Kitchen, the HOT spot now?
@MagicalBubbles (5103)
Canada
February 11, 2010 5:59pm CST
Hello, Im watching the news and they talk about how we have changed our habits lately. It seems that we dont go out to restaurants as much anymore. At first, the restaurants and bars had financial problems when they banned smoking. So most of them had to make special spaces for smokers outside but its not working out in the winter.
Now they say that most people would rather stay home, entertain their friends and family over and apparently, we spend all evening in the kitchen. Its a new trend. We can now cook as well as most high class restaurants can, so we make it an event.
They say that when we have people over, we all gather around the island in the kitchen and everybody pitches in for the preparation of the meal.
I know that its true for me and everybody I know. We spend all our time now in the kitchen. The meals are elaborate with more than one service...same thing as in chic restaurants.
Now restaurant owners are complaining that they have less and less customers. It seems they'll need to give cooking classes if they want to remain in business.
So, what do you all do? Do you go to restaurants, do you cook when you entertain people and do you all spend the whole evening in the kitchen making the preparation of the meal an event?
4 responses
@LaDeBoheme (2004)
• United States
12 Feb 10
I agree. The economy is making people cut back on expenses, particularly going out.
According to a survey done by ComPsych Corp, 47% cited food and dining out as the first budget item to be trimmed.
Article: http://uk.reuters.com/article/idUKTRE51M7AQ20090223
And another survey by Booz & Co. showed that 1/3 of consumers made significant cutbacks in purchases such as dining out.
Article: http://www.booz.com/global/home/press/article/42738725
1 person likes this
@LaDeBoheme (2004)
• United States
12 Feb 10
Oops! It appears myLot automatically adds the h**p:// to the URL.
Try this again?
www.uk.reuters.com/article/idUKTRE51M7AQ20090223
www.booz.com/global/home/press/article/42738725
(C&P if nothing else)
1 person likes this
@MagicalBubbles (5103)
• Canada
12 Feb 10
Hello Uath, The problem started when they came out with the new law to not smoke in restaurants anymore. Thats when restaurants owners saw a drop. Now I guess that with the economy taking a dive, its even worst for them and yes its more cheaper to cook at home.
Hello LaDeBoheme, Thanks for the links, very interesting reading. I know that with the bad economy, so many arent going out anymore. But here in Canada, it hasnt been so bad. Yes some have lost their jobs, but most people kept theirs and some are even expanding and receiving pay raises. So all in all, we're not doing too bad.
According to the survey done here, it seems people prefer to entertain family and friends at home now and all the entertaining takes place IN the kitchen. Theres also been a lot of kitchen renovations going on lately.
Thanks both for your reply and the links LaDeBoheme.
@se7enthbird (8307)
• Philippines
12 Feb 10
my wife is a good cook, so if we go out to eat on restaurants that is for celebration and to give her a break from all the chores. but i agree on what you said that there are more people who rather stay at home and entertain friends and cook together. it is more ok for the budget plus you are not restricted at home. you can do anything, wear anything plus friends learn something from you and you learn something from them. it is easy also to get recipe from the net if you want to try new recipe. plus the cost of food on restaurant are high than the money you will spend if you and your friends will cook it.
@MagicalBubbles (5103)
• Canada
13 Feb 10
Hello bird, You're a very lucky man to have a wife who can cook well. Im happy to know that you treat her to a meal sometimes and give her a break from the cooking. Yes I know we can find great recipes on the net. I've learned a lot from the net.
Does that mean that soon you'll be cooking for her? 
Thanks for your answer!!
Thanks for your answer!!@se7enthbird (8307)
• Philippines
13 Feb 10
hi there bubbles, i tried that already specially when she is not felling very well... 
but turns out to be a disaster and wasting of food than an edible one. on the day that she gave birth i need to be the one to do that. but i was not succesful at all. but i do clean up, help her at the kitchen and wash the plates and utensils. our son now is four and slowly learning small ways hpw to prepare food. i hope she gets that gene of his mom.
but turns out to be a disaster and wasting of food than an edible one. on the day that she gave birth i need to be the one to do that. but i was not succesful at all. but i do clean up, help her at the kitchen and wash the plates and utensils. our son now is four and slowly learning small ways hpw to prepare food. i hope she gets that gene of his mom.1 person likes this
@MagicalBubbles (5103)
• Canada
15 Feb 10
Im so sorry you didnt manage to cook well. Dont worry, a lot of men cant cook.....lot of women also for that matter haha.
Well at least you help her clean up and with the washing of the dishes. Thats great. If you'd like to learn how to cook, you'd need to stay by your wife and watch her when she's cooking so you can learn. Or hope your son will learn hehe!! Thanks.
@goldeneagle (6745)
• United States
12 Feb 10
That sounds good to me. I can cook better than most of the places I go to eat anyway, and I can probably do it cheaper than what it would cost me to go out for a meal, so I am all for doing some cooking and some entertaining at home. I am not sure how my wife and my three Chihuahuas are going to react to that though LOL
1 person likes this
@MagicalBubbles (5103)
• Canada
12 Feb 10
Lol, thats too funny goldeneagle. Im sure your wife AND your three chihuahuas would just love it. Yes I think we can do better than most of the places. And we know exactly whats in the food we eat!
@MagicalBubbles (5103)
• Canada
12 Feb 10
Hi Savypat! Yes the price of foods is going up all the time. So we need to be creative in our cooking now. I also enjoy having family over. I make my own bread and of course I cook from scratch. We can sit at the table for hours and enjoy each other's company.
