In the midst of the pandemic, many home cooks found themselves facing a surprising challenge: a loss of passion for the very activity they once cherished. As the constant demands of meal preparation took a toll, a sense of burnout crept in, leaving once-enthusiastic cooks feeling drained and resentful. This is the story of one food writer's journey to reclaim the joy of cooking, and the lessons she learned along the way.

Reigniting the Culinary Spark in Challenging Times

Cooking as a Lifelong Passion

For Emily Paster, cooking had long been a beloved pursuit, one that had even led her to abandon a career as a lawyer in favor of the world of food writing and recipe development. Even after starting a family, with one child facing multiple food allergies and the other a notoriously picky eater, Paster's love for cooking persisted. That is, until the pandemic hit and everything changed.

The Pandemic's Toll on Culinary Enthusiasm

The constant demands of feeding a family of four, coupled with the anxiety of grocery shopping and the ethical dilemmas surrounding takeout, took a heavy toll on Paster. The once-joyful act of cooking became a "joyless, Sisyphean chore," leaving her exhausted and resentful. Paster found herself yelling at her daughter over the last bit of rice, a far cry from the elaborate Passover seders and cocktail parties of her past.

Defining and Addressing Cooking Burnout

Paster's experience was not unique. As the pandemic wore on, many home cooks found themselves in a similar state of burnout, as defined by psychotherapist Agata Kubinska: "mental, emotional, and physical depletion that happens over time as a result of having to do something that drains you of your energies and not taking the time to refill your tank." The loss of pleasure in once-beloved activities is a telltale sign of burnout, and Paster was determined to find a way to reignite her culinary spark.

Seeking Solutions: The Limits of Convenience

Paster's initial instinct was to try and make cooking easier, leaning on quick recipes, familiar favorites, and new kitchen gadgets like the Instant Pot and air fryer. However, these solutions failed to address the root of the problem. Streamlining meal preparation only meant she spent less time cooking, but she still resented the time she did spend in the kitchen. Cooking became less enjoyable than ever, and Paster knew she needed to find a deeper solution.

The Unexpected Remedy: Embracing the Impractical

Paster's breakthrough moment came unexpectedly, through her children's requests to recreate TikTok food trends at home. Stewing beef for quesabirria and meticulously cutting out tiny sugar cookies for homemade cookie cereal were time-consuming and fussy, but they reignited Paster's passion. She realized that the solution to her cooking burnout lay not in convenience, but in embracing the creative process and the tactile experience of cooking.

Reframing Cooking as Creative Expression

Paster's epiphany was that cooking needed to be distinct from the daily dinner scramble, a form of creative expression rather than a chore. Psychotherapist Kubinska affirmed that "engaging in the creative process stimulate[s] the right side of the brain, which controls your emotions, intuition and imagination and can make what feels like a chore more fun and enjoyable." By slowing down, being mindful, and using her hands to knead dough or pound spices, Paster was able to reconnect with the joy of cooking.

Carving Out Time for Culinary Passion Projects

The key, Paster realized, was to intentionally set aside time for ambitious, hands-on cooking projects that inspired her. Whether it was mastering the art of laminated pastries, exploring the world of fermentation, or creating homemade versions of beloved food trends, Paster found that the time invested in these "desperately impractical" endeavors was time well spent. By closing the kitchen door, minimizing distractions, and giving herself permission to indulge her culinary creativity, Paster was able to rekindle her love for cooking.