Some learn to cook when they are aged 10 while some when they are 40. So there is actually no age barrier to learn to cook. You can learn to cook when you feel like taking up the kitchen for some time in a day.
Beginning to cook at an early age has its advantages. Sometimes the person takes it up as a profession and makes a living out of it. Not to mention the waiting requirement for chefs in hotels in restaurants. If you have talent there is a sea of opportunity waiting for you.
If you have the interest in cooking, but do not know where to go, then begin by looking up books. There are scores of cookery books easily available in the market. Infact now chefs have gotten commercial and they are no longer behind the curtains. They are right out and in the open. They have their signature books and signature recipes books stocked up at bookshelves, magazines stands, railway wheelers and anywhere you go.
Even magazines, there is always a section in it, dedicated exclusively to recipes. According to the season, recipes are spelt out. For instance if its diwali, then there is an array of sweet dishes and farsan lettered on the pages.
Sometimes it is dedicated to snacks and breakfast. Sometimes for soups, lunch, bakery products, while sometimes recipes are dedicated to fast cooking. Special 5 minute recipes are displayed to save on time while bringing out a yummy dish.
Although for women it is natural to get started with cooking at an early age as it is the norm in India that women have to learn to cook and clean and take care of the family, men in the modern age have showed their prowess in this field.
For men and those women who barely got their hands dirty in the kitchen, it is a task to begin cooking. Even stirring up tea is a despicable thought. But if such is the attitude towards cooking, then you will barely get there.
One must understand that cooking comes from the heart. If you cook in haste, in anger or are in a bad mood, it will reflect in your cooking. The taste will not be that wowed as it would if you cooked with a good mood. Hence throw away all your worries and cook in good mood. Then see everyone appreciate your good work.
As a beginner, do not try to experiment with new recipes. Go by the book. Put in exact amounts or the exact ingredients. No substitutes and no appropriate stuff. Follow word to word.
Once you have a hang of a few recipes and receive the right credit and appreciation, you can go on to try your hand at a few unknown recipes. As you realise what you are good at, you can turn your passion into a career. And if your bakery products are better than your vegetables or rice, plunge into bakery. It is here that you will get better, hone your skills and master the art as your heart lies in it.
