How old were you when you started cooking? What's the first dish you prepared?

My Mother always worked and I stayed with my Grandmother during the day so I learned how to cook at a very young age, probably around 7. I think that the first thing that I learned how to cook was chili. Of course, I wasn't allowed to operate the stove or the oven myself. She taught me how to bake bread and to make jelly. By the time that I was in high school, I could cook better than my Mother could. As I got older, my interest in cooking waned and now I only cook because I have to. The family used to come over to our house after church on Sunday. In the winter, I would always whip up a pot of chili or homemade soup for everyone to eat.

I cannot remember the exact age I was, back when I started cooking. I learned how to cook when I took cooking lessons one summer. I remember bringing the remaining food home so that my brothers could taste it and boy they would joke me that it does not taste good. But in fact they usually finish it all without leaving a bite or two for me.

My sister taught me how to cook rice when I was 9. I didn't have any idea how to do it. She gave me instructions but I could hardly understand her, but I gave her the impression that I could do it so she doesn't have to worry. Anyway, after I prepared everything, I watched TV and completely forgot about my task. Then my sister told me she smelled something burning, and I realized that it's the rice that I was cooking. She was so angry that I was punished for what I did.

My mom started teaching me when I was 10 years old. The very first thing I was taught was Spaghetti sauce. Then my second thing was the turkey for Thanksgiving Day. Then I was taught macaroni salad, potato salad, hamburgers, etc. I am so grateful to my mom that she taught me at a young age.

well, i remember that when i was 10, i was already cooking an ilocano recipe called pinakbet - a misture of native vegetables, stewed with pork, onions and other spices, laced with fish paste. also, at that time, i was also doing marketing for the recipe i am cooking. actually, pockerockets, my parents started as young in the kitchen. even before we went to grade school, we were already doing house chores, including cooking.

I cannot really remember what the first dish I cooked was but I remember that my first attempt to cook steamed rice was when I was 8. It was kinda disaster but it was fine because I did it without asking for instructions. It got burned by the way.:)

That's an interesting topic you started. I started cooking about 6 months ago. Well as it turns out my whole life I had been living with my parents. Back at home my mother did all the cooking and I just gobbled up whatever was put on my plate. I had no intention of cooking( I did not even think about entering the kitchen). This had spoilt me( Indian boys are usually spolit by their mom, they are treated like a king you know!!!!). But destiny had different plans!!! About 6 months ago I came to USA on a student visa. Life is hard here, we have to do everything independently including cooking and washing. My friends and room mates taught me to cook, I reluctantly learnt cooking. Initially I was very bad at it (When my cooking turn used to come my friends made excuses and ran away from the house, I was that bad)!!!!!! But as time passed I got the hang of it- now I can cook decent and simple meals- rice, grains, potato, cauliflower, fried fish etc...

I was 21 years old when I first learned how to cook real Filipino dishes such as sinigang na baboy (soup sour pork) sinigang na bangus (soup sour milkfish), tinola, afritada, menudo, beef steak, pork steak, vegetables in coconut sauce, monggo (Mung beans) and many more.. The reason why I learned to cook this late is because my mom doesn't allow us to take part in kitchen stuff... you know, she doesn't like us to mess around the kitchen, which is her most favorite part of the house... I moved out from my parents house before i turned 21 so i have got no choice but to do household chores all by myself particularly cooking meals... :)

I'm not really good at cooking at all.. I don't like it. The first time i cooked was when i was 13. The first cooking lesson I had in school. I found cooking troublesome.There were so many things to wash and dry. We also had to clean the sink and stove. After that incident, I decided I would eat take-away meals all the time.

If you want to call it cooking, when I was in grammar school in my home ec class, the first thing we were to cook was cinamon toast and chocolate hot cocoa. Did very well with my first kitchen experience, if I say so myself.

I started to cooked when i was 7, i started with rice in a rice cooker and for some dished a fried egg and a sausage lol its like i could not eat what the egg looks like in my first attempt.But slowly i've learned and there i can make a perfect fried egg all the time. Happy lotting!

I was 9 or 10 years old when I started warming up my meals by myself. After a year or two I started cooking pasta. The first meal I prepared was Spaghetti Bolognese. When I was 18 I started cooking for real, I learned to make steaks and mashed potatoes, different sauces and I'm still learning every day because I live on my own and if I want to eat something, I have to cook it. I started baking when I was 18 and have been baking ever since.

HI I Remembered .. when i was 15 yrs old.. i start cooking noodles,,,,,, .. as its very simple.. and less time consuming..... just takes 3-4 minutes to make.. and also very tasty...... and also till.. now i only use to make noodles only,,,,,

Hmm. I started cooking when I was 12 years old.My dish was fried fish. My mother laugh at me because it looks failed but taste good.

hi PocketRocketAA, hmmmm as I remember when I was still at my elementary years, I was not allowed to touch anything from the kitchen, I think I was told by my mom when I was 12, I learn how to fry.. Unfortunately until now I still learn how to fry online, Its just that I am not reall into cooking.. I dont have patience in learning, reading nor going to the supermarket to buy the ingredients.. Well I just wish my husband would still accept me LOL happy mylotting =d09:)

when I was in college,I rented room outside of my campus,I started to cook then.I bought some vegetables and meats besides my room,and I cooked in my kitchen,my skill is not good,but it is very funny,it is a good memory for me.

I learned to cook at the age of 10 as well. I had always helped my grandmother make cookies and candy when I was a lot younger. I remember when I was three years old my grandmother and I made candy and fudge to sell at church and school bazzars. I remember my grandmother would melt the chocolate and pour it into a bowl for me and I would dip the orange slices or apples into the chocolate and then decorate them with cookie pieces or sprinkles. My first meal I made was Spaghetti and meatballs. I love to cook and am always looking for recipes. I make a lot of casseroles because it helps us save money.

Hello ProcketRocket xD i was nearly 14 years old and i made Maggy first time after that i start making other dishes like Pav bhaji Dosa and all becauz im home alone teenage me alone at home till full day at night my mom dad cmes from Work thats why

I was 10 when my mom first taught me how to cook. She taught me not because she wanted to but because I wanted her to teach me. I cook this vegetable dish and I didnt expect it to be perfect since I was only 10. It was too oily and family didnt like it but when I was older they always asked me to cook some food and dishes because I know I have improved because I kept on practicing.

The first thing i learned to cook was a stir fry.... simple and easy and theres so many variations!!! But then, im still terrible at cooking basic things like mashed potato and eggs hahaha