I love cooking, but because my mom is too much of a bimbo and my dad too much of a “manly man” to ever step into the kitchen, I never had the chance to learn from them. I grew up on delivery, takeout, eating out, and the incredible food made by the amazing woman who cooks for our family. I became deeply interested in cooking at the start of my teenage years and taught myself through the internet, books, that same woman, and other relatives.
I watched a lot of PBS and YouTube videos to better under what I should look for when cooking. After that it’s really just get in there and try it. Flavor is subjective so that videos kind of stop being helpful at some point. ATK and Babish do a pretty good job of explaining what is happening and what to look for to know that something is done cooking.
What pbs shows? Currently a pbs passport supporter and would like to watch new shows
Americas Test Kitchen, Cooks Country, and Milk Street are great explainers for beginners and intermediates. Rick Bayless might be in there for some good Mexican. For a bit more upscale and the OGs of TV cooking shows, Julia Childs is probably in there and Jacques Pepin is also probably in there.