The adage 'A kitchen is a woman's territory' is something that one has grown up hearing. But those days are passe. With lifestyles changing, tables have turned too and men are becoming adept in cooking.
Nitin Hajela, a food blogger, lives with his family, but is happy to be the one whipping up delicious dishes at home. He says, "My mother was a school teacher and she had different shift timings. She would often leave food at home for me to heat up and eat. Eventually, I started experimenting with the ingredients available in the kitchen. I also helped my mom once in a while. Thus I picked up the tricks of the trade and now Ijust love it!"
Nitin has become an expert in Continental, Oriental and North Indian dishes. He says, "I cook about two to three times a week. Non-vegetarian food is my favourite. Due to my work timings, I usually leave the meat to marinate all day. Once I come back home, I prepare the dish. 'Laal maans' is my speciality."
With the amount of ingredients available, it not too difficult to prepare a meal for one or more. Kunal Singh, a project manager, found it difficult to cook eight years ago. But he was determined to learn, so he started searching for recipes online and took his mother's help as well. He says, "Growing up, I used to watch my mother cooking, so I learnt a few tricks from her. Initially, Ifound it difficult to prepare vegetarian dishes. Now, I modify any recipe that I find to my own liking."
Even though he comes back home tired after work, it is the hot plate of food which he prepares that helps him unwind. He explains, "There's a sense of satisfaction when you come back to your own place. After a hectic day in office, cooking is my source of meditation, so why not embrace it?"
Regardless of how much the society has grown, there is still a certain section who finds it odd that men cook. Many choose to ignore the fact that some of the best Michelin star restaurant chefs are men.
"Sometimes I wonder why some people make it a big deal. For generations, many families have men cooking at home but somewhere along the line, it became a 'woman's job'. There is nothing wrong with either of the genders being in charge of the kitchen. We're making food, afterall!," adds Kunal.
Amit Jain, manager with an ITfirm, agrees with this view. He says, "It is usually my wife who cooks at home but I cook when she is unwell or not in town. I am so used to home food that my stomach doesn't agree with outside food. So when she is unavailable, I prepare the dishes she does for my lunch box. If it is a recipe that I am not aware of, I ask my neighbours, my mother or my wife."
He plans his menu in such a way that he can prepare hot 'rotis' when he returns after work.The curry, he says, is made the previous night. He has an 8-year-old son who is also slowly showing an interest in cooking.
"Ihope he follows in my footsteps in all aspects of life. I don't want him to be gender biased in anything. Even though I do get surprised looks from people when they know I cook, times have changed and we are moving past the stereotypical thoughts. If you love cooking and want to have good food, it doesn't matter which gender you are, get inside the kitchen and get cooking," he exclaims.
![]( "Nitin Hajela")
The adage 'A kitchen is a woman’s territory’ is something that one has grown up hearing. But those days are passe. With lifestyles changing, tables have turned too and men are becoming adept in cooking.
Nitin Hajela, a food blogger, lives with his family, but is happy to be the one whipping up delicious dishes at home. He says, "My mother was a school teacher and she had different shift timings. She would often leave food at home for me to heat up and eat. Eventually, I started experimenting with the ingredients available in the kitchen. I also helped my mom once in a while. Thus I picked up the tricks of the trade and now I just love it!”
Nitin has become an expert in Continental, Oriental and North Indian dishes. He says, "I cook about two to three times a week. Non-vegetarian food is my favourite. Due to my work timings, I usually leave the meat to marinate all day. Once I come back home, I prepare the dish. 'Laal maans’ is my speciality.”
With the amount of ingredients available, it not too difficult to prepare a meal for one or more. Kunal Singh, a project manager, found it difficult to cook eight years ago. But he was determined to learn, so he started searching for recipes online and took his mother’s help as well. He says, "Growing up, I used to watch my mother cooking, so I learnt a few tricks from her. Initially, I found it difficult to prepare vegetarian dishes. Now, I modify any recipe that I find to my own liking.”
Even though he comes back home tired after work, it is the hot plate of food which he prepares that helps him unwind. He explains, "There’s a sense of satisfaction when you come back to your own place. After a hectic day in office, cooking is my source of meditation, so why not embrace it?”
Regardless of how much the society has grown, there is still a certain section who finds it odd that men cook. Many choose to ignore the fact that some of the best Michelin star restaurant chefs are men.
"Sometimes I wonder why some people make it a big deal. For generations, many families have men cooking at home but somewhere along the line, it became a 'woman’s job’. There is nothing wrong with either of the genders being in charge of the kitchen. We’re making food, afterall!,” adds Kunal.
Amit Jain, manager with an IT firm, agrees with this view. He says, "It is usually my wife who cooks at home but I cook when she is unwell or not in town. I am so used to home food that my stomach doesn’t agree with outside food. So when she is unavailable, I prepare the dishes she does for my lunch box. If it is a recipe that I am not aware of, I ask my neighbours, my mother or my wife.”
He plans his menu in such a way that he can prepare hot 'rotis’ when he returns after work.The curry, he says, is made the previous night. He has an 8-year-old son who is also slowly showing an interest in cooking.
"I hope he follows in my footsteps in all aspects of life. I don’t want him to be gender biased in anything. Even though I do get surprised looks from people when they know I cook, times have changed and we are moving past the stereotypical thoughts. If you love cooking and want to have good food, it doesn’t matter which gender you are, get inside the kitchen and get cooking,” he exclaims.
Nitin Hajela, a food blogger, lives with his family, but is happy to be the one whipping up delicious dishes at home. He says, "My mother was a school teacher and she had different shift timings. She would often leave food at home for me to heat up and eat. Eventually, I started experimenting with the ingredients available in the kitchen. I also helped my mom once in a while. Thus I picked up the tricks of the trade and now Ijust love it!"
Nitin has become an expert in Continental, Oriental and North Indian dishes. He says, "I cook about two to three times a week. Non-vegetarian food is my favourite. Due to my work timings, I usually leave the meat to marinate all day. Once I come back home, I prepare the dish. 'Laal maans' is my speciality."
With the amount of ingredients available, it not too difficult to prepare a meal for one or more. Kunal Singh, a project manager, found it difficult to cook eight years ago. But he was determined to learn, so he started searching for recipes online and took his mother's help as well. He says, "Growing up, I used to watch my mother cooking, so I learnt a few tricks from her. Initially, Ifound it difficult to prepare vegetarian dishes. Now, I modify any recipe that I find to my own liking."
Even though he comes back home tired after work, it is the hot plate of food which he prepares that helps him unwind. He explains, "There's a sense of satisfaction when you come back to your own place. After a hectic day in office, cooking is my source of meditation, so why not embrace it?"
Regardless of how much the society has grown, there is still a certain section who finds it odd that men cook. Many choose to ignore the fact that some of the best Michelin star restaurant chefs are men.
"Sometimes I wonder why some people make it a big deal. For generations, many families have men cooking at home but somewhere along the line, it became a 'woman's job'. There is nothing wrong with either of the genders being in charge of the kitchen. We're making food, afterall!," adds Kunal.
Amit Jain, manager with an ITfirm, agrees with this view. He says, "It is usually my wife who cooks at home but I cook when she is unwell or not in town. I am so used to home food that my stomach doesn't agree with outside food. So when she is unavailable, I prepare the dishes she does for my lunch box. If it is a recipe that I am not aware of, I ask my neighbours, my mother or my wife."
He plans his menu in such a way that he can prepare hot 'rotis' when he returns after work.The curry, he says, is made the previous night. He has an 8-year-old son who is also slowly showing an interest in cooking.
"Ihope he follows in my footsteps in all aspects of life. I don't want him to be gender biased in anything. Even though I do get surprised looks from people when they know I cook, times have changed and we are moving past the stereotypical thoughts. If you love cooking and want to have good food, it doesn't matter which gender you are, get inside the kitchen and get cooking," he exclaims.
The adage 'A kitchen is a woman’s territory’ is something that one has grown up hearing. But those days are passe. With lifestyles changing, tables have turned too and men are becoming adept in cooking.Nitin Hajela, a food blogger, lives with his family, but is happy to be the one whipping up delicious dishes at home. He says, "My mother was a school teacher and she had different shift timings. She would often leave food at home for me to heat up and eat. Eventually, I started experimenting with the ingredients available in the kitchen. I also helped my mom once in a while. Thus I picked up the tricks of the trade and now I just love it!”
Nitin has become an expert in Continental, Oriental and North Indian dishes. He says, "I cook about two to three times a week. Non-vegetarian food is my favourite. Due to my work timings, I usually leave the meat to marinate all day. Once I come back home, I prepare the dish. 'Laal maans’ is my speciality.”
With the amount of ingredients available, it not too difficult to prepare a meal for one or more. Kunal Singh, a project manager, found it difficult to cook eight years ago. But he was determined to learn, so he started searching for recipes online and took his mother’s help as well. He says, "Growing up, I used to watch my mother cooking, so I learnt a few tricks from her. Initially, I found it difficult to prepare vegetarian dishes. Now, I modify any recipe that I find to my own liking.”
Even though he comes back home tired after work, it is the hot plate of food which he prepares that helps him unwind. He explains, "There’s a sense of satisfaction when you come back to your own place. After a hectic day in office, cooking is my source of meditation, so why not embrace it?”
Regardless of how much the society has grown, there is still a certain section who finds it odd that men cook. Many choose to ignore the fact that some of the best Michelin star restaurant chefs are men.
"Sometimes I wonder why some people make it a big deal. For generations, many families have men cooking at home but somewhere along the line, it became a 'woman’s job’. There is nothing wrong with either of the genders being in charge of the kitchen. We’re making food, afterall!,” adds Kunal.
Amit Jain, manager with an IT firm, agrees with this view. He says, "It is usually my wife who cooks at home but I cook when she is unwell or not in town. I am so used to home food that my stomach doesn’t agree with outside food. So when she is unavailable, I prepare the dishes she does for my lunch box. If it is a recipe that I am not aware of, I ask my neighbours, my mother or my wife.”
He plans his menu in such a way that he can prepare hot 'rotis’ when he returns after work.The curry, he says, is made the previous night. He has an 8-year-old son who is also slowly showing an interest in cooking.
"I hope he follows in my footsteps in all aspects of life. I don’t want him to be gender biased in anything. Even though I do get surprised looks from people when they know I cook, times have changed and we are moving past the stereotypical thoughts. If you love cooking and want to have good food, it doesn’t matter which gender you are, get inside the kitchen and get cooking,” he exclaims.