Your Own Chef: How to Stop Being Afraid of Cooking in 5 Steps

Food is one of the simplest and at the same time finest human pleasures. Pretty much everyone loves to eat well. But between an empty table and the moment a delicious dish appears on it, there's one important intermediate step — cooking. It doesn’t matter if you’re a foodie or not, the ability to cook can come in handy for anyone. It’s great if you have someone who’ll do it for you. But what if you don’t? And the problem often lies in the fact that people are afraid to cook. There are different reasons for that, but this fear is something you can and should fight. Here’s how.

Accept that cooking is a skill

If you want to learn to play the piano — you practice. If you want to learn to knit — you practice. Football is the same. Even our speech and walking weren’t instant processes. If you think those who cook well were born with a spoon and a recipe book in their hands — you’re mistaken. Every chef started with a basic fried egg or some pasta. If you’re truly determined to learn how to cook — treat it like a skill. A skill that can’t be mastered instantly, but which will reveal its secrets to you over time. And with persistent effort.

Allow yourself to make mistakes

Mistakes are part of experience, and experience is part of any skill — a priceless resource that moves us forward. Of course, you’d like to be the perfect cook, the one whose dishes never burn, never boil over, and are never overcooked — but reality is a bit different. No one is immune to mistakes, and in the beginning, you might make some errors or even ruin a few meals. 

As you progress from simple to complex, such mistakes may increase, but that doesn’t matter much on the path to learning. Sometimes the reason for your mistake might be as banal as the wrong kind of oil, a bad pan, or old yeast — unfortunate, but not critical. But step by step, as you fix your mistakes, you’ll become more and more skilled, and the automation of your actions will amaze you. So don’t beat yourself up over a spoiled pudding or a salty soup. After all, it’s just food, so...

Lower your expectations and don’t compare yourself

Beginners (not only in cooking) often fall into the trap of early success — giving them a sense of invincibility and overconfidence. If you feel this — take a breath, calm down. At the start, it’s best to stay humble. Don’t dream of castles in the air or three-meter tall cakes. Chicken pasta? Great. An omelette with tomatoes? Simple and effective. Believing in yourself is one of the keys — but if you set the bar too high too soon, frustration might get to the finish line ahead of you and be waiting there. Gradually, you will reach your dream dish, but in the beginning, it’s better to move steadily and calmly, clearly understanding your current capabilities.

The same goes for comparing yourself to anyone else. Social media is full of beautiful photos of beautiful meals, but much of that is the result of long effort, good lighting, filters, angles, and so on. That’s how social media works. But the world is not social media. And sometimes the food in a regular family kitchen isn’t aiming for showiness — but that doesn’t make it any less awesome or reduce the effort the cook put in. So remember — you are unique, and so is your dish.

Cook for yourself

For many people, cooking isn’t just an attempt to prove something to themselves, but a desire to impress others. That could be family, friends — and honestly, that’s a completely normal desire. But in the early stages, when we’re still unsure whether we’ve fully mastered a recipe or technique, it’s easier to cook for yourself (if that’s an option). When a person does something and they themselves are the final judge — that psychologically lowers the pressure. Your own reactions are predictable, controllable, and less demotivating. Especially since often we are our own harshest critics. And if you’re ready to show your dish to others — let’s move to the next step.

Listen to healthy criticism

Criticism is an important tool in any field, and when it’s constructive, it can only make a person better. The problem is that some people don’t know how to express their opinions respectfully, and others take everything too personally. If you’re already doing something well, you can let your close circle — family, friends — taste and give feedback. Ask them what they like and what (maybe) could be improved. If you’re lucky, you’ll get valuable advice and level up your skills even more. 

And of course, you’ll gain your first fan base! But be smart — analyze what was said and discard what’s unnecessary. If someone doesn’t like the sour taste of a dish that’s supposed to be sour — that’s not something to worry about.

So, if you’ve decided to learn to cook but are afraid — these five tips will help you quickly get on the path to learning and someday surpass even your wildest dreams.
Believe in yourself — and it’ll all work out. Good luck.