Who do you cook for?

Mattman3969

 I've got say that there are some crazy over the top cooks that happen on this forum.  I'm wondering do you cook like that for the forum presentation or is that you normal style of cooking?   

I got all tied in trying to have a cool plate for the forum and lost track of the important factor of whom I was cooking for and why.  I love all the cool cooks but I advise to be careful and don't get tied up in trying to be internet cool    

GregW

I like to cook on the egg. I don't usually post many pic's of the finished product.
By the time the food is cooked the kids are ready to eat. It's a scene very similar to sharks feeding.
Very hard to get pics in that situation.....

theyolksonyou

If I cook something that I think looks cool, I'll post it up and try to plate it up. I cook way more than I post. 

Then again, I don't have a cool, magic, diamond shaped plate. 

SciAggie

My wife and I are having fun with plating - but we don't take it too seriously. I've done a few good cooks recently that I didn't post because we didn't take time to mess with pictures; we just enjoyed the food with some company. 

northGAcock

Great question.....I cook for my wife of almost 30 years....and myself. When we have family or friends over, there is usually food cooking. I have always loved to cook. I posted a good bit of my cooks when I first started about a year ago. Today, I only post what i would call special or unusual cooks.....I often get caught up in the meal itself.....and not picture taking. That said, I love to look at others cooks as I get ideas and admire what others accomplish. 

@Mattman3969  I get where you are coming from. I keep most of my cooks to myself, and that is ok by me. I do however get a lot of satisfaction in seeing what others create. It doesn't have to be off the charts. I appreciate folks taking the time to post and stretch themselves on the culinary front. I would encourage all to post simply what the are comfortable with.....it works for me.

Sardonicus

Mattman3969 said:

 I've got say that there are some crazy over the top cooks that happen on this forum.  I'm wondering do you cook like that for the forum presentation or is that you normal style of cooking?   

. . . don't get tied up in trying to be internet cool    

We agree, I think.
Here, we cook for the fun of it and we cook what we like.  (Or, for our guests.)
I can't imagine cooking merely for forum presentation.  Posting it online is an afterthought.  
And also for the fun of it.  

And, as with Yolkie, only a minority of our cooks end up here.  

NPHuskerFL

For family, friends and guests. It's my normal style. I cook & plate like I would expect it at an exquisite restaurant.  And quite literally take pics of all my food Pr0N. 

Sardonicus

NPHuskerFL said:

. . . I cook & plate like I would expect it at an exquisite restaurant. 

And it shows.  Your cooks create envy.
 And mouth-water.

bob.bud

@northGAcock we have two things in common the Gamecocks and being married for almost 30 years.

@Mattman3969, I hear you... If cooked for this forum, the family would starve. My wife and I cook for the pleasure of it, and would never claim to be of the culinary expertise of the caliber of many folks on this forum. That said, I do post a few cooks here and there just to stay active and share now and again. I enjoy so many of the posts I read, and I hope my posts do so in return.

northGAcock

bob.bud said:

@northGAcock we have two things in common the Gamecocks and being married for almost 30 years.

Good weekend on the court....rough one on the Diamond. You in the Columbia area?

tarheelmatt

I cook for my wife and little girl the majority of the time.  Other times is for my family (brother, niece, his GF, and her daughter).  

I want people to love my food.  I believe food is one of the few ways I show my love.  I like for that to pass to plating too (if time permits).  Time lately is tough.  When the boss (my daughter) is ready to eat, it's time to eat!  

blind99

We cook 4+ times per week. 5 of us, 7 on Sundays.  Egg gets a lot of use.  I rarely think ahead of time that I'm going to post it here. but if it's a fun cook on the egg I'll get the pix. Wife likes to plate it nicely regardless of me. 

Mattman3969

Glad to see everyone is cooking for family first.  

I got caught up in plating and pics.  As long as the food is good that is what matters.  Egg on brothers!!  

Navymom

I cook for my husband and myself. I take pictures of my cooks that I don't post but I send to my son to insprire him, he's just starting to grill. And to let him know I am thinking of him and wish he could join us.

Zmokin

I cook for myself and my family mostly.
2ndly, I cook for others when cooking for a potluck.

I take pictures and post them here when I remember to take pictures.
When I'm done cooking, I want to begin eating, so I really have to force myself to remember to take pictures.

So, I can say without a doubt, I do not cook to be "internet cool".

YukonRon

I do it for fun, the food is for those to which I care for.

nolaegghead

Three modes:

1. (mostly) because I am hungry or SWMBO is hungry.
2. For guests whom I presume are hungry.
3. Because I love cooking.  Try to make 1 or 2 above work for that.

SmokeyPitt

I don't often worry about plating presentation because often the plates are made of paper. 

johnmitchell

I cook for the missus and myself.. I enjoy taking pics of my cooks, and the final product.. I am inspired by all the great people on this forum.. Ultimately it's a whole lot of fun, and a great excuse to day drink..

LRW

I cook for my family and occasional guests. I usually take pictures when the food is cooking. I usually don't do the plating pictures.

Golfguy77

I really enjoy cooking.  I can spend hours preparing a meal and truly have fun doing it.  Who do I cook for?  My wife, son and friends.  If I can get a "wow this tastes great" then the time spent cooking was all worth it.

Chubbs

Mainly for my wife and 2 young sons. I cook on eggs almost nightly (if not traveling for work) but only post what I think is a great meal or something a little unique. 

saluki2007

I cook for myself and the wife all the time.  My daughter is still too young to be eating anything off the egg, but I cook her meals in bulk quantities and the wife feeds it to her.  We have people over quite a bit for dinner as well.  I don't take pictures when people are over most of the time.  Sometimes if I really nail something then I will, but overall I just don't take a lot of pictures of anything. However, I did get a new phone last week so I did test the camera out on it this weekend.

buzd504

I do it for the forks.

jeffwit

Family. There are 5 of us. I typically take pics if the cook is fun or a little different. Getting a plated shot is difficult, because the kids are ready to eat, and the wife mocks me. And I don't have magic plates like some people on this forum...

fishlessman

must be cooking for me,  this weeks version of chili had 2 dozen serranos and 10 habaneros plus anchos mexicans pascillas etc   no way my family could eat this. no beans, no tomatoes, just a bowl of red

texaswig

I cook for me and my wife and 3.5 year old little boy.I make alot so all my friends and family get food all the time.  I cook what we want then try to make it look good on the plate for Facebook Instagram and here. It only takes a minute or so longer. And its fun. 

DoubleEgger

I cook for the wife and I and occasionally some friends. The best I'll do in regards to pics is the cell phone camera. I'm not dragging out my DSLR and editing photos in PS or LR to take a picture of a plate of food. 

theyolksonyou

Now that more clear headed. 

I cook for all my internet fans. 

Ladeback69

I mostly cook for my wife, son and I for the most part, but I like to invite friends over to cook for or we have neighborhood get together's or for family events like the one I did this weekend.  Those are the ones I post or I post something I haven't done before and want to share the out come.  I even like taking photos of food when I go out to dinner with my wife.  She has gotten used to it, but I haven't done it for awhile.  I also post a lot of food on my Facebook page.  I hope to do some more competition BBQ this summer with one of my brother in laws and may post some of that. 

johnkitchens

I cook for my wife and two kids most of the time. We do have extended family over that requires two eggs going at once, and I also cook for friends. 

My cooking skills are mediocre at best and my camera skills are not much better. I do enjoy looking at food porn as much as the next guy though.