Baby I went from hating cooking to actually really loving it recently, so listen up.

Why I started trying to like cooking

You have to eat to live.

That’s all.

And I realized I was spending about $500 a month eating out (my eyes are covered, I’m embarrassed) which is $500 I could be saving for travel. That is a fancy plane ticket, realize that? I work at a restaurant but I cut down my time from 5 days a week to 2 days a week which means… I had to eat in some other way than just at the restaurant.

Learn to cook food that fascinates you

I always thought learning how to cook meant learning what everyone else knows how to cook. But for my personality baby, I’m kind of a rebel. If I’m just trying to learn what everyone and their brother knows how to cook, I’ve already lost interest. I realized I loveeee South American coastal food. Tostones, patacones, ceviche, mariscos, pabellon criollo, Colombian arepas, and the beloved food I used to eat in Ecuador — maduros, arroz con frijol, bolones, tigrillo, locro de papa. The bonus is that in the small community I live in, I can’t buy this food at a restaurant, which is extra incentive to learn to cook it. Plus add the extra incentive to marrying some fine Latino one day…

Learn to cook food you like to eat (duh)

This might sound silly, but I always felt that I had to fit someone else’s standard of what it meant to cook. Like, a lot of meat and potatoes. I can barely force myself to eat meat. I’m not sure why. I just don’t like it. For some reason it dawned on me – I love to eat fish, shrimp, coastal beachy food. And I don’t hate preparing it like I hate preparing chicken. So if I don’t even like to eat chicken, why would I feel like I have to learn to prepare it? And why do I think the only way to learn to cook is to learn to cook chicken? I’m going to be a seafood chef (I use chef in the lightest way humanly possible…)

Give yourself time… like literal time.

My food adventures started with four days straight where I basically didn’t leave the house. I was in a mild quarantine after traveling. Cooking takes time. A LOT of time. I found eliminating the pressure of needing to eat, or having to have a meal ready by 5pm, made me actually enjoy it. I had all day. I could explore, experiment.

Talk to a friend, listen to music, listen to podcasts

Or you’re going to get bored. Vegetables don’t talk, baby.

When it comes out good, have your sample/brag friend

When you made a killer dish and don’t want to eat it alone, have the friend or family member you can call to be like “yo I made you dinner want a piece?” Trust me they will come running. And will love it. And it will boost your confidence to see someone else eat and enjoy what you prepared (and frankly, it motivated me to keep doing it. Food makes people happy.)

…and when it doesn’t turn out, they never have to know 🙂

And when the food doesn’t turn out, don’t invite anyone, and they never have to know.