My mom was a fantastic cook, and sadly my dad was the opposite of a foodie--all her Julia-Child-esque efforts were completely lost on him. I learned from her to appreciate good food, but she didn't teach me much about cooking. Luckily I married a wonderful cook, and I am the family sous chef (and can put a decent meal on the table when needed). Our adult kids both enjoy cooking, and our daughter (25) has made some impressive meals!

Anonymous wrote:My parents are atrocious cooks, although they think they're great. Everything is overcooked and dry. And they're convinced using even the slightest bit of salt will kill them.

My paternal grandmother died when I was just a couple months old, so no idea how she was as a cook. My maternal grandmother never cooked for me, but the stories my mom has about her cooking make me think that's a good thing.

I didn't learn how to really cook until I spent a year in Italy for grad school. Suddenly, cooking turned from a tedious chore to a world of delicious possibilities. Food cooked at home could actually taste good! Butter and salt were not evil, but crucial to tasty dishes! Green beans should not be boiled (or worse, microwaved) until then are limp and soggy!

My other came to visit this summer and I made mashed potatoes. She raved about them and asked for my recipe. I thought she was going to have a heart attack when I listed off butter, whole milk, salt.....

Haha, this is my mom! I respect her so much for spending so much time cooking for us, but even chocolate chip cookies were bland given the lack of salt.

I learned the basics from my mom. But honestly buying kits like Blue Apron taught me to cook more efficiently and to season dishes. My now husband was very patient as I learned how to cook in a reasonable amount of time.

My parents are atrocious cooks, although they think they're great. Everything is overcooked and dry. And they're convinced using even the slightest bit of salt will kill them.

My paternal grandmother died when I was just a couple months old, so no idea how she was as a cook. My maternal grandmother never cooked for me, but the stories my mom has about her cooking make me think that's a good thing.

I didn't learn how to really cook until I spent a year in Italy for grad school. Suddenly, cooking turned from a tedious chore to a world of delicious possibilities. Food cooked at home could actually taste good! Butter and salt were not evil, but crucial to tasty dishes! Green beans should not be boiled (or worse, microwaved) until then are limp and soggy!

My other came to visit this summer and I made mashed potatoes. She raved about them and asked for my recipe. I thought she was going to have a heart attack when I listed off butter, whole milk, salt.....

My Nani taught my mother how to cook, and my mother taught me how to cook. They're both amazing cooks! Everything was made from scratch; we rarely ate out. I always receive compliments on my meals and am often told I cook just like my mother, which I truly appreciate. Sometimes (it's only happened twice), I'll be out somewhere and I'll catch a whiff of a smell like a scene from Ratatouille that reminds me of a favorite dish my mom made for me as a child.

My mom is an amazing cook and is known for it. I definitely learned from her and am a really good cook, but I don’t think I will ever be as good as her.

Anonymous wrote:I've learned from my father to cook a few dishes. My mother did not cook and I didn't see my grandparents often enough to learn anything from them (only one of the four cooked at all, anyway).

99% of what I cook I learned on my own.

If you have kids, will you teach them? Or if you have them, are you teaching them?