The concept of ‘dad cooking’ is finally breaking out of the stereotypical and dated shell making it sound like a very bad 1980’s comedy….Dad dancing on the other hand might have some decades to go if Britain’s Got Talent is anything to go by.
Dad cooking is a becoming a very popular concept and social trend amongst 21st century dads who no longer feel they need to hide their culinary skills and passion in fear of social stigma. More on that in just a second, but the bottom line is that some of the best chefs in the world are men. This should make society look up and take note that men have a place in the domestic kitchen as well.
Who wears the apron?
As offensive it is to suggest that a ‘woman’s place is in the kitchen’ it is equally as degrading to suggest a man has no business there either. Great strides have been made in gender equality in recent years overall but from a male perspective, or more specifically a ‘dad perspective,’ it is a movement that can only be changed by the influencers themselves…the dads.
One of these influencers is Nick Coffer who is now an established food-writer, BBC broadcaster, and owner of mydaddycooks.com. For Nick, it all started with being a stay at home dad who passionately enjoyed cooking with his young toddler and it developed into a fantastic route to his current career and helping influence more fathers to take charge in the kitchen.
Feel the fear and cook anyway
So perhaps the most daunting part of cooking is the fear of learning to cook. Just like anything else, we often fear the things we don’t know that much about. Luckily, the digital age has changed all that in the form of videos, hints and tips which now make it easier than ever before.
Rob Barrett, another dad who cooks is a shining example of what ‘dad cooking’ is all about with his own site cookingfordads.net. Cooking for dads by Rob’s own admission is not a place for professional chef’s, simply a community in which he learned to cook meals for the family in a fun and easy to learn way using visual learning techniques which he claims helps men learn more effectively.
Cooking With Dad
Those who are reading this and have wonderful memories about spending time cooking with their fathers will know exactly how special that time was. As proud passionate modern dads it is exactly our mission to improve the way the world perceives and values us. However, at the root of it all, it’s the hope our children can remember how much we love and care for them through memories and the legacies we leave. What better way to create memories than through a love of food.
Leo and Pete Williamson have taken that mantra to the next level by creating whatdadcooked.com – a site where these two sons celebrate their dad’s wonderful cooking, and the memories of the dishes. Here’s what they had to say about it:
“When we were very young we made pancakes together with dad. It allowed us to spend quality time with him whilst he was working during the week. Dad’s cooking has always been about cooking food to enjoy with the family and even though now we’re older we still cook together. Dad directs us on the cooking – each time it’s like learning a new dish. We also run the blog together – so there’s bonding on many levels.”
If you spend time cooking with your kids, it is like leaving them with a great bonding experience while also teaching them essential skills both in the kitchen and in life. You are in essence playing your part in the greater good in teaching the next generation that men but more specifically dads are great in the kitchen. For your sons, it’s a lesson to do their part in being confident in cooking and ultimately respecting their own position in the kitchen For your daughters, it teaches them that men can, should and do contribute to cooking for the family.
Dad cooking not calorie cutting
Daddilife has often stressed the importance of a healthy lifestyle. When discussing dads health, eating right is almost always a topical discussion as it is not only an important lesson for dads but for what we pass on to our children. We recently caught up Little Cooks Co who believe passionately that kids should learn to enjoy cooking and enjoy eating fresh healthy meals. We asked them for their expert opinion if children are likely to follow in the footsteps of their fathers:
“Absolutely. Similarly to how shouting at your kids to stop shouting doesn’t work in the long run, telling kids to eat their greens when you don’t won’t either! Kids learn more from what we do than what we say, so us eating a healthy and varied diet will stand them in good stead.”
Little Cooks Co also tackled the stagnant belief that it is expensive to eat healthy as a family confirming not only is it cheaper but an investment in the future of our children: “We are a money rich time poor society, and convenience food seems cheap and cooking takes time.”
The beauty about nutrition in today’s world is that there is no lack of education available whether online or even socially. By cooking your own food, you are not only 100% confident that you know what is going into it. You are educating your family and indulging them in the joys of quality, delicious fresh food. Vary the family diet, get creative, have fun and most important of all, create memories. How about a family recipe book with each recipe accredited to that family member?
The concept of dad cooking is one element in a widely complex paradigm channelled through and formed by dads who are taking the lead and paving the way for a better future for our children. What better way to keep that future bright, by sharing the memories that matter in the kitchen, and around the dining table.
