Man showing off his cooking skills

[hosernoser]

Recently started a new job and one of the men likes to show me pictures of the dinners he cooks! We're talking steak and green beans or monster sized burgers. I don't know if it's because I am fat and he genuinely thinks I will be interested in looking at pictures of food or because he really is proud of himself for making some meals???
I pretend to be impressed with his 'artistry' but honestly I have been making dinner 6 nights a week for a family for over 20 years, so it's not so amazing to me....

Start showing him pictures of beef Wellington or soufflés! One up him.

Is he weirdly flirting?

I don't think he's flirting (he's got a partner and I am a podgy middle aged woman). I think he really thinks he's doing something special!

Totally outdo him them. Bwahahahahaha

I had this with a guy who came to work with us! Never had it happen before and thought it a bit odd but he’s nice, and yeah pleased as punch with his meals so I just enjoy his enjoyment 😊

I believe it's called Kitchen Wanking.
Men making a big deal of average cooking

Maybe he doesn’t have a mum anymore or if he does he doesn’t have a close relationship with her and is showing you as he sees you as being a lovely mum to your own family.

I think it’s very sweet of him.

Lots of people share photos of their food on Instagram and other places, it’s not that unusual. Anyway, just because his meals are really basic and nothing special to you, doesn’t mean he can’t be proud of himself. Maybe he previously used to live on takeaways and ready meals, so cooking a homemade burger is a big deal to him. I can’t see that he’s causing any harm to you, so just be nice and suggest some recipes he could try.

Yeah, I don't think he's lived on takeaways his whole life. He's about 57 and has had a family. I could get a young person doing this because cooking is new to them obviously.

Anyway, I'm not bothered by it I just find it amusing --- hence posting in "Chat" not AIBU.

Brilliant

Does he ever do cakes? That's a whole other thread

First reason you think is you say because overweight. And then don't think fancies you as overweight. Why????

In no way having a go, the opposite. Don't be so down about how you look! It's really not going to be anything to do with his behaviour. Makes me feel bit sad (sorry patronising) to see you thinking like that.

The massively most likely reason is that he likes to show off/ feels no reservations about taking your time to bore you/ show his pics and enjoy the presumably positive (forced) reactions of positivity (even if just a vague noise).

It hasn't crossed his mind that you might not be incredibly interested!

Nothing to do with you, everything to do with him.

Try making an excuse when he rocks up and starts. Sorry need to go toilet/ just in the middle of this and on a roll/ got to go to X dept about a thing. Etc.

"Kitchen wanking"

"Cheese" I was joking about him showing me photos of food because I am overweight. I was just perplexed why he would think I was interested other than he's probably 'kitchen wanking'. I think the joke didn't read well

Then someone suggested it's flirting and I doubt that very much! I didn't realize chat was so serious! Maybe it's the time of night!

I should have put a 'not serious' in the heading.

It's probably because you pretend to be impressed, so he thinks you are interested. I guess it's his hobby. Do you have a hobby? You could share photos of your hobby with him and he'll probably find them really boring and start avoiding you, maybe pictures of your cats or your garden or anything you are interested in.

He's definitely trying to impress you. Not sure why! I think it's probably a compliment tho so enjoy x

Oh sorry OP! V glad I got it wrong :)

I always make a big fuss of anything a man cooks. Makes them keen to strive for even more praise.

@Esspee

I always make a big fuss of anything a man cooks. Makes them keen to strive for even more praise.

Ugh, I don’t. I’ve had experience (friends DH) of a ‘man chef.’ It involved going round for dinner and watching him make a normal meal and a giant mess, then being forced to pretend this regular meal was somehow more special than the meals his wife cooked every day of the week. He would talk about how he’d cooked it the entire time you were eating and required constant praise for cooking steak and chips.

I would say it could be worse. I have a colleague who shows me constant pictures of her house decoration, when I’ve BEEN IN HER HOUSE. I always feel like saying ‘yes I remember from when I was there last weekend.’

Probably just thinks it’s actually interesting to other people. I know a lot of people who do this (they’re all women though) and it’s not like cooking is new to them either.

I guess cooking isn’t appreciated for long, you make it, they eat it, they (hopefully) tell you they liked it and that’s it. We all like appreciation for our hard work I guess?🤷🏼‍♀️

Haha I don't know anyone who does this at work, we're all delighted if we get to go out for dinner, and will talk food, but never any photos.

DH is always pleased as punch when he creates something though. He'd never cooked even an egg before he met me. It's sweet, I always say he should take over on a permanent basis 😇😆.

There's one of these in our work brings in samples of his terrible cooking and we all pretend to like it. Even has Instagram to show it off and it tastes like shit.

I believe it's called Kitchen Wanking.
Men making a big deal of average cooking

I love this. I'm going to make a point of using it sometime

Why do some men want praise and recognition for doing what the rest ofnus do every day.

Its up there with " I washed up for you"

Erm.no u eat and drink the food too and use the plates too. Just wash up and do what needs to be done without wanting a thank u or shag for doing it.