Men have never been known for their culinary skills. The masses believe that we take to the kitchen like oil to water but that just isn’t true, not anymore it isn’t. There has been a growing trend over the last decade: men’s perspectives are shifting and cooking, especially in the contemporary sense, isn’t such a bad thing anymore. Here are some resources to awaken the gastronome in all of us.
Celebrity Chef: Bobby Flay
Men and grilling have been synonymous since man discovered fire so many centuries ago. Grilling is genetically bred into our psyche. It is that innate knowledge that every man seems to possess. However, grilling is a lot more complex than throwing a slab of meat onto an open flame – Bobby Flay knows this. He teaches men how to grill properly. Bobby Flay is a king among men.
More Info: www.bobbyflay.com.
Must Read: The Guy Can’t Cook
You do not have to be Emeril Lagasse to dazzle and amaze with your cooking skills. Sometimes, the simplest solution is the best. This book, written by Cinda Chavich, guides men through quick and easy meals. There is also a ‘special’ section especially for those nights when you really need to impress!
More Info: Amazon Books.
Celebrity Chef: Guy Fieri
Guy specializes in ‘guy food.’ That doesn’t mean he simply slaps a hearty chunk of ground beef onto a bread bun. Aptly named, Guy Food means there is some girth to that meal. From tasty dishes like Pepperoni Lasagna to Jambalya Sandwiches, Guy tackles real meals without all that frou-frou Martha Stewart stuff.
More Info: www.guyfieri.com.
Must Read: The CookBook for Men Whose Wives Don’t Cook
Marriage is no picnic. This is especially true when your wife doesn’t cook. Christopher Hamilton has lived this nightmare and decided to write a book about it. Self-pubished—presumably with no help from his wife—this book is a testament to the tenacious nature of man.
More Info: www.poohatpictures.com.
Communities: Apparently, Real Men Cook
Real Men Cook. This is the simple mantra employed by the Real Men Charities. In an effort to promote a sense of family, community and good eats, Real Men Cook tackles important issues one meal at a time.
More Info: www.realmencook.com.
Celebrity Chef: Jamie Oliver
This guy has helped both men and women learn how to cook delicious meals without having to buy ingredients that are impossible to pronounce. He basically taught people how to feign being cultured… don’t you just love him?
More Info: www.jamieoliver.com.
iPhone App: Urban Spoon
The Urban Spoon app for iPhone / iPod Touch is one of the greatest resources for dining. Simply plug-in your desired dining choice and Urban Spoon will spit out option after option of available choices in your area. A pretty nifty user-friendly way of solving that ‘where to dine tonight’ dilemma.
More Info: www.urbanspoon.com.
Essential Products: L’Equip
Here’s a company that designs products for a man’s kitchen, no white appliances live here; they deal with steel, in an attempt to appeal to ‘men’s sensibilities.’ Even though you won’t hear much about it on the website, you can get the full story here.
More Info: www.lequip.com.
Go Online: BeerCook.com
A site compiling a list of recipes for cooking with beer – what more can be said?
More Info: www.beercook.com.
Essential Products: Danger, Men Cooking
Regardless of how refined you may be, a laugh is a laugh, even a cheap one. Danger, Men Cooking has a whole slew of items that poke fun at man’s ability to cook food. Amazing how those tired clichés remain fun to this day…
More Info: www.dangermencooking.com.
Must Read: Martha Stewart’s Cooking School
Make no mistake, Martha Stewart can go over the top, we aren’t looking for a lavendar-themed wedding or a gender-neutral hand-made baby shower, however, that doesn’t mean this imfamous broad can’t help us. One thing Martha knows is food, so leave it to her to publish this great instructional manual not unlike her trademark books on entertainment and high-living.
More Info: www.amazon.com.
Essential Products: Williams-Sonoma
You’re going to need spatulas, silpats, and knives to go with your blender from L’Equip, so head over to tried and true Williams-Sonoma for all your cooking needs. They sell everything from house brand cookbooks and baking mixes (fake it if you can’t make it) to copper pots and potato mashers. It doesn’t come cheap but you know you’re paying for quality.
More Info: www.williams-sonoma.com.
Must Read: The Joy Of Cooking
Another wonderfully instructive book is the traditional Joy Of Cooking—in fact, they’re celebrating 75 years. If you need to know how many sticks of butter are in a cup, or how to pick and prepare specific cuts of meat, you’ll want this reference guide. Unless they keep grandma on speed dial, every bachelor should keep this in their kitchen.
More Info: www.amazon.com.
Go Online: Epicurious
This site is brilliant. It is a free resource, compiling recipes that were published in a number of magazines like Gourmet, Bon Appetit, and Self, among others. Some recipes might be a bit more challenging, but there are thousands at your disposal. You can search by ingredient, diet (diabetic, vegetarian, etc.), magazine it was featured in, or even by what course you want to serve. It’s indispensable.
More Info: www.epicurious.com.
Go Online: Men In Aprons
Despite being aimed at men, this site can prove useful to any beginner chef. The site offers a database of recipes, guides, and instructional videos to help you maneuver any cooking obstacle, but also a feed with interesting bits of foodie news.
More Info: www.meninaprons.net.
I like Alton Brown, he gives tips on drink serving and cooking and he explains it all with chemistry and history.
If you’re looking for some easy recipes to try out, try Hungry Savage, trying to create up a whole list of recipes that are relatively simple and designed for guys not used to cooking. You can submit your own if you have any, sorta a mutual social network for recipes.
How can this list exist without mentioning Serious Barbecue by Adam Perry Lang. It tells you everything from the basics of BBQ to becoming a true master.
OF COURSE men are known for their culinary skills! What an idiotic statement to start with.
This is an excellent list of resources for male cooks to get ideas and advice. Thank you for sharing it.
What happened to the link for “The CookBook for Men Whose Wives Don’t Cook”. I want to buy this book for my wife and give it to her as a Valentine’s Day present 🙂