How Did You Get Your Start in the Kitchen?

[Sagittarius]

Both my parents are in a very related business, and deal with Restaurateurs, Hotel General Managers and Executive Chefs.

Always, felt a need to go beyond the basics while I studied for my Travel Tourism Masters Degree in France, I had also attended culinary arts school to learn the basic techniques.

My mom is an exemplary cook and so were are 2 grandmothers and grand fathers.

So, being Mediterranean, it is not difficult to become involved in the food / travel industries ..

However, I prefer to travel as a Tour Operator than to be in a kitchen or any office.

Interesting post !
Have a lovely summer ..

 

[CubsGal]

My mother doesn't like to cook or clean, so as soon as we were old enough to do either, she handed off the work to us. When we'd complain about our chores, she'd say "why do you think I had kids?" Also, she was not a morning person and was usually still in bed when we left for school, so if we wanted breakfast before school or something in our lunch bag (our school didn't have a cafeteria, you either brought your own food or went hungry), we had to make it. And as I've mentioned before, she isn't a great cook, so we were happy to take over and figure out how to make things better.

 

[Katie H]

I'm the oldest of 5 children and as soon as my mother realized I could stand on a stool and do anything, much of the care of my siblings and the cooking was tasked to me. When she wanted to, which was rare, my mother could cook...most things. However, her mushy grey brussels sprouts were almost inedible and she cooked a good steak so well-done it could've been used to shingle a roof.

At any rate, I began cooking for the whole family when I was about 7 or 8. At least I could read and didn't feel intimidated by the kitchen in any way. I think I looked it as a bit of an adventure.

Because, all told, there were 7 of us in the family, I learned early on to cook in quantity. I remember something George Carlin said in one of his monologues, "I don't know what it it, but make a lot of it." That was my mantra for most of my cooking life because I always seemed to be in a situation that involved lots of plates at the table.

When I was 13, I discovered a cookbook-of-the-month club and was firmly bitten by the culinary bug. My initial choice of 4 books still holds a place of honor in my cookbook library, which has now grown to nearly 3,000 volumes.

I love to cook and to bake and have never had any interest in packaged or processed foods. Nearly everything I make, or have made, was made from scratch. For me it doesn't seem to take any longer to do it that way than to add water or such to box of "something." I have a hard time eating something with syllables I can't pronounce.

It took me forever to learn how to cook for two and I still have my quantity moments. I've cooked for so many for so long, that preparing foods for only two is like making a sample. That's why freezers were invented I guess.

At any rate, I've always loved to cook and don't do as fancy/complex recipes as I used to but, on occasion, I'll go goofy and let 'er rip for a full-blown gourmet extravaganza.

This close to 70 and it being only the two of us, good old-fashioned food is just the ticket.

I simply can't imagine not cooking. Some days it's quite therapeutic.

 

[Rocklobster]

I simply can't imagine not cooking. Some days it's quite therapeutic.

I agree. I'll cook at the deli for 8-10 hours a day, get home by 6:30 and start to cook dinner. Mind you, it is better with a cold beverage and your favorite music...just like most things...lol

 

[Katie H]

I agree. I'll cook at the deli for 8-10 hours a day, get home by 6:30 and start to cook dinner. Mind you, it is better with a cold beverage and your favorite music...just like most things...lol

I second that. Only yesterday I was simmerin' and stirrin' to Basia, along with something vodka.

 

[medtran49]

I don't remember ever not cooking or at least helping in the kitchen. It wasn't something I had to do or was made to do, just liked helping.

 

[skilletlicker]

Got hungry. Stumbled into the kitchen 'cause that's where the food was.

My parents got married at the beginning of the depression. Mom worked full time and was active in politics, social, and civic organizations her whole life. She put food on the table when she had time but there were lots times when I was expected to fend for myself, so long as I cleaned up afterward.

Also, when she did cook, you darn well better eat what was put in front of you because after the dishes were done the kitchen was closed.

I guess that's why I just don't understand posts that begin, "My [acronym I never understand] is a picky eater, ...?"

 

[Addie]

I had a neighbor that cooked individual meals for each of her six kids every night. I always gave my kids two choices. Eat or go hungry. Funny, I always had a lot of empty plates to wash up at the end of the meal.

One Christmas a few years back, my daughter gave me a framed picture with that written on it. It hangs proudly in my kitchen. She told me she could not pass it by.

 

[RPCookin]

I was raised to the same tune - "You can eat it or not, but that's what there is, and that's all there is." I learned to like most (no, still not all ) of what was put on the table.

 

[Just Cooking]

Being lazy, I copied my response from the "Why do you cook" thread and poll...

When I was a lad of 19, I married a sweet girl who was raised on down home country cooking.. For the first 20 years of our marriage she did all the cooking while I jumped in here and there.. When I was 40 years old, she gifted me with a wok, basic tools and a Chinese cookbook.. I became hooked and branched off into various ethnic cooking endeavors while learning some of her favorite dishes.. A fun thing was having our, by then, grown children and their friends over for a 'new dinner' I came up with.. We would sit and eat and then it was thumbs up or thumbs down time.. We enjoyed that and still laugh about those days..

After 33 years of marriage, she passed away.. Our kids were grown and scattered so I sold our home and moved back to my home town..

I eventually became reacquainted with a girl I'd dated in high school (in the 50's) and we became a couple.. She preferred that I cook and she clean up... Worked for me..

I took a serious interest in cooking for us, family and friends.. When I discovered computers, my interest expanded to searching for new, interesting dishes to prepare.. I spent a lot of time gathering recipes, adapting them to our tastes and just having fun with all things cooking..

Now at 77 years old, I have pared back on preparing big meals and we have simplified our daily intake of food along with most everything else in our lives..

While I don't get fancy anymore, I still have a passion for everything kitchen and live out my passion through following food blogs, etc..

Ross

 

[rodentraiser]

I was the pickiest eater ever and my mom didn't use the line "Eat or go hungry" on me (I would have gone hungry). Instead, I had to sit at the table until I ate my food and when my mom finally got tired of throwing out food every night at 10pm, she gave up.

I'm a lot less of a picky eater now and I like even more foods than my mom does. I always wish she had just left me alone to develop my own tastes instead of trying to force me to eat food I didn't like.

 

[Farmer Jon]

I started cooking in 3rd or 4th grade. My dad was a trucker. Never home. My mom was always at work. She would leave a casserole or a put together a roast. She would leave a note what time to put it in the oven at what temp and time.
One time she left something we didn't like so I made something else. Just learned from there.

 

[Addie]

I started cooking in 3rd or 4th grade. My dad was a trucker. Never home. My mom was always at work. She would leave a casserole or a put together a roast. She would leave a note what time to put it in the oven at what temp and time.
One time she left something we didn't like so I made something else. Just learned from there.

So how much of the cooking for the family do you do now? There has to be days when you are sitting in the combine all day that you don't get a chance to get in the kitchen.