The Rise Of The ‘Man-Made Chef’
Gone are the days when a woman’s place was deemed to be in the kitchen; British men are increasingly taking on the role of master chef in the household, according to a study from Luce by Hotpoint.
Eighty-six per cent of blokes now cook regularly, according to the poll of 2,000 British men surveyed by the new built-in appliance range, Luce by Hotpoint. The average man spends eleven and a half hours cooking up a storm in the kitchen each week, preparing four meals with a repertoire of up to 11 recipes that he can prepare from scratch.
Two thirds of British men say they cook more than their dad ever did and it’s not just the special occasions meals, such as Christmas dinner; 63% of culinary-savvy men now cook mid-week meals and more than a third (37%) regularly take on preparing children’s meals and packed lunches.
It’s not just time men are investing in the kitchen - in the past two years, men admitted to splurging on average £498 on kitchen appliances alone.
Almost half (44%) would rather invest in kitchen appliances than new techy gadgets, such as tablets and e-readers, while nearly a third (28%) would forgo their sports season ticket to get their hands on new kitchen equipment.
Topping the average bloke’s kitchen appliance wish list was a new oven (36%). He also hankers after other kitchen clobber such as better pots and pans (38%) and high quality knives (35%).
Seven in ten say their cooking has improved in the last few years, with male chefs and TV shows providing inspiration to get into the kitchen. Over half (56%) say they are now adventurous cooks, experimenting with more ingredients, recipes and techniques when compared to their partners.
Among the top dishes British blokes think they master better than women are seafood & fish dishes (80%), steak (64%) and stir-fry (63%), as well as traditional favourites including ham, egg & chips (61%), sausage & mash (59%) and curry (57%).
Renowned celebrity chef, Theo Randall, comments, "It’s encouraging to see so many British men enjoying getting into the kitchen, experimenting with new recipes and giving different dishes a go.
"In my experience, men tend to aim for professional cooking results, inspired by TV cook shows. Armed the right appliances, quality ingredients a bit of enthusiasm and some practice, you’ll be well on your way to creating restaurant-style dishes - whether it’s mid-week suppers, dinner party favourites or the all-important Christmas meal."
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