the tools were - whisks, spatulas, tongs - the basics really. My idea of cooking before was opening a can of soup, pouring it into a bowl and popping into the microwave.

But I had a renaissance. I changed my life physically (lost more than 100 pounds), grew more confident, and tackled the kitchen head on. It started small, actually with this recipe. After that turned out so greatly, I wanted to try more and more things. I tried many, wanted to share with everyone, started trying more and more and a passion was born.

Maybe there are other men out there who have that undeveloped love of cooking (and baking) who don't realize it's there. It seems there is a social... well, stigma isn't the right word, but there are definite social norms, where the man takes care of cars and the house while the woman cooks and cleans. I don't really buy into that because I despise working on cars and couldn't tell you how to begin fixing, say, a leaky toilet. But I can tell when the bacon is done cooking or when the muffin batter has been thoroughly mixed.

I know there are other men out there who've never ventured into the kitchen who would make great home cooks. Stats point to that. According to a story in a recent Men's Health magazine, some 75 percent of chefs are male but only about 18 percent of households counted a man as the primary cook. The numbers just don't add up - either women are being held back from chef positions or more men are not developing a love of the kitchen. It's probably a little of both.

So, nothing profound but I got out the need to blog about our male-dominate kitchen.

Now, if I could just develop and harness a love of doing laundry, our house would be perfect.
I usually don't cook with sunglasses on.
X
Photo Detail
 
 
Share on Facebook
Send to a Friend
Tags:  Family
 
Comments
Booschmoo Supporting Member (Click to learn more about Supporting Membership)
May 24, 2009 6:15 am
First, that's great about the 100 lbs! Congrats! Not sure how long ago you did that, but it is still worth congratulating. I think it's great that you've sailed past the norms and embraced the kitchen! What a great way to support the family with warm memories of delicious dishes... Oh, and let me know if you figure out how to harness that laundry love. I would be anxious to learn how to love that chore!!
 
aeval Supporting Member (Click to learn more about Supporting Membership)
May 24, 2009 7:35 am
awesome post! you go ahead & love to cook, i don't think there's anything better in this world than a guy who cooks well. congratulations on the weight loss, confidence & good for your for for raising your girls. also you should keep the sunglasses lol
 
wrigleysmama 
May 24, 2009 9:28 am
I think woman appreciate a man that can cook! Way to go on the weight loss. My hubby loves to cook as well and I personally don't mind it :)
 
Dianne Supporting Member (Click to learn more about Supporting Membership)
May 24, 2009 10:59 am
Out with the old stereotypes! My Dad is a great cook and so is my mom! My mom is in a wheelchair, so my dad has to help out with a lot of household chores, including cooking and laundry. They get along fine! My dad has a very fine precision about his cooking, and I strive to develop that too. I'm kind of glad my hubby doesn't like to cook though, or else we would be fighting over the kitchen - that's MY domain! :)
 
Avon 
May 24, 2009 12:02 pm
You go guy! Your wife is one lucky woman to have someone that is so willing to buck the stereotypes and do it for the good of the family. Seems to be a win win for everyone. Your daughters are lucky too in that they will have a great appreciation for what a "real" man is when the time comes. Oh..and congrats on the 100 lbs. That's awesome!
 
Cheesecakemama 
May 24, 2009 3:49 pm
Great post. I think a man cooking in sunglasses and no shirt would work at my house! LOL... You are extrodinary man and your wife is a lucky woman. You have a single brother?
 
Fit&Healthy Mom Supporting Member (Click to learn more about Supporting Membership)
May 24, 2009 6:38 pm
That's great you can work from home and be with your daughters, LB.
 
katie_luvs2bake! Supporting Member (Click to learn more about Supporting Membership)
May 24, 2009 7:39 pm
Great for you, I would love a man who knew how to cook, or at least his way around the kithcen. You are right about the chef thing, ALOT of me go to culinary school and are chefs, but it isnt really known for men to be the "cooks of the house". Honestly, I love to cook and bake and I hate it when a man cant even prepare himself a sandwich LOL
 
katie_luvs2bake! Supporting Member (Click to learn more about Supporting Membership)
May 24, 2009 7:39 pm
it was ALOT OF MEN LOL
 
SouthernGma Supporting Member (Click to learn more about Supporting Membership)
May 25, 2009 4:28 am
The first sentence of your profile kinda says it all... my mom... sounds like she was a big influence. I think the word "chef" denotes masculinity while a "cook" is more feminine and we've let that happen over the years. "Good cooks" are a happy combination of guys and gals who know their way around a kitchen! Obviously, you do. Thank your mother and whatever you share here at AR, we'll thank her, too! Cook on big guy!! ;)
 
Carcass17 
May 25, 2009 8:35 am
More power to you LB,I also work full time running my own painting buisness,with the tremendous help of my wife right beside me.But when we get home I go staight to the kitchen & start dinner like I do every night cooking for 4 kids,wife,nannie&myself,because I love to do it,so keep it up&good cooking to you
 
tahoegirl 
May 25, 2009 3:13 pm
my husband is the better cook between us. i am the better baker :o)
 
Pam-3BoysMama Supporting Member (Click to learn more about Supporting Membership)
May 25, 2009 9:55 pm
I just wish my husband would cook anything indoors. He only grills. Period. And then, only after I chop, prep, marinate, and deliver it to him complete with the proper cooking utensils! Way to go, LB!
 
Emily Tisdale Supporting Member (Click to learn more about Supporting Membership)
May 26, 2009 6:04 am
I know a few fabulous male cooks...unfortunately my hubby isn't one of them. And like Pam-3BoysMama...only does he grill if I do the prep and make sure he has the ingredients he needs...lol. Good for you on your weight loss and bonding with the kids...
 
stacey 
May 26, 2009 9:55 am
Great blog, lb. I'm so glad that you have taken on this "new" role and found a love for it. Personally, I love to cook, I just hate thinking of what to cook! Oh, and my hubby isn't allowed in the kitchen, unless it is to do the dishes! I love cooking that much!
 
foodelicious Supporting Member (Click to learn more about Supporting Membership)
May 26, 2009 11:14 am
I really enjoyed reading your post! My husband can boil pasta and grill food, but other than that, his only other kitchen triumph involves clean up. That he does beautifully. (And he does laundry!) My son, however, is very interested in learning how to cook so I get him involved as often as possible. I don't buy into the old stereotypes, and I hope he won't either.
 
CookinArgentina Supporting Member (Click to learn more about Supporting Membership)
May 26, 2009 1:36 pm
Hello LB, not only are you a good cook but you are a good writer too! I enjoyed your blog. My husband and I met as cooks in a restaurant, I loved it and he hated it. He is in charge of the outside stuff and I am in charge of the inside stuff. Not too profound either but it works! Thanks for the good read.
 
RnRMama 
May 27, 2009 12:36 pm
I think it's spectacular that you enjoy to cook! And even more inspiring is the amount of weight you lost, truly, that's amazing! In our home my husband and I equally love to cook. And even though I stay home with our kids, he makes just as many meals as I do..if not more!
 
ginsu89 
May 27, 2009 2:10 pm
Great post. And I agree. There's a social norm at work implying that guys have to fix cars and do yardwork while women do the cooking and cleaning (which is quite sad in 2009). I, like you, know almost nothing about cars other than gas, brake, and gas tank. I despise yardwork. But I'll cook and bake for myself, my family, and my coworkers at the drop of a hat. Who cares if stereotypes still exist? We gotta do what makes us happy...within reason, of course! You go, LB!
 
Heidi Supporting Member (Click to learn more about Supporting Membership)
May 27, 2009 6:25 pm
I think a lot of guys would like cooking if they gave it a try. Maybe its because cooking is something daughters learn from their moms and back a few generations the kitchen was definitely the woman's kingdom. Guys just need a good teacher. This site usually helps me when I'm trying to learn how to do something new/difficult, like make a cheesecake. I mean I still see the GRILL as the man's kitchen. But I think that's because I don't know much about grilling - types of fire for different food, wood or charcoal, what type of meat makes best grilled food, etc. It just seems overwhelming unless you have someone to teach you.
 
SHORECOOK Supporting Member (Click to learn more about Supporting Membership)
May 27, 2009 7:54 pm
Loved your blog LB. We need to clone you!
 
 
 

My Recipe Box (0)

view »

Something worth saving?

Register now to save all your favorites in your recipe box.

My Profile
LB
 Supporting Member (Click to learn more about Supporting Membership)
Living In: Riverside, California, USA
Member Since: Nov. 2007
Cooking Level: Intermediate
Cooking Interests: Baking, Asian, Mexican, Italian
Hobbies: Photography, Music
 
ADVERTISEMENT
About Me 
My mom was a master chef... okay, she was a stay-at-home mom but her food was magnificent and nothing will ever top that for me. But I got so used to her cooking that when I branched out on my own I knew how to make nothing. It's taken me quite some time to realize that I love to cook and to create edible dishes. I've been married for nine-plus years and have just recently dived head-first into cooking. So far, so good! And if you need any tips (not that I'd have much to offer) you can e-mail me at lbueno99 at hotmail dot com.
My favorite things to cook
Around September or October of 2007, I had little interest in cooking and baking. This has since changed. Literally overnight I became interested in making my own food and my wife's been loving life ever since. I'd like to say that I've grown a liking to trying new things but almost everything I cook is new to me. I like to try chicken recipes and add ingredients I either have never tasted (sun-dried tomatoes) or have rarely used before (balsamic vinegar). And I owe it all to allrecipes.com!
My favorite family cooking traditions
After I got settled into cooking/baking, I wanted to start a new family tradition. It seemed strange to just up and start one but all traditions have a starting point, right? So in August of 2008, I decided that I wanted to build Saturday mornings around muffins. I wanted to start a tradition of making muffins every Saturday mornings so my girls (then 4 and 2) would grow up with thoughts of warm homemade muffins every Saturday instead of cartoons and/or cinnamon rolls. With the help and support of the wonderful cooks on All Recipes, I forged the new tradition and have made muffins every Saturday without fail since the final weekend of August '08. My favorite muffins... well, there have been many successes and will be many more triumphs in the months and years to follow so you'll just have to keep up with all the good and the bad on my All Recipes blog.
My cooking triumphs
Christmas 2007! We had my parents, three brothers (two of whom brought girlfriends) over for a Christmas breakfast. My wife and I prepared dilligently. We made a sausage skillet and Farmer's Casserole for our dual main dishes, had bacon, rolls and Sarah's Applesauce on the side, had standard hot chocolate and Hot Spiced Cider for drinks and Downeast Maine Pumpkin Bread, Raspberry Crumb Cake, Molasses Sugar Cookies and regular sugar cookies with Decorator Frosting for desserts and everything went fast! All the items in CAPS we got from right here at allrecipes.com.
My cooking tragedies
Let's hope this is the worst of it, but I tried to make pepperoni bread from here on this site and I botched it. The dough kicked my butt. shame too because it looked so good. And then more recently, I forgot to put milk in some French toast I was trying to make. That was a disaster.
 
Select Your Version:  United States  |  Canada  |  United Kingdom & Ireland  |  Australia & New Zealand  |  Germany  |  France  |  China  |  Japan  |  Quebec  |  SE Asia  |  Netherlands

Frequently Asked Questions What's this?