Men Taking Cooking Classes Find Pleasure in Making Meals for Family

By Naohiro Yoshida / Yomiuri Shimbun Senior Writer

13:30 JST, June 1, 2025

Some men may just sit and eat meals prepared by their wives, rather than cooking themselves. I think learning some cooking skills can make their families happier and lead to more conversations with their wives, ultimately enriching their lives.

To learn more about this matter, I recently visited a beginner cooking class for men.

On a Saturday in late March, 26 men gathered in a classroom at a cooking school near the Kabukiza theater in Tokyo’s Higashiginza district. They were attending a “men’s introductory cooking course” run by the Better Home Association in Shibuya Ward, Tokyo. Students learn everything from how to hold a kitchen knife to how to cook simple dishes for everyday lunch and dinner.

Dry curry, sweet cherry tomato and cucumber pickle, and lassi were prepared that day.

At the beginning, the instructor demonstrated and explained to the students how to prepare the dishes, occasionally giving tips such as, “Grate the garlic and ginger so that they blend better with the other ingredients,” and “[The cooking term] ‘hito nitachi’ is when [the water or liquid] comes to a boil from the sides of the pan.”

After that, the participants were divided into groups of four, and each group shared the work of preparing the dishes.

“It’s difficult to fry while being careful not to burn the ingredients,” said company employee Yasuyuki Kurimoto, 55, as he stirred minced meat and vegetables with a wooden spatula while also talking with the instructor who was watching him.

Curry powder and boiled tomatoes were added. When most of the liquid was gone, the dish was ready.

He poured the dry curry over the freshly cooked turmeric rice and took photos of the dish with his smartphone. He then ate a bite with great relish, saying: “The moisture has almost evaporated by the end.”

At home, he had “not been on the housework team.” When his wife started working, he decided that he would join the team. In addition, when he saw his father cooking after his wife died, he thought, “I’ll have to be able to cook if that happens to me.”

The process of cooking is similar to the process of doing a job in terms of preparation and going step by step toward the goal, such as thinking and deciding what to make, getting the ingredients and actually making something.

Kurimoto began attending the class in November last year, thinking, “I’ve been working for 30 years, so I know how to set things up efficiently and get things done in a timely manner, so I think I can cook, too.”

At work, he either uses a computer or talks with people. Cooking is an unknown world to him, as certain aspects are different from his duties at his job, such as the physical work of making food. Therefore, it is a fresh experience for him.

“I eat meals every day, so if cooking becomes a hobby and a habit, it’ll make my everyday life more enjoyable,” he said with a smile.

Having fun

In 2023, the association surveyed about 190 men in their 60s to 80s who had taken its cooking classes.

The most common reason for attending the classes, with multiple answers allowed, was “as hobby or for fun” at 59%, followed by “having more free time after retirement” at 50% and “to help my family” at 37%.

Among the changes that occurred as a result of taking the cooking classes, responses included: “I have more respect and appreciation for my wife, who has cooked for me for many years,” and “At home, I have more conversations and I look forward to having a fun time with my family,” indicating that their relationships with their wives and families have improved.

Regarding how they feel about men cooking, there were responses such as: “I found out that cooking is intellectually stimulating, as I can use the creativity and planning skills that I have developed as a company employee,” and “Food is the foundation of life and important for maintaining good health.”