Cooking is an everyday thing in human life. We all need food to survive, so it is very important to learn culinary skills so we can cook. Men and women cook, even though it is seen as a woman’s thing in some parts of the world, including Nigeria. Nevertheless, men are now involved in cooking than ever before. Some men view cooking as an easy task while the women argue it is the advancement in technology that makes cooking easier for them due to less time spent in the kitchen.
In this part of the world, children, especially girls, are taught how to cook while young. Mothers teach their female children how to prepare several dishes. It is a way of preparing them for marriage since they know their husbands (African men) don’t joke with their stomachs. Cooking is seen as one of the requirements of a successful marriage in Africa. In fact, they say, “the way to a man’s heart is food“.
Well, things have changed in recent times. Women are no longer confined to the kitchen. The 21st-century African woman combines the duties at home with living her dreams. Some husbands are no longer as tough as they used to be on cooking. In fact, they now assist their wives in the cooking thing even though most do this when their families are not around. There are also men who have taken it as a profession. In fact, there are more male chefs than female chefs in our society now. Men now see it as an easy chore, opposing the views of the women who feel it’s a tedious task.
The various technological innovations have been argued to be the reason men are now involved in cooking. Men are wired to live a fast-life so the invention of kitchen wares such as microwave oven, blender, gas cooker and so on has made men more interested in cooking than it used to be.
Before the use of these kitchen wares, African women have to go through rigorous processes before setting the food on the table for their husbands. Water has to be fetched from long distances, grinding stones used for grinding, the firewood used in cooking and so on. All these and many other things made cooking time a consuming and tedious task.
According to Kayode, a bachelor, “Cooking is not an easy chore even though it may be easier and quicker than what it used to be back then. With my cooking direction manual and recipe, much work still needs to be done to make the food delicious.’’
Mrs. Ejelonu in her opinion said “Well, I’ll have to appreciate my husband for helping in the kitchen. He has been doing that even before I started nursing our baby. I believe he might not have done this if there are no microwave ovens, pressure cookers and the rest. He is always conscious of time and like everything to be done as fast as possible so he wouldn’t have been blowing firewood to cook when there are alternatives.’’
Another lady pointed out that there are more male chefs in the industry than the female ones because they have to make food as quick as possible for their customers, so everything needed to make cooking snappy is provided. Their physical strength is another factor because they have to stand for hours while most women don’t possess such strength. Getting things done quickly has made men feel cooking is an easy chore.’’
Women have really argued that cooking food in less time, due to technological innovations, has made cooking easier for men. People were asked if this is really true. This is what they have to say:
No, it’s not true. Cooking in less time might be due to the circumstances you find yourself. Cooking can be done in haste when you are really hungry or rushing out. That doesn’t mean it’s an easier chore.
Mrs. Bisi
Cooking isn’t fun, but I have to do it anyway. Saying it is done in less time doesn’t make it easy, the process involved in getting things done as food is the real issue. For instance, the time involved in boiling water for eba doesn’t count like the process in turning and making it in my opinion.
Cecilia
I don’t really care about if it’s an easier chore because of the time taken. All I care about is the budget. I just want food prices to go down.
Dammy Asekere
I don’t even see cooking as a chore. It’s fun for me. Ladies who say cooking is not an easy chore are quite lazy. Cooking at any time isn’t a chore.
Funke
Whether home or commercial cooking, traditional method or modern method, cooking of food doesn’t depend on time to make it easier. I believe the argument by the female gender is to discredit the male folks who are trying to do what the women are known for. It is just a case of “What a woman can do, a man can do far better.”
Well, you may not share my opinion, so you can as well share your opinion in the comment section. Thank for taking the time to read this piece.