A Taste Test: Gender in the Kitchen

Foodies are turning their attention to the differences in the way men and women prepare food, and we are very intrigued.

The Astor Center for Food and Wine Experiences in New York City recently hosted the event, "Gender Confusion: Unraveling the Myth of Gender in the Kitchen."

A panel of esteemed chefs, cookbook authors and editors-in-chief were put to the taste test—after tasting a dish, could they tell if it was prepared by a man or a woman?

“Men are said to take more creative risks and prefer complicated, showy techniques, whereas women supposedly choose subtlety and balance over bravado,” says an article in Saveur magazine’s website.

Is it valid to assume that there is a difference in the way men and women prepare food?

Turn your attention to cooking shows on the Food Network—do you see any gender trends? For example:

5 Ingredient Fix, hosted by Claire Robinson
Giada At Home, hosted by Giada Di Laurentiis
30 Minute Meals, hosted by Rachael Ray (she’s made 15-minute meals on her daytime talk show!)

Compare these to:

Good Eats, hosted by Alton Brown
Essence of Emeril, hosted by Emeril Lagasse
Boy Meets Grill, hosted by Bobby Flay

We want to know what you think. What’s your cooking style? And if you’re no cook at all, are you more drawn to the more complex or subtle and balanced meals?