Back in the day, most dads’ culinary skills were restricted to two main categories: breakfast and any grilled meat. Don’t get me wrong—those dads of yesteryear killed it when it came to pancakes and pork tenderloin, and for that their families were forever grateful.
These days, though, as more and more households are divvying up the chores equally between partners, it’s no longer strange to see a dad heading up the kitchen—either every now and then or every single night. And there’s a good chance they’re the ones stocking the pantry, too. According to recent research, more than half of dads report being the primary grocery shopper in their household.
Historically, most high-profile professional chefs have been men, but now amateur gastronomes include the everyday guy who might be a physician or electrician or graphic designer by day, and who dons a (probably metaphorical) apron when he comes home from work. A proof point to this trend is a new cooking show launching this fall (network still TBD, as best I can tell) called Dads That Cook where, throughout a 13-episode season, the host—self-taught cook, comedian and dad Jason Glover—showcases dads who are cooking up amazing food for their families.
“Dads That Cook features fathers from around the United States demonstrating their unique culinary creations, putting the spotlight on the everyday family – specifically the role of the modern dad in and out of the kitchen,” the show’s Kickstarter page reads. “Modern families no longer center around mother doing the bulk of household work. Men are stepping up to the home plate in a whole new way and finding out, ‘Hey, I really like this!’”
“Dads That Cook features fathers from around the United States demonstrating their unique culinary creations, putting the spotlight on the everyday family—specifically the role of the modern dad in and out of the kitchen,” the show’s Kickstarter page reads. “Modern families no longer center around mother doing the bulk of household work. Men are stepping up to the home plate in a whole new way and finding out, ‘Hey, I really like this!’”
Not so fast there, Dads That Cook. Mothers are still doing the bulk of the household chores, including cooking, according to multiple studies. But the show is definitely onto something, as there’s certainly an uptick in men in the kitchen (and the increasing normality around that trend, too).
Last November, The New York Times featured a piece called “When Their Workday Ends, More Fathers Are Heading Into the Kitchen,” highlighting a handful of New York men who have assumed the role of meal preparer in their homes. It’s a job these men take seriously (“We do a lot more than barbeque,” one man pointed out), and something that they view as a way to share housework with their wives, who also work.
