FoodfindsAsia.com | 5 Reasons to Take Cooking Classes While You’re Young and Single | Being young and single is great. You have the time and energy to pursue your desires and learn who you truly are as a person. Plus, even if you may not be earning much at your job just yet, you are likely to make just enough to be independent and satisfy your current needs and wants.
Best of all, this is the perfect stage in life to build your skills and become better prepared for the future. If you wish to switch careers, it’s bound to be less difficult to do so because society expects young people to experiment. You could easily go back to school for additional education or start taking your hobbies or interests more seriously to earn income on the side.
And speaking of building up your skills, cooking is one of the highly valuable ones for the young and single. According to Mrs. Midwest, a famous blogger for homemakers and frugalistas, learning how to cook is not only ideal for the young and single; knowing how to cook is also an excellent way to stay on top of one’s personal finances and take better control of one’s health.
Those two are wonderful benefits, but learning how to cook offers even more advantages. Here are five other reasons why you should learn how to cook while you’re young and single.
1. You can use your cooking skills as a part-time income generator.
One of the main reasons why so many young people take cooking classes in the UAE is to become part of the ever-growing global food culture. There is a place for everybody, especially with the incredible efficiency of digital technology for small business operations.
Cooking is one of the best things that you can do on the side to boost your income and become financially independent early in life because there are so many ways that you can use skills in the kitchen to earn money.
One example is cooking or baking treats to sell to family, friends, and members of your community. Another is by blogging or vlogging. Do you know that food-centered social media accounts (particularly on Instagram and YouTube) can earn money through posts? Also, you can get hired as a caterer, or simply accept food orders over the weekends from people who are too busy or lazy to cook for themselves.
2. Cooking is a highly useful and relevant skill.
No matter where you go and what happens to the global economy, you can trust cooking skills to be useful. Just look at the present trend created by the transport restrictions set up to prevent the spread of COVID-19; many professionals whose jobs were affected by the pandemic are tapping into their cooking skills, creating their own food businesses, and being their own bosses.
If you would check social media in Dubai, you will find that a lot of the flight attendants of top airlines are currently using their forced leaves (without pay) to start a business. Many of them are cooking or baking goods and selling these online. They offer everything from bento boxes to artisanal bread and pastries. Some of them are now even working to become a certified chef in the future because while the travel industry could come to a halt, the food industry is always relevant.
3. It will help you cultivate joy and a good quality of life.
No one will argue that food is both life- and joy-giving. If you can make great meals or desserts, you will have something that will nourish your body and spirit because you can consume the food yourself, and it is also shareable.
Cooking is a lovely way to help others. Take famous French chef Eric Ripert, for example. When lockdowns were imposed in New York, he and his staff closed Le Bernardin and cooked for the hungry and the front-liners who had no time to prepare nutritious meals. It was such a kind contribution to a community in need.
Your cooking skills can also support the kind of life you wish to lead. Vegans point out that, given their lifestyle choice, knowing how to cook has proven to be a sanity-saver. With their kitchen ventures, they don’t have to feel like they’re missing out at all. Thanks to solid cooking skills, it’s much easier for them to prepare dishes that support their plant-based lifestyle.
4. It will teach you to make do with what you have.
Finances can often be a problem for the young and single, so getting the most out of what they own is a vital life skill. Again, one of the ways to maximize one’s resources is by knowing how to cook. You will find that eating well and preparing delicious food do not need to cost much, or require a full and frequently stocked pantry. You can easily make do with whatever is available as long as you have knowledge of effective flavor combinations, cooking techniques, and ways to demonstrate creativity in the kitchen.
If you are all about leading a simple and more manageable life, being adept at throwing together any ingredients you have on hand to whip up a tasty meal will help you resolve issues such as personal budget constraints and food wastage.
5. Learning how to cook paves the way for other fulfilling pursuits.
If you ask many young chefs today about their satisfaction with life, you will find that they are quite dynamic people and are happier. This is because cooking serves as an excellent foundation for other valuable interests such as gardening, photography, and blogging. It helps them maximize their potential.
For instance, a lot of chefs these days are also certified nutritionists. From their foundation in cooking, they were able to cultivate interest and passion for nutrition and health, as well as the desire to prepare food that can genuinely improve people’s health and well-being. It’s a great example of professional development because, with two areas of expertise, they become better authorities on food and are eligible for more career opportunities.
Cooking is undoubtedly an excellent skill to acquire while young, and accomplishing this is not going to be too difficult, particularly if you live in Dubai, which is the home of one of the world’s top culinary institutions. The school offers everything from beginner summer courses to advanced chef training. You are sure to find a course or learning program to accurately fit the particular cooking interest or level of expertise you long to acquire.
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AUTHOR BIO
Shanaaz Raja is the Course Director at International Centre for Culinary Arts – ICCA Dubai.
