Foodie Friday (finally) and this week’s food screed is about cooking. I’m always surprised that many people – younger people in particular – can’t cook.
(Photo credit: nickwheeleroz)
Oh sure, they can heat up something in the microwave and say they’ve “cooked” supper, but since food is one of life’s necessities, one would think that everyone would take the time to learn to prepare it. There are some basic business points in my thinking as well (you knew THAT was coming…).
I can hear the naysayers among you: “Cooking takes time and I don’t have any.” Not true. Once you’ve learned a few basic skills, you can have really good dishes on the table in under 30 minutes. That’s not longer than it takes to heat a frozen meal up in the oven and while the microwave might cut that time down, there is no comparison to the quality (plus you’ll generally have some leftover for the next day).
Other reasons to learn to cook: you know what you’re eating. I guarantee you can pronounce the names of everything you put in a dish – read a frozen food package and see if you can say the same. The ingredients are healthier too. Ordering in? Besides being more expensive than doing it yourself (even factoring in the cost of your time), you have no clue how much salt or fat was used, no clue if everything was as scrupulously clean as you would make it, and no idea if the food will arrive hot (ever had a pizza arrive with a steamed crust – yuck). Finally, cooking is fun. OK, maybe not so much when it doesn’t go well, but for me it’s almost a form of meditation. It takes you away from the rest of your world and forces your focus elsewhere. So why this rant on why you should learn to cook?
Like the non-cooks, many businesses haven’t learned some of the basic skills they need, thinking they can outsource them or buy an off-the shelf solution. In some cases it makes sense – it’s like going out to eat every so often.But take, as an example, a web business that outsources all of its coding and design. That firm is at the mercy of the developer. They can’t “cook” for themselves. Obviously I’m a “dine out”solution for my clients so you know I’m a fan of looking outside for some tasks. But mission-critical skills – which will vary by business – should be acquired and available, just like cooking.
Your take?
Consult Keith 