So, here’s the deal: my family and I are proud cord-cutters. It’s been about six years since we ditched cable, and honestly, I haven’t really missed it—except for the cooking shows. I used to love spending hours glued to food-related content, something I now realize I deeply miss.
Ever since becoming a parent, I find myself longing for any screen time, and cooking shows were once my favorite way to unwind. Whenever we travel and find ourselves with access to cable, my family knows exactly what’s on the agenda while we’re getting ready in hotel rooms.
During a recent trip, I had some downtime with my baby, which meant I could indulge in as many cooking shows as I wanted. I was thrilled to catch a marathon of a show I had never seen before—a kids’ cooking competition. I thought it would be a light-hearted hour of tiny chefs whipping up grilled cheese and cake pops. Instead, I was hit with an overwhelming wave of self-doubt as I watched these pint-sized prodigies scale fish and toss around culinary terms like béchamel and kosher salt.
There I was, lounging on the couch in my hotel room, eating straight from a pot of mac and cheese—drowning it in ketchup—while these kids were whipping up homemade pasta and creating intricate cakes from scratch. They didn’t need recipes; they just knew what to do!
When I was their age, my culinary achievements consisted of waking up super early to bake my mom a Mother’s Day treat. Armed with a children’s cookbook, I attempted to make truffles using whatever I could find. The only things I remember? Cream cheese, chocolate, and powdered sugar—which I thought was regular sugar because I was a genius like that. The result? A plate of “Sugar Snot Balls” that I proudly presented to my mom at dawn.
The next year, I aimed lower with chocolate-covered fruit, which ended up in a microwave disaster involving a melting chocolate bunny and a fire in my grandmother’s mixing bowl. How did these kids bypass those epic fails? They were calmly discussing pâte à choux while I was still trying to figure out how to crack an egg without getting shells in my mix.
Seriously, what gives? Are these kids being raised by French chefs? Where’s the culinary training happening? Meanwhile, I was busy learning about the scientific method and other things that seem way less useful than mastering knife skills. Watching this show was a harsh reminder of my own culinary mediocrity.
What shocked me even more was how kind these kids were to each other. Instead of bickering or throwing shade like you’d expect from reality TV, they were supportive, helping one another out in tough moments and crying when someone got eliminated. It was baffling! If I were on a reality show, I would probably be rolling my eyes and making snarky comments.
It stings a bit that these kids are so talented, but what’s even tougher is that they’re outperforming me in my own field! They’re making my favorite cooking shows feel obsolete. I don’t barge into their classrooms and brag about my skills in eye-rolling or belting out Justin Bieber songs. They should stick to their cooking, and I’ll stick to my—whatever I do.
If you’re intrigued by the world of home cooking and want to dive deeper, check out this insightful article from one of our other blogs. And for those considering home insemination, Make a Mom is a great resource. Plus, if you’re looking for more information about fertility options, Hopkins Medicine offers excellent insights.
In summary, watching that kids’ cooking competition made me realize just how far behind I feel in the kitchen compared to these talented little chefs. While I reminisce about my own kitchen disasters and childhood baking attempts, I can’t help but marvel at the skills these youngsters have developed. They’re not just cooking; they’re redefining what it means to be a chef, and it’s both inspiring and slightly demoralizing.