The Importance of Teaching Boys to Cook
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9/2/20252 min read
The Importance of Teaching Boys to Cook
When I was 12, it became mandatory that I learn how to cook. My mother, in her calm but deliberate way, simply stopped cooking dinner. From that point on, my brothers and I took turns preparing the evening meal. I didn’t mind. I’ve always loved to learn—and more importantly, I’ve always loved to eat.
I started with the basics, learning a handful of recipes I’d picked up from watching my mother, stepmother, and grandmother. My father, more of a grill master than a chef, also knew his way around the kitchen and passed on a few tricks of his own. At the time, I thought I was just picking up a useful skill. I had no idea that cooking would become the foundation for so much more than putting food on the table.
Learning to cook taught me more than just how to follow a recipe. It taught me discipline, organization, planning, and patience. It sparked my creativity. But most importantly, it taught me self-sufficiency—something every young person, especially boys, should be taught early on.
For young boys who will one day become men, learning to cook is an act of empowerment and transformation. It challenges outdated gender norms and sets the groundwork for a more empathetic, responsible, and emotionally intelligent adulthood. Teaching boys to cook isn’t just about food—it’s about fostering independence and compassion. It’s about breaking cycles of entitlement and toxic masculinity.
A boy who learns to cook learns to care—for himself and for others. He learns that nurturing is not a “feminine” trait, but a human one. He understands the value of labor, the importance of service, and the joy of sharing something he created with the people he loves.
And yes, it’s true—women love a man who can cook. But even more than that, women appreciate men who value equality, reject misogyny, and show up with empathy and respect. A man who can cook is often a man who listens, who pays attention, who contributes—not just in the kitchen, but in life.
Food nourishes the body, but cooking has the power to nourish the soul. If we want our sons to grow into strong, kind, grounded men, we should start by teaching them to cook.
Looking for kid friendly recipes to cook with your children?
Try this book: