We’ve all heard the jokes about women in the kitchen, which are funny because they reflect the stereotype that it is the woman’s job to cook. However, on numerous visits to the kitchen in my freshman dorm I’ve found a large number of male chefs demonstrating their abilities with a pot and baking pan. The women on my floor love to bake, and there have been many occasions where we’ve done cakes, cupcakes, fried Oreos and cookies. My guy friends love attending such events, but are not content with standing back and watching the ladies do all the work. True, their idea of “baking” usually involves taking the premade dough out of the container and slapping it on the pan, but there have been mornings where a guy has made Pillsbury cinnamon rolls, and they smelled just as good as ones made from scratch.
Men want to be a part of the cooking experience and be able to sneak a taste when you’re not looking, so why not let them? It’s easy to go out and buy food, or get cookies from Sadler or the Caf, but part of the reason cooking is so much fun is it provides a challenge. Just the other night a guy from Dupont surprised me when he pulled a carrot cake out of the oven and asked me to hand him a knife so he could spread icing on it. The guys of William & Mary get bold with creations like carrot cake and Korean stir-fry. They are also self-reliant and have their own pans and dishwashing soap. Not only are they excellent cooks, but they are shockingly great dishwashers as well. After every meal, the men of my hall are always sure to tidy up the kitchen and leave their clean dishes on a towel on the countertop to dry. Even the guys who just order pizza [usually] remember to toss their empty pizza boxes in the dumpster when they are done with their “male movie nights.” So the next time you get kicked out of the kitchen by a gentleman trying to make mozzarella sticks for him and his roommate, don’t judge– because he just might share some with you!
Disclaimer: These assumptions are based on the culinary skills of men in Botetourt and Dupont Halls-other results may vary.
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at WM chapter.