As the headline says—I never really knew how to cook. Even the most basic traditional dishes from my culture felt like a mystery to me. Growing up, I relied on ready-to-eat meals and takeout, never paying much attention to what went into making a home-cooked dish. But everything changed when I moved out for college. Living on my own meant I had to figure out how to cook if I wanted something other than instant food.

At first, I was completely lost. But instead of giving up, I started experimenting. I watched how my mom cooked whenever I visited home, picking up little techniques here and there. I also relied on trial and error—sometimes my dishes turned out great, other times… not so much. But in just a few months, I found myself improving, learning how to balance flavors, and even recreating the dishes I once thought were too difficult. Along the way, I met others who were in the same boat—students who had never cooked before and relied on the internet just to make the simplest meals. That’s when I realized how valuable it is to have a go-to place for easy, beginner-friendly recipes.