If you can't cook, does it matter?

Mrs.K · February 17th, 2008, 10:57 PM

Ok, so mom taught me how to cook at like 13... I love making something out of nothing, it's like my passion getting busy in the kitchen... however I was wondering if it makes a difference to you if your partner can NOT cook?!!...

msdeb · February 17th, 2008, 11:42 PM

i cannot cook. never learned to cook. hub cooks everything, i dont go in the kitchen.

yanna · February 18th, 2008, 02:45 AM

It would be a problem if my partner couldn't cook because I can't cook shit. He only lets me in his kitchen to clean up after.

misskris · February 18th, 2008, 03:26 PM

My bf and I both love to cook and it's very handy that when one of us is too tired the other can always be relied upon to cook. I don't think I'd like to be with someone who couldn't cook but now generally speaking men are better about cooking than they were even 20 years ago.

january · February 18th, 2008, 05:25 PM

I am a self-taught cook. My mother didn't cook herself and no one taught me anything, in fact growing up I had pretty bad eating habits. When I was around 22 I just became sick of not knowing how to cook so I slowly started trying different things out of cookbooks. It may sound incredibly stupid to some, but when I first started out, I didn't even know how to make pasta! Thats how unbelievably ignorant I was. Anyway, now I absolutely love being in the kitchen and experimenting with different foods. Its amazing how my eyes have opened to all kinds of different foods as well, ingredients I had never tried before, or even heard of. Now I incorporate fresh herbs and veggies into almost every dish, delight in reading and sharing different recipes, and subscribe to many different food blogs. Its my passion. My husband can cook alright as well, which made my days on those long days when I came home late from work and found an amazing meal waiting for me. He really does not have much diverse knowledge, he's pretty limited to pastas, rice, or omelettes, but thats fine for me. I cook almost all the time anyway because I love it, except on the days where I am worn out. I love cooking anyway, that means my husband cleans (and that is one thing I don't enjoy!).

lonestar · February 18th, 2008, 06:27 PM

i'm an excellent recipe reader but i don't have the guts to try to make things up on my own. my mom can just throw things in a pan and it comes out excellent. growing up, i was the chopper of vegetables and designated salad maker. i should've payed more attention to what my mom was doing - maybe now i could be able to make things up. i'm getting better at knowing what flavors go with what...
baking, that's another story. i'm hopeless. all i can do is put cake mix in a bowl and add the egg and water. even then it's a crapshoot if it comes out okay.

A*O · February 18th, 2008, 07:19 PM

My mother taught me the basics when I was growing up and since then I've developed my own skills. I actually enjoy the process of creating a meal so it's not a chore and I love trying out recipes. Just don't ask me to bake a cake! (I share your baking pain lonestar!). It's probably not important if you can't or won't cook but being able to knock up a basic meal has to be useful?

KrisNine · February 18th, 2008, 07:38 PM

I think everyone should know the basics. I'm not a chef, at all, but I can throw together something quick, easy and healthy.

Honey · February 18th, 2008, 09:49 PM

I can only bake...cakes and puddings

I have no interest in cooking

ETA: I don't care if a man I date can cook

Aella · February 18th, 2008, 09:58 PM

I can only do a few basic things, and mostly live on salads, so it'd be hypocritical of me to expect the other person to be a gourmet chef. As long as he doesn't expect me to cook for him, we're fine! Mind you, I'd be wary of a grown man who can't as much as boil an egg. Pretty big 'mamma's boy' signal.

My best friend used to date a guy who actually gave her a cookbook for Valentine's day. He was an ass in so many ways-I cheered when she dumped him.

DitaPage* · February 18th, 2008, 10:23 PM

I can't cook and in a family of Italian women, including one that had her own restaurant, it makes me feel like a failure as a woman!

I can do basic things, but I'd make a terrible wife if my husband expected these fabulous home cooked meals every night.

Sweetie · February 19th, 2008, 09:08 AM

I LOVE to cook and really want to have my own place one day. I have people over for dinner parties every week. I just love it.
I honestly, no offense to anyone, don't understand how people cannot cook. (I say that because it has come so easy to me). I just love getting in my kitchen and slowly preparing a meal and watching everyone enjoy it.

My husband cannot cook anything. He's tried a couple times and it was beyond horrible; it doesn't bother me, I want to be the cook.

radha · February 19th, 2008, 02:43 PM

i can't cook much, and i don't mind if a guy i am with can't either

Dixie Normos · February 19th, 2008, 02:46 PM

I think everyone should learn how to survive on their own, eating is part of survival. That being said, as long as one person isn't constantly being taken advantage of (ie trade-off work) I don't see a problem with it.

pacific breeze · February 24th, 2008, 02:24 AM

I grew up on a farm watching my mother and aunts cook all kinds of stuff. I was a better baker at 10 than I am now, simply from watching them. I remember making complicated cakes and lemon meringue pies from scratch and thinking nothing of it.

I'm still a pretty good cook, and I do enjoy it when I have enough time. When I'm busy, it does sometimes feel like a chore. FYI, I was just saying today that I've never been romantically involved with a man who could cook. I have no idea why because I'd love to eat someone else's cooking from time to time!