More Black Men Are Proudly Cooking Dishes This Thanksgiving

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

November 27, 2024

Research shows that more men are stepping up to handle Thanksgiving cooking duties.

Black male chefs are highlighting the growing trend of men taking on cooking duties this Thanksgiving. Recent studies show that over 50% of men are preparing at least one dish for the holiday.

A recent Instacart survey found that 64% of women plan to prepare at least one dish for Thanksgiving, while 57% of men are also stepping up to contribute. Additionally, 30% of both men and women intend to cook the entire feast.

With more men stepping up to share Thanksgiving cooking responsibilities, Black chefs are celebrating this shift and applauding men for embracing the change in traditional roles.

“I think that cooking is not something that is based on one’s gender. I see it as a form of creative expression,” LA-based traveling chef Jeffrey Smith Jr. told Essence.

The owner of the Best Kept Secrets International catering company believes cooking is for everyone, not just one group or gender. The study also revealed that Gen Z (63%), Millennials (66%), and Gen X (61%) are outpacing Boomers (53%) in plans to cook or contribute dishes.

St. Louis-based Chef Que Dunn, also known as Chef Que, shares this perspective, noting that younger generations are moving away from traditional gender norms, especially regarding who takes on the cooking.

“I do think it’s becoming more of an even split. I believe this generation doesn’t have the same mindset as the previous ones,” he says. “Women find men who can cook attractive. They find that to be an attractive trait.”

Charles Hunter III, a Nashville-based personal chef and owner of The Salted Table, is hosting Thanksgiving this year to give his mother a well-deserved break. He plans to prepare all the traditional dishes himself.

“We stick to the standard of turkey, ham, dressing, mac and cheese, candied sweet potatoes, collard greens. We shoot down the list and whoever is best at making a particular dish would stick to preparing those,” he says. “We create a plan of execution, and I try to put my spin on things. I just love being in the kitchen. It’s a dream job that I fell into that I didn’t even know I wanted.”

Commenting on the rise of men taking on Thanksgiving cooking duties, Hunter emphasizes that everyone should be comfortable in the kitchen, stating, “Cooking is a life skill.”

“It’s something everybody should know how to do. Even if it’s on a super basic foundational level, everyone should be able to bring ingredients into a pot and make it edible.”

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