Still in his football gear after the day’s practice, 13-year-old Desmond Standish moves around the family kitchen concocting his signature fried rice dish. It’s a recipe he’s perfected over time with experimentation and the help of online videos. 

Standish is one of a growing number of teen boys in America finding satisfaction in the formerly female-centric culinary arts. Reasons vary, but a few more obvious ones are teen boys like to eat. Social media influencers on YouTube and TikTok make cooking seem fun and socially acceptable. Busy parents may inadvertently compel teens into cooking if the boys want something beyond frozen burritos and cold cereal. Finally, less rigid gender stereotypes permit boys to feel comfortable in the kitchen.

Otto Wilhelmsen, also age 13, became interested in cooking after watching YouTube and TikTok influencers Nick DiGiovanni, Max the Meat Guy and Guga Foods. The best part? Eating what he cooks. But he also takes pride in his dishes’ presentation and likes watching others enjoy his food.

Twelve-year-old Thad Williams got into cooking because he likes meat. “Cooking gave me something to do in the summer,” he said. “My friend and I would walk or scooter to Harmons and buy filet mignon, ribeyes, and American Wagyu then grill it or fry it in herbs, butter and garlic. We couldn’t afford real Wagyu from Japan, that costs like a million dollars.” 

Like other kids, Williams got inspiration from YouTubers and said, “Making food is fun but eating it is probably the best part. It’s also fun to cook meat for my family and have them like it. I don’t care about the presentation. I just want it to taste good.”

Social media wasn’t the motivator for Standish’s cooking. His earliest influencer was most likely his father Chris who has primary responsibility for the family’s meals. Chris learned to cook from his mother who later began teaching her grandson Desmond. “My grandma cooks really good food and I like to cook with her,” said Standish. “She makes three-course meals with appetizers and sides.” On his own, he loves creating and eating innovative new recipes. 

As with most endeavors, failures happen. Not every dish lives up to the envisioned culinary masterpiece. 

“I’ve had a lot of failures,” admits Standish. “And when I do, my parents think it’s a waste. I try to make the smallest portions so if it’s bad, I don’t waste as much.”

Wilhelmsen makes a mean steak now, but it wasn’t always that way. “I remember I had to re-cook the steak three times because I kept thinking it was too rare,” he said. “I sucked at it. I ended up with a steak that was completely gray with no crust. I got better over time. Now my favorite way to cook it is in a pan with butter, rosemary and other herbs. The secret is to cook it for the exact right amount of time so it has a crust on the outside and is medium-well on the inside.” He’s expanded his repertoire of meats to include lamb, chicken and fish.

“Eating and tasting the food I’m cooking is fun,” said Standish, “and so is creating something that tastes delicious.”

He doesn’t necessarily care if others eat the food he’s made, because he doesn’t generally make large quantities. “It’s fun to have maybe one other person taste the amazingness,” he concludes.