Dubai: How well can men make dinner? Four Dubai residents swapped their suits for aprons recently to mark the quirky November holiday Men Make Dinner Day.
The group, including UAE-based blogger and businessman Pawan Manghnani, shared the Dusit Thani Dubai kitchen for a cooking showdown and learnt how to make the perfect eggplant parmigiana with Executive Chef Antonello Manca.
"Men of the house generally don't cook and don't have any motivation to do so either. So it is one of those moments that will be cherished by my wife and me," said Manghnani.
The experience was "out of the box", described Manghnani, who admitted that the "easiest" dish he managed to prepare in his kitchen was a noodle sandwich. What's the worst thing that could happen should he discover his culinary talent? "If I do cook well, my wife will ask to me to cook regularly!" said Manghnani, who is also a comedian.
The group tried Manca's recipe, melanzane e zuccine alla parmigiana, which the Italian chef learnt as a boy from his mother. "I just twisted it a little by mixing the zucchine with eggplants. It is a tasty dish for everyone, from kids to adults, and never fails," Manca said.
Men Make Dinner Day is celebrated every first Thursday of November to help men discover their culinary skills. In a world where there is a constant call for the blurring of traditional gender roles, the event is a welcome move.
"Men have always been successful in professional kitchens but not so much within their house kitchen walls, cooking is also fun and good activity for a family to share," said chef Manca.
Should men do domestic chores? Manca and Manghnani think so.
"I don't see why not? I help out in the house when I can. It can be fun too if you take it up jointly," Manghnani said, adding that he has a lot of respect for men who know how to cook for themselves or their family.
For chef Manca, the modern man must "be able to sustain himself and/or support the others on occasions, [so] a little know how in the kitchen goes a long way".
"I believe is great to know how to cook your favorite dishes.You don’t need a huge repertoire of recipe but few that are simple and nice to impress friends and family and of course yourself," the chef said.
What else can men do at home?
"I think men should try doing an entire day in the life of their wife as an experiment, project or just to make her feel special on a random weekend.Just to experience life in their shoes. Women of the house are the real superheroes. They just don't have capes," Manghnani said.
