I know how to cook (because I can read directions), but I don't enjoy doing it. To me it is a chore, much like housecleaning. Needless to say, I eat out a lot, and purchase many pre-made salads. It doesn't bother me at all if a man doesn't cook, as long as he doesn't expect me to do it for him.

If they can’t cook let them take you out for dinner until they can! My husband never needed to cook in the early days of our marriage as I stayed home when the children were young and I had the meal ready for the family when he arrived home from work each evening, Later on when I was working full time and he was already semi-retired, we had a role reversal and I came home to my evening meal already cooked. He taught himself and really surprised me by how good he was....my only complaint was that he was a bit heavy handed with the spices.....when he did spicy it definitely was! I would suggest that you are better off without the sort of men you have described and would love to know what they were actually contributing to the relationship.

When my wife left me with two boys aged 7 and 5 to look after, I had to learn to cook fairly quickly. Didn't see it as a problem, just got on with it. The boys are now in their late 30's and both can cook and look after themselves so I must have done something right.

I was homeschooled. When I was about 11, my mom told me if I wanted to eat, I had to learn to cook. Later in life I developed an appreciation for Indian cuisine, and learned to cook it as well. I'm wanting to learn Thai cuisine next.

All people should know how to cook. Nobody taught me how to cook, I found recipes (online or from books) and tried them. I watched online videos to master my knife skills. I read about compatible spices and flavor profiles. Being able to feed yourself is a necessary life skill. Our kids started learning as soon as they were big enough. My youngest is 16 and he has been cooking almost half his life. We have 3 "kids", 2 are adults who are living with their spouses in our home. EVERYBODY gets a night to cook for the family each week. The newest person to move in had never cooked before he lived here. His first meal was shopped for and cooked while on the phone with his mother. Works for me. It was the best carne asada I have ever eaten. He now finds recipes online and cooks beyond what his mama could teach him on the phone.

There’s no reason a man can’t cook. Cooking lessons are fun and a way to get immersed in a culture.
I can cook up a storm. I’ve taken cooking lesson vacations with friends in Mexico, Greece, France, and a number in the US. I make a great Chinese stir fry.
I also bake amazing breads including brioche.
I cooked most meals for my daughter and me when my wife was out of town on business.
But I have no problem getting a pizza and wings. ?

I've always been a superior cook to every woman I've ever been associated with

My father could just about make a cup of tea, but that was not uncommon back then i left home at 16 and after living in bed sits and sharing flats i learnt the basics. I enjoy cooking especially when it is appreciated and I think it is a bit pathetic if anyone cannot cook, male or female.

Once, while being set up by a friend of mine. My potential new partner was warned by my friend...
"Be careful, he'll take over your kitchen."

OK, different issues here. I cook for myself, have since I left my home at 17 to get married. I had little training, my Mom did not encourage us (one sister) to spend time in the kitchen. But she was a traditional housewife for the time. My first marriage suffered from my expectation that this was the norm and the wife was in charge of housework. Both my first and second wife had not had any training in the kitchen by their mothers, even though the second’s mother was an excellent cook! To a certain degree, we learned to cook together, though the second was quite happy to cook alone. I never had any expectations of meals at a certain time of day or even a certain quality. As long as it was food I liked, it could be made most any way.
You say your cooking skills are excellent and healthy. This might intimidate me if I was cooking for you. It caused issues when my last wife insisted that food had to be on the table at 5:00, with little exceptions. I have always eaten later in the evening, not even hungry at 5:00. Then, she was planning meals days ahead of time. I open the fridge or the freezer, pick something out, then when I am ready to cook, decide how and with what I will make it. And much of what I eat is of questionable health value ?. So she did most of the cooking, I did special meals, holiday meals or when there was something specific I was hungry for. Speaking for myself, I prefer to work in the kitchen by myself. I know what I want done and am not great at delegating. As for catching a kitchen feel while she was cooking, it wasn’t necessarily to have immediate sex, more I just loved the way she felt! ?

I LOVE cooking. So much so I built a somewhat professional kitchen in my house when I built it 4 years ago. My parents were both great cooks and my father used to be a huge fan of James Beard.

For my family the kitchen and dining room has always been the center of activity for every gathering. I prefer to work alone but built the kitchen for 2-3 people to be able to cook.

Of course it also feels good when the people I have over enjoy my cooking!

I remember the day when I cooked pasta in our home: It was on October 14th 1962. I was eight ... on the day. Until then I had only cooked some ready made soup mix with an additional egg at my grandmother's place.

I have always been the cook and the food supplier, I grow my own veggies and hunt and fish since I was a kid.The reason I love to cook and prepare food is I know what I'm eating, nothing comes from a can in my home. Being a single parent to 2 boys was a big pleasure to raise 2 self sustaining cooks, their women are enjoying being served.

I can cook pretty well but no longer care to. I also do not consider a lack of cooking ability a deal breaker as long as my potential partner does not think cooking is going to be solely my responsibility.

When I was in high school my stepmother was constantly sewing things, and I (male) wanted to try making my own shirts, so I asked her about it. She was shocked and appalled that I could even think such evil thoughts. This was my introduction to radical complementarianism. She believed that it was grossly obvious that men and women hated each other so much that the only way that the human race could survive is if men are incapable of basic survival without a wife and women are incapable of basic survival without a husband. That is, it is morally unconscionable for men to be able to cook, do laundry, clean house, etc., while it is equally wrong for women to be able to work for a living, fix cars, do basic home repair, and so forth. Sex behavior rules had to be rigidly enforced on everyone. The very survival of humanity depended on it.

I never did learn to sew. And she actually made me feel sorry for my father.

Seriously I fret to think what my life would be like if I didn't know how to cook..It would wither be instant shit or take out all the time.

I do normally have a deal if I'm of an intimate nature with a lady...If I cook she does the dishes...And vice versa.

I can cook the basics ,love new potatoes.I lived with someone for two years she moaned that I never made the dinners. When I did make the dinners I did all of it including washing up np. When she did the dinner I had to help and then wash and clear up after her.She used twice the pans and utensils so it took twice as long before we ate.I cook all my meals, thank goodness she through me out .

in this day and age anyone who can't cook is a loser all 3 of my kids cook though 1 is better at pastries than the other 2 if you can't cook you eat shit

Sad but true. I think that you have come upon some fossils there. Keep away from them, after all they do not know how to read.

My stepson loves to cook. He works at a deli and makes the various dishes served cafeteria-style, and has brought that interest home. On the other hand he's been dismayed to find that he's expected to clean up after himself [sigh].

I grew up in a home with parents born before 1920 so cooking was a life skill that I imperfectly taught myself. I never saw it as "women's work" but don't feel any more obligated to be interested in it than I expect women to automatically be. Most of the cooking I actually do is grilling.

My wife and I tend to prepare our own meals as we have different tastes in food, and different needs (I don't expect her to adhere to my diabetic restrictions). There's also this great division of labor called a "restaurant".

Sat in the car, wow.

My youngest son is 27. He is dumbfounded that some men (and women) have absolutely no idea how to cook. He has also told me that on some forums he is ridiculed because of his obvious cooking and baking skills. Many times he is asked for his recipes and he gladly gives them.

We both have discussed this topic and both agree that everyone should at least know the fundamentals of cooking/baking.

Never come up behind a woman to initiate sex if she is holding a knife. It's not just a good idea, It's a really real good idea.

Cooking is awesome, it's ground-level chemistry! I love spending an hour or two working on a meal, timing everything to all be ready at the same time.

Wow! This post has 103 comments and counting.

Thank you for your insightful replies.

The topic, "Men who never learned to cook," must have hit a nerve.