Who got you interested in food?

RobsanX

Potato peeler
Super Site Supporter
My mom. Best cook in the world. She is from rural Oklahoma, and cooked with a Southern influence. Always simple, and always delicious!
 

PanchoHambre

New member
the great Aunt who watched me as a kid was one of those old-world Italian cooks so my love of food comes from her

Cooking... during college in Houston. 1. Houston had a great variety of restaurants and grocery shopping so there were all sorts of new foods to try (Mexican, Vietnamese, BBQ, Soul Food etc and eating out was cheap there so as students we got around . 2. My friends were from all over as well and we cooked for each other a lot sharing what we knew. This exchange continues still between us when we see each other

Cookware... my former roommate managed a specialty cookware store so we had everything and if we did not own it we had it for trial at somepoint.

but i don't know I really think I was born interested in food... always loved food and trying new food... which I think ultimately leads to wanting to be able to make it
 

joec

New member
Gold Site Supporter
My grandmother taught me a lot as a kid and hers are still the standard by which I judge my own foods. Once I got married she taught my wife much of what she knows knows as well.

Now to be honest I could cook for myself but my wife did most of the cooking the first decade we were married. Then I got laid up for awhile and couldn't work so she went back to work and I became Mr. Mom. This forced me to have to get into a into cooking on a regular bases with 4 kids at home. In those days PBS was all their was with cooking shows and I got into Martin Yan, Julia Child and Jeff Smith. Since those days my wife and I have been sharing the cooking requirements, as both of us like to cook. I also had my Grandmother living with us up until her death in '96 at 93, though she didn't cook she did taste our food and critique it. She could be a tough critic too.

My grandmother taught me Italian and Hungarian foods, while I learned Asian from Martin Yan. Child and Smith I mostly learned techniques, as well as some dishes.
 

Ronjohn

New member
My stomach. :)

I had always liked cooking a bit, but on about 4 days notice I went from being in Detroit, to living on my own in Dallas for work.

So that was when I got serious about learning to cook. And man, were there ever some mis-fires... :sick:
 

buckytom

Grill Master
my belly; my mom; mrs. marchese, a childhood friend's mom; mrs. costanzo, my pseudo-adopted grandparent of an old gf; jimmy armstrong (R.I.P.), owner of a pub/restaurant across from my job; and joe from "joe's buon appetito", a local italian deli owner who's shop was near my first apartment.

but mostly my mom. :chef:
 
Last edited:

Jim_S

Resident Curmudgeon
Gold Site Supporter
My mom. Best cook in the world. She is from rural Oklahoma, and cooked with a Southern influence. Always simple, and always delicious!

Same here, my Mom. Rural Texas with a little German influence, a little southern, along with tex-mex.

Lots of the recipes I've posted are hers.

Jim
 

BamsBBQ

Ni pedo
Site Supporter
of course mom cuz my grandmother couldnt cook..lol

started one winter day when i was 8, i told mom i was hungry, she said go fry yourself an egg i went huh :shock:... she said if u can flip an egg without breaking it, u will be able to cook..

out came old cast iron pan(still my favorite), egg cooked,flipped,eaten and the rest is history..lol
 

Miniman

Mini man - maxi food
Gold Site Supporter
Eating got me into food.:D:D

Seriously, though, mum had me cooking from about age 10. I just enjoy the results and playing with different ways of doing food. It's also cheaper to make ratyher than buy.
 

Constance

New member
It was mostly my maternal grandmother who got me interested in cooking, because I always liked hanging out in the kitchen with her. She always found some little job to keep me busy and make me feel important.
My mom found day to day cooking boring, and spent as little time on it as possible, but she enjoyed special "projects", like cookies, pies and fancy cakes. I got to help with the cookies and pies, but when she started decorating a cake, I was run out of the kitchen so she could concentrate.
 

RobsanX

Potato peeler
Super Site Supporter
I should be fair and give a shout out to my dad too. He taught me how to grill which is the type of cooking I love the most!
 

lilylove

Active member
I've always liked to eat... but I started cooking after hearing Paul tell his mom ( before we were married) that he was going to have to do all the cooking because I didn't know how to cook. I thought I could. Now most of the family likes the way I cook her dishes better than she does! lol. I've come a long way baby!!
 

RobsanX

Potato peeler
Super Site Supporter
I've always liked to eat... but I started cooking after hearing Paul tell his mom ( before we were married) that he was going to have to do all the cooking because I didn't know how to cook. I thought I could. Now most of the family likes the way I cook her dishes better than she does! lol. I've come a long way baby!!

I think you got tricked. DW had no problem passing me the apron! :lol:
 

The Tourist

Banned
Rubbing elbows with professionals.

When I return a knife to a trained professional and watch him chop and slice at incredible speed, I think it's like watching a ballet.

We have a restaurant here called the Ginza of Tokyo where chefs prepare "dinner in the round" from a grill surrounded by the diners.

I always take a freshly sharpened gyuto.

If that doesn't get your heart pumping, nothing will.
 

Fisher's Mom

Mother Superior
Super Site Supporter
A friend, who is a fantastic cook, took me under her wing and convinced me I could learn to cook a decent meal. I really believed it was just something that came naturally or not at all. I cooked everyday since I had kids, but it really was awful. Probably the only reason my kids and I are so healthy is because I always kept a lot of fresh, raw fruits and veggies on hand. That was reliably good, whereas anything I "cooked" was a crap-shoot at best.

Sooo, I've only been really cooking for a couple of years now and I'm tickled pink to be able to make a good meal!

BTW My mom was a horrible cook, too, and she still is!
 

PieSusan

Tortes Are Us
Super Site Supporter
My mom. Best cook in the world. She is from rural Oklahoma, and cooked with a Southern influence. Always simple, and always delicious!

Your answer made me smile. That is exactly how I feel! My mom was the best cook in the world, too! She and my grandma taught me how to cook and purchase the best ingredients. The taught me how to choose fruits, vegetables and meats in the store.
 

joec

New member
Gold Site Supporter
BTW My mom was a horrible cook, too, and she still is!

My mother couldn't boil water so she wouldn't cook at all. Funny too since she came from a very large farm family. The grandmother that taught me was my father's mother, he was a good cook too.
 

JoeV

Dough Boy
Site Supporter
Mom taught her 5 boys to cook so they wouldn't be a burden on their wives. Go figure...

I really got into it heavily when I got tired of the same repertoire of meals that DW was cranking out for me and three kids. I said to myself...'there's got to be more food out there than THIS."

Today she will admit that I'm a more creative cook than she is, but I think she's actually getting better since the kids all moved out, and she doesn't HAVE to cook every day. Regardless, I still throw her butt out of "My Kitchen" on a regular basis and make more meals than she does.
 

PanchoHambre

New member
I cooked everyday since I had kids, but it really was awful. Probably the only reason my kids and I are so healthy is because I always kept a lot of fresh, raw fruits and veggies on hand. That was reliably good, whereas anything I "cooked" was a crap-shoot at best.


LOL FM... my Mom was a god awful cook. She never cooked when I was little... we had a stack of menus on the fridge LOL... then she ended up with 3 step-kids and another of her own... take out was NOT an option anymore....oh the things that got served... mention of certain dishes still makes me cringe.... I can't blame her full time job & 5 bad kids YIKES

Somehow in the process of getting dinner on the table she became a really really good cook now she is excellent... and enjoys it.
 

Ol-blue

New member
My mother got me interested in cooking. She loved to cook and when she became ill when I was young, my sister and I took over preparing the meals and cleaning house for the family. Both my grandmothers were excellent cooks also.
 

chowhound

New member
Who got you interested in food? And when and with what type(s)?

Ahh yes..... from the first time my mother cradled me and held me to her.... Oh wait, something more recent?
:lol:

I honestly don't know. I just like cooking. Even when I was married I still used the kitchen, though her more than I. When I was a kid, 12-14, something like that, I always cooked the potatoes, garlic bread and steaks when I went camping with the folks. My father was a good griller, but I was always more consistent no matter the heat source or weather. I've only recently gotten into trying new things, like "fresh herbs" :lol:.
I like to eat, so therefore I like to cook. They are interchangeable for me.
 

Lefty

Yank
I thinks I cooked my first meal when I was 6. It was a breakfast of scambled eggs, expresso and toast. I had watched my mom do it so many times I thought I could do it so I did. When I woke everyone up my mom looked at me in horror asking me how I reached the stove. I said I stood on a chair.:lol: She explained to me how dangerous it was, but then after tasting breakfast she said it was real good and we know my mom wouldn't lie to me ;). That afternoon she brought me into the kitchen and taught me kitchen safety. After that I always helped with the big meals. I have always been comfortable in the kitchen.
 

Maverick2272

Stewed Monkey
Super Site Supporter
My mom... her meals turned out fine but bland. I wanted more so I started teaching myself how to cook. She actually started letting me cook our family meals when I was in high school, I got an A+ in Home Ec. and took it from there.
Buy the time I met DW in college I thought I was pretty proficient at it, even made her a lobster and shrimp scampi dinner once.
Then we moved to Chicago, and I got exposed to all the wonderful ethnic food out here. On day I thought hey I should try making this stuff at home, and never looked back again.
Now it is a fight to get DW to eat out, LOL! She says she prefers my cooking, but I think she is just wanting to save money!
 

sattie

Resident Rocker Lady
I would have to say my Dad. Although I was not much of a cook at home, it was not until I moved out and got married that I really got interested in cooking. But my Dad was my main inspiration, he was always cooking something!
 

joec

New member
Gold Site Supporter
I thinks I cooked my first meal when I was 6. It was a breakfast of scambled eggs, expresso and toast. I had watched my mom do it so many times I thought I could do it so I did. When I woke everyone up my mom looked at me in horror asking me how I reached the stove. I said I stood on a chair.:lol: She explained to me how dangerous it was, but then after tasting breakfast she said it was real good and we know my mom wouldn't lie to me ;). That afternoon she brought me into the kitchen and taught me kitchen safety. After that I always helped with the big meals. I have always been comfortable in the kitchen.

No your mom won't lie to you but Dad will, at least I will. A grand daughter of mine wanted to make me breakfast one morning of eggs, bacon and pan cakes. It was all I could do to get it down but it was still the best worse breakfast I've ever had. :smile:
 

homecook

New member
My mom taught me how to cook by osmosis. She went to work when I was about 10 and she expected me to have everything prepped when she got home from work. I guess I was supposed to be watching her when she cooked all those years before. lol
My grandmother came to live with us a couple years later and that's when I really got my lessons on all the good Polish foods and pastries she would make. It's taken off from there.
My mom was an ok cook, just no creativity. Her meals were hearty though.

Barb
 
Top