Why You Shouldn’t Be Afraid to Cook

I grew up with a mother that cooked delicious meals almost every night. My sister and I were blessed to never have to worry about what we were going to eat for dinner. Then, when I moved to Gainesville for college, that all changed. After a year and a half of living in a dorm and relying on the dining halls and Lean Cuisines, I finally had access to my own kitchen when I moved into an apartment. At this point, I came to terms with how horrible my diet was, and decided to make a change. As cliche as it sounds, I wrote a list of New Year’s Resolutions the year I moved in, one of them being to cook the majority of my meals at home. It was then that I taught myself how to cook, with background knowledge after years of watching and helping my mom cook.

Cooking allowed me to let my creative juices flow, relieve stress, and live a healthier lifestyle. In the beginning of your cooking journey, the only skills that are truly required are the abilities to read and follow directions. I threw myself into the kitchen. I found recipes online that I thought sounded good and easy enough for a beginner like myself. I followed every direction and measurement, and everything turned out fine. I’m no professional chef by any means, but I would never get to where I am today without going for it. I have failed so many times in the kitchen, and those are the times I have learned the most. None of us are on the Cooking Channel or competing on Chopped showcasing our world-class cooking skills. Adam Rapoport is not sitting at your dining room table awaiting your fish tacos. There’s nothing to worry about. As the legendary Julia Child would say, “the only real stumbling block is fear of failure. In cooking, you’ve got to have a what-the-hell attitude”. I could not agree with her more.
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I revisited photos of meals I created in the beginning stages of my passion for cooking. Here’s a walk down memory lane…

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Stay hungry and go for it,
CV

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