In Defense of Intuitive Cooking
Katerina Pavlakis 
Why recipes are overrated
Growing up, I watched my mum cook by instinct - effortlessly throwing together delicious meals without ever glancing at a single recipe.
Inspired by her confidence and creativity, I did the same: I cooked by simply paying attention to the ingredients and flavours in front of me. It never occurred to me to cook any other way.
It was only in my late 20s, when I moved to London, that I noticed the special reverence reserved for celebrity chefs and cook book writers, and learned that a 'good cook' was supposedly measured by their skill at 'properly' following a recipe.
My cooking confidence took a hit - maybe I wasn't such a good cook after all if I couldn't follow a recipe? Still, everyone I ever cooked for gushed about my food. This left me puzzled - what was really going on here?!
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Could it be that, somewhere along the way, our food culture lost touch with the natural, simple, joyful approach to cooking that I grew up with?
These days, we are inundated with conflicting messages about what and how we "should" be cooking. We chase an imaginary ideal of perfection, fueled by social media feeds filled with staged and flawless food photos, while celebrity chefs are hustling for the ultimate authority on home cooking.
When did we start looking to celebrity chefs instead of our own grandmothers as our culinary role models? It's time to take back our kitchens and our confidence.
The truth is, cooking doesn't have to be complicated. You don't need a stockpile of special gadgets, a library of cook books, or a culinary degree to put a nourishing meal on the table - in under 30 minutes. With a few basic skills and a willingness to trust your instincts, anyone can cook.
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That's why I'm so passionate about intuitive cooking: I believe that everyday cooking is an essential life skill, not a luxury. It's about having the confidence and creativity to make something delicious out of whatever you have on hand, without feeling beholden to exact recipes, strict meal plans or the latest food trends.
Intuitive cooking is about reconnecting with your senses and reawakening your natural ability to combine ingredients in a way that is appealing to YOU.
It's about understanding the timeless principles of building flavour and texture, so you can improvise and adapt dishes to your liking. Most importantly, it's about reclaiming the joy and adventure of cooking.
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As your intuitive cooking guide, it is my mission to empower you to trust your instincts, and help you reclaim your power and confidence in the kitchen.
Cooking is so much more than just following instructions. It's a sensory (and sensual) experience, a creative outlet, and a daily act of nourishing yourself and those you love.
One thing I know for sure: Embracing intuitive cooking will bring more ease and joy into your everyday cooking than any ‘triple tested 5 ingredient recipe’ ever will.
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If you are ready to explore intuitive cooking as a delicious and liberating way to nourish yourself, this is the place to be!
Expect cooking adventures from the inside out, as we explore delicious ways to turn on the flavor, whip up wholesome meals in minutes, think outside the recipe box, and reclaim the joy of cooking. Along the way, we'll bust some myths, break some rules, and take on a food system that's set on turning us away from the simple pleasure of a home-cooked meal.
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I promise, you'll never look at your kitchen the same way again!
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PS. We all have an intuitive cook in us! Check out my podcast for the proof in the pudding: Every single home cook I've been chatting to has plenty of tips and inspiration to share.
