Why I Cook

I was very young when I discovered I loved to cook, but it wasn’t until I was in my forties that I realized why.

I remember the moment I fell in love with cooking like it was yesterday - I was 5 years old, helping my grandmother bake a cake for my dad’s birthday. What started out mostly as me making a mess, somehow, with her gentle guidance, transformed into a truly lovely thing. The cake was beautiful, stacked high, smoothly frosted with buttercream, and covered with colorful sprinkles. It was also incredibly delicious, and I was hooked.

Many of my early food memories are centered around my grandmother’s kitchen, cooking large family meals or baking up a storm. Her kitchen was alive with pots simmering on the stove, things roasting or baking in the oven, aromas wafting through the house. I was spellbound by it all. I liked how when we were cooking, I felt in control of what was happening around me and that offered a sense of peace in my somewhat tumultuous world.

My parents divorced when I was 4 years old, and my mom had no choice but to return to work. She worked a lot, which left little time for her to cook for us. Around the age of 11, I felt confident enough in the kitchen to fill that role and take a little stress out of my mom’s world. I’ll admit, without my grandmother there to guide me, my “cooking” looked more like heat and eat; lots of Hamburger Helper, frozen foods, instant mashed potatoes, and Kraft Mac-n-Cheese. I was baking from a box instead of from scratch, but I was cooking for my family. The how didn’t matter much.

Food has a universal power to bring people together and create happiness. It’s a common bond that connects all races, nationalities, and backgrounds. Years ago, my family hosted an exchange student from Norway, and I knew right away the quickest path for her to feel at home would be in the kitchen. We cooked a lot of meals together. We made a day out of shopping trips to source ingredients familiar to her, so she could cook some of her favorite meals for us. We shared our cultures in the kitchen. It was a wonderful experience, no doubt made even better through food.

Cooking is one of the most personal and intimate things you can do for someone. What better way to show love or care for others than by feeding them with something you’ve created (even if you follow a recipe, you’re still creating). Cooking can also heal; we bring food to those who are grieving, we cook to mend a broken heart, we make chicken soup to nurse a cold. When life overwhelms us, cooking can be a welcome distraction with comforting results.

Through teaching my classes, I discovered the true gift my grandmother gave me. I realized why I love to cook—to show love, to bring people together, to help myself and others heal. I cook to a have a bit of control when things feel chaotic. I cook to nourish the body, mind, and soul. By teaching people to cook, I am able to share the gift that was given to me. I’m grateful for the opportunity to accomplish something much bigger than just teaching someone to how to cook, because it’s the why that truly matters.

Cheers from my kitchen to yours.

-Nicole

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