I am a 24 year old male living in southern Pennsylvania with my beautiful wife and daugther. I have been cooking ever since I was a little boy. My mom was not fond of cooking but my dad loved it and passed his passion for cooking and love of food on to me. He taught me a lot of techniques and cooking basics by just watching, learning, and pitching in when I was needed. My dad unexpectedly passed away in 2004 but I try to cook all my dishes as if he were grading not only the quality of the food but the presentation. I like to cook pretty much everything. Anything from baking a pie to grilling fish. I find big pride in watching others enjoy the food I prepare. I also like hosting family get togethers and making different finger foods, but I always overkill whats needed. I loved spending time with dad the morning of Thanksgiving or Christmas. Pretty much anytime we we expecting lots of people to come over for dinner. Helping him prep food and make sure he wasn't forgeting anything. The other thing I loved was when my dad sold breakfast sandwiches to local businesses around the area. Not only were the sanwiches out of this world, but I had a hand in preparing the hundreds of eggs and meats he needed after I got home from school every night. I think a cooking triumph is when you can create a different meal for your family for dinner from the ingredients you have, when everything thinks you have nothing. When people taste your food that maybe skeptical about a male cooking and say wow, that is really good. When you spend all day cooking for a bunch of people and when the food is finally done, you can sit down and relax while your gets get their plates. Or when I am motivated to back apple pies at midnight so I can take them to our church to have them given away because that is what my dad would have done.