Of course, they should! There should be no debate about this. Anyone who wants to eat, which naturally means everyone, should know how to cook. Food is one of the basic needs of life and every adult should be capable of preparing it for themselves. Moreover, if one wishes to eat healthy, tasty and hygienic food, it is better to know cooking rather than depend on others all the time.

If we observe carefully, some of the world’s best chefs are men. Famous hotels, restaurants and international cooking competitions often have men leading the kitchens. Most popular food shows also feature male chefs. Cooking is not a “woman’s duty”; it is a life skill and there is nothing unmanly or degrading about it. In fact, people respect those who can cook well.

We are living in the 21st century. Gone are the days when the kitchen was considered the woman’s domain. Those were times when women mostly stayed at home and life was less stressful. Today, women work in almost every profession and shoulder equal responsibilities with men. In such a world, why should only women cook? Why can’t men share the responsibility at home? Helping with cooking not only reduces the workload of the woman, but it also strengthens the bond within the family.

Earlier, people lived in joint families, where cooking duties were shared among many members. But today’s nuclear families often leave the responsibility of cooking to just one woman, the wife or mother. And if she is a working woman, the burden becomes even heavier. Men must step in to share this duty, as it is a matter of fairness and respect.

In cities, many men have already started cooking at home, but in small towns and rural areas, outdated attitudes still exist. Women are still seen as the ones who must cook, while men often avoid it. These old-fashioned views should change with time. It is now the responsibility of the younger generation to break stereotypes and learn the art of cooking. After all, cooking is not just survival it is creativity, health and independence. Who knows, in the future, the real question may be: “Should women learn to cook?”