Matt: Life as a Sous Chef Dad

  • By Jackie Sun
  • June 17, 2015

By contributing in the kitchen I find more enjoyment in the overall meal experience, I find a connection between the preparation process, and pride in the culmination of the final product.

-Matt
#KitchenHero

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Matt: Hero in the Kitchen via @CookSmartsAs you can see from the photo above, it’s not always easy being a cook and a dad at the same time. But Kitchen Hero and Super Dad Matt does the best that he can, and we think that he’s doing a darn good job! (His son sure seems to be excited to be helping out with the dinner prep!) Matt’s wife was the main chef in the household, but when they had their first child, Matt became the sous chef to help out with the cooking, and in turn, is learning how to gain confidence in the kitchen, as well as how to create delicious, healthy meals for his family.

With Father’s Day just around the corner, Matt’s Hero in the Kitchen story came at the perfect time, so that we can all remember to celebrate dads and all the awesome things they do.

Names: Matt W.
Ages: 39
City, State: Raleigh, NC
I cook for: my wife, son and myself.
Outside of the kitchen: I enjoy a full and active life.
If I could have any superpower, it would be: the ability to read my wife’s mind!!!
I cook because: we have always focused on cooking and food being a social / family event, not something that should be rushed. By contributing in the kitchen I find more enjoyment in the overall meal experience, I find a connection between the preparation process, and pride in the culmination of the final product. I also enjoy being able to help my wife, an amazing cook, in any way possible. We also recently had a child and as amazing of a cook as my wife is, she is an even better mother, so being able to help in any way possible around the house is incredibly important to me.
Favorite Cook Smarts meal so far: Lamb and Feta Burger, along with the Chicken Soba Noodles.

How did you learn to cook?
Mostly trial and error. My wife is an amazing cook, and I wanted meals to be something we both contributed to instead of me solely relying on her. She has been a tremendously patient teacher with me (most of the time).

What’s been your biggest cooking challenge?
Confidence, especially in straying from recipes and experimenting with amounts and flavors. As my executive chef always tells me, “Unless you are baking, the recipe is just a guide.”

How has your cooking routine changed since starting Cook Smarts’ meal plans?
The planning and “opening up” of our menu selections are the biggest things we have discovered. Before we would rely on a good but fairly repetitive menu. With Cook Smarts we find that our meal genres have expanded, and combinations we would never consider (think Miso-Maple Butter, oh my!), or ingredients we did not have experience with, are brought into the kitchen much more frequently and without hesitation.

“With Cook Smarts…combinations we would never consider, or ingredients we did not have experience with, are brought into the kitchen much more frequently and without hesitation.”

Tell us about your proudest kitchen moment.
Every time I see a clean plate or someone going for seconds on something I made. Or when I actually time-managed and got a full meal complete in roughly the time I advertised!

What are your tips for health and success in the kitchen?
Don’t look at cooking as a chore; it is something you should, in most cases, look forward to or find a sense of accomplishment in. Also, care about the ingredients and time you invest in the process, involve your family, and have fun with it!


Thanks for sharing your cooking story and cooking tips with us, Matt. We know that wives / mothers love some good help in the kitchen, so we wouldn’t be surprised if they show your cooking story to their husbands! We also have to give a ton of credit to your wife, because teaching someone how to cook requires a lot of patience. Thanks for letting us be a part of a talented chef’s and her sous chef’s cooking journey! Have a happy father’s day, Matt!

Matt's favorite @CookSmarts meal: Lamb and Feta Burger with Eggplant Pepper Pesto

Matt's favorite @CookSmarts meal: Chicken Soba Noodles with Carrots and Cabbage

To join Matt and cook meals like his favorite Lamb and Feta Burger or Chicken Soba Noodles, check out our meal plan service. You can get started for free!

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