People Who Initially Tried To Help But Ended Up Committing The Worst “Kitchen Crimes”

Cooking recipes are often quite specific; each step has to be done with care and precision. Otherwise, the end product ends up having an entirely different taste.

Every different aspect of the cooking process contributes to the way the food ends up tasting. One missing element can ruin the end product.

Making sure that no one interferes with your cooking process is as important as anything else. If you fail to do so, someone might try to “help” and your ruin the recipe.

There's absolutely no harm in assisting other people while they are cooking, especially if they have too much on their plate. But before doing anything, you have to check with whoever is cooking at the time to avoid accidental mistakes.

Sometimes you feel like a certain element is missing in someone's cooking, so you do them a favor and correct their supposed mistake. In some rare cases, helping ends up ruining things, which completely beats the purpose.

The people who wrote the stories below went through some traumatic experiences where one of their family members or roommate tried to help them by getting involved in their cooking process but all they ended up doing was disturb a very meticulous cooking procedure.

1. “My mother, since I was born, never used any garlic in any recipe.”

"Garlic is one of the most beneficial vegetables, packed with antioxidants and known for its health benefits," says Dr. Joel Fuhrman, a renowned nutritionist at drfuhrman.com. "When people omit it from their cooking, they miss out on not only flavor but also nutritional value." Reflecting on my own experience, I can relate to the frustration of being deprived of such a versatile ingredient. Years later, as I began cooking my mother's recipes with the addition of garlic, she expressed pride in my culinary skills, stating, "It's wonderful to see you embrace cooking in a way I never did." After two decades of avoiding garlic, I can't help but feel that was a culinary oversight worthy of reflection.flic.kr

2. “I almost had an aneurysm dealing with both my parents one evening.”

We were having family over at their place and my mom asked me to come by 10-15 minutes early "to help with a couple things." I know my mom, and if she's being coy or asking for a little favor, it's normally something she doesn't understand or can pull off; so I go over 30 minutes early.Turns out she wanted me to chicken alfredo for 12-15 family members. Not a problem in itself, alfredo is super easy and quick. But this woman has nowhere near the correct amount or proportion of ingredients. She has like 1 cup of heavy cream and enough Parmesan to kill a god. And NO F*****G CHICKEN. I send her to the store to get a couple pints of creme, lemon, a few baguettes, and THE F*****G CHICKEN.I tell my dad to start his gas grill for the chicken. He argues charcoal would be better. I agree, it would, but we don't have time for that. He doubles down, and I have to bring up that every time he's in charge of cooking we eat 90 minutes late. F*****g start the grill. He finally relents.I've been there for 10 minutes I already am about to pull my hair out with them.My mother returns with the correct ingredients (this was actually a surprise). Family starts to arrive. Now my mother desperately wants to give our family the impression that we lovingly cook together all the time and we're a well-oiled machine where the opposite is true. All current and former chefs know this frustration. She has no sense of space, does not clean as she cooks, and has a small kitchen. I normally ask her to run food to distract her, but she's not having that today. She's determined to show how she "helps."Her range is super under-powered. I have put it on max and find her heaviest pan just so I can get enough heat in the pan to warm this mass of creme. I have it on for maybe a minute and she goes over and loudly says, "You have the heat up too high! Let me help you with that!" F*****g turns it down. I explain to everybody why I did that, and told her politely but sternly, "Please do not do that."My dad enters with the cooked chicken about 15 minutes later. I set up a cutting board at the end of the kitchen area and I start slicing it. My mom want to help so I show her the cuts I want: thin, even, and across the grain. She f*****g butchers it.My dad wanders into the kitchen, and what does he do? "You have the pan on too hot!" F*****g turns it down. I am visibly frustrated at this point and my Aunts and Uncles can see it. They are starting to laugh because my parents are being comically stupid. Thank God for my dad's cousin Eve. She was able to distract them for long enough for me to get everything portioned and served.I considered on three occasions of leaving my parents to their fate, and I probably should have.---gigglemetinklesflic.kr

3. “We used to always bring a bunch of side dishes for Thanksgiving, but we had to keep my mother away from them, because her attitude toward everything is to just cook it as long as possible. ”

 That's the reason I grew up hating vegetables - because they were always boiled to mush.We would always take control of the sides we brought, which offended my mom because we didn't trust her cooking, and she was always trying to grab them and sneak them into the oven or microwave. I remember one Thanksgiving we brought our special green beans in butter, garlic, and rosemary, but not cooked too much, so they'd still have their snap. They just needed about 30-60 seconds in the microwave.So we're putting everything out on the table, and I realize that the green beans are missing. My mom tells me she put them in the microwave. "How long ago?" "Oh they still have a few minutes to go, they've only been in there about 8 minutes." So there were our beautiful fresh green beans, cooked to flaccidity, ruined.Then there was the Thanksgiving that I carefully packed up all the leftovers we were taking home, but they weren't in the fridge when it came time to leave. She had moved them to the top of the dryer in the mud room so we wouldn't forget them. They'd been sitting there for about 8 hours, going bad. We just took it all home and threw it out.Eventually we just started having Thanksgiving at our house so we had total control over it, and she couldn't sabotage it.---The_Original_Gronkieflic.kr

4. “One Christmas, my grandfather's second wife sneaked into the kitchen when my mother left the stove for a moment and added a bunch of water to her gumbo because she felt it was "too thick". My mom cried.”

As noted by Dr. Laura Berman, a renowned sex therapist, "Sometimes, in our eagerness to help, we can inadvertently create chaos in the kitchen." This sentiment resonates with many who have experienced kitchen mishaps while trying to assist others. Similarly, Tony Robbins, a well-known life coach, emphasizes the importance of understanding the tools we use, stating, "Knowledge is power, but only if you know how to wield it." These insights remind us that even the best intentions can lead to unexpected culinary disasters.

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5. “I was making a large amount of loaded potato soup, in an 18qt turkey roaster.”

My dad would wait until I had left the kitchen so it could simmer and thicken and add seasonings to it without tasting it. More salt here, more pepper there... until he finally decided it wasn't thick enough and added some mashed potato flakes to it. He then had the audacity to complain it was too salty. As Dr. Susan David, an emotional agility expert, states, "Emotions are not just feelings; they are signals that can guide our actions." I felt overwhelmed and upset by his choices, which led to a strong emotional reaction. I very nearly threw my bowl at him. I was so frustrated that I never cooked at his house again.Dr. Susan Davidflic.kr

6. “I came back into the kitchen and my sister in law said she checked my stuffed mushrooms and they "looked a little dry" so she added some olive oil to them.”

Opened the oven to see that they were swimming in oil. Like, a half inch of oil in the baking dish. She ruined the mushrooms and used up the last of an amazing bottle of olive oil a friend brought back from Greece for me. "Cooking mishaps can often stem from a lack of attention to detail," says Dr. Dan Gilbert, a happiness researcher at Harvard University. "It's essential to be present in the moment to avoid such culinary disasters." Dr. Dan Gilbertflic.kr

7. “I was a professional chef so people call me a lot for recipes, etc.”

One time my dad called and asked me for a salmon recipe. He started the conversation with “I put it in the oven about 30min ago.””He’s dead, Jim”---Dr. Terri Orbuch, relationship researcherflic.kr

8. “Just last night: Grandma, who always hated cooking, lives with me.”

For reference, the only seasoning she believes in is salt, and she likes her steaks "well boiled."I had to go out for an event last night but didn't want her to go hungry, so I made chicken and noodles in the crock pot. Seared the chicken, then threw in to slow cook with onions, garlic, and veggies, whole deal. Just before leaving the house, I added the noodles and appropriate bit of water so they could cook, and told her to give it a good stir in an hour, then dig in.I got home several hours later and went to put the food away (she's great about turning down the crock pot to a holding temp after getting her own food) and was shocked to discover the noodles were still CRUNCHY! I asked her if something happened, and she said "well, after you left I went to check on things and it looked like you put too much water in there, it would be soupy, so I used a cup to scoop it out. Those noodles weren't very well done by the way." As Dr. John Gottman, a renowned relationship expert, states, "Communication is key in any relationship, especially when it comes to shared responsibilities like cooking." I love this woman, but how she managed to raise a family on her cooking is beyond me.---Dr. John Gottmanflic.kr

9. “Cilantro.... It tastes like soap to me.”

When my mom lived with me, anytime I tried to cook something, she would sneak cilantro in it knowing that I wouldn't eat it, which was more for her. As Dr. Dan Gilbert, a happiness researcher, notes, "Our happiness is often influenced by the actions of those around us," which can lead to frustration in shared living situations. Make a stew that is supposed to last for a week... garbage.She was awful. Make steaks and sides and think it was 1 for everyone... she would nab 3 of them with her unwashed hands and not eat any sides. Had no shame... what was I gonna do, kick her out and make her homeless? I finally did after 3 years of the b******t. As Dr. Jonathan Haidt, a social psychologist, suggests, "Sometimes, setting boundaries is essential for our well-being," which I ultimately had to do.Dr. Jonathan Haidtflic.kr

10. “Your wok was all black so I scrubbed it clean for you.”

MarshallApplewhiteDo replied:I had a roommate who did that in college. She scrubbed an entire Teflon pan clean with steel wool.orange9035 replied:How long did that even take??MarshallApplewhiteDo replied:I shudder to think. A few friends and I got back from class to find her just about done with it. Once we realized what she was doing, we knew it was a lost cause and let her finish. When she left the kitchen, I took the pan out of the drying rack and put it in the trash. As Dr. Dan Gilbert, happiness researcher, notes, “People often make decisions that lead to regret, especially in situations where they are trying to help but end up causing more harm.” You can learn more about his insights at danielgilbert.com.flic.kr

11. “Mom once went to the trouble of making a ham & bean soup complete with ham bone during the cooking process.”

After we finished dinner, my dad drained all the broth down the sink just so it would fit into the Tupperware container he randomly chose to use. As Dr. Alexandra Solomon, a relationship therapist, notes, "Communication and understanding in family dynamics are crucial, especially when it comes to shared responsibilities in the kitchen." This highlights how even simple tasks can lead to misunderstandings if not approached thoughtfully.---Dr. Alexandra Solomonflic.kr

12. “Was baking a pavlova for a cooking competition in a family holiday.”

And ‘someone’ also turned up the heat to quicken the process, resulting in a deliciously blackened piece of sugar. As Dr. Angela Duckworth, a renowned psychologist, states, "Mistakes can be valuable learning experiences, but accountability is crucial for growth." It's frustrating when individuals don't own up to their actions, especially in the kitchen where precision is key. ---Dr. Angela Duckworthflic.kr

13. “I was going to make perfect tender and juicy chicken breast with a sous vide stick but my mom decided to overrule me behind my back by turning the temperature up from 65C to 90C "just to be speed it up" (even though they would have been ready right on time for dinner at 19:00 as planned... It now has the consistency of stringy leather and taste like it too. ”

---Dr. Harvey Karp, pediatrician states, "When it comes to cooking, even well-meaning attempts can lead to disaster if not approached with care." This highlights how even the best intentions can sometimes result in kitchen mishaps. Similarly, Dr. Michael Thompson, child psychologist emphasizes, "It's essential to recognize that our actions in the kitchen can set a tone for family dynamics and emotional well-being." These insights remind us that cooking is as much about mindfulness as it is about technique.

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14. “My father almost used my handcrafted Japanese cookingknife that I bought in Tokyo to open a beer bottle (not foodcrime pr se but a crime none the less).”

PugsterThePug replied:After explicitly being told to not touch it, my MIL put mine in the dishwasher…TWICE. It’s hidden away now. [Blabbering] idiot. TylerInHiFi replied: And here I’ve been annoyed that my MIL will use mine and then just leave it on the counter to be washed later, covered in food debris. And then never actually wash it because she doesn’t ever actually do the dishes.---Dr. Alexandra Solomon, relationship therapist states, "Healthy boundaries are vital for maintaining respect and harmony in family relationships." Additionally, Dr. William Doherty, family therapist emphasizes, "Open communication is essential to avoid misunderstandings and foster a supportive family environment."flic.kr

15. “My mom intentionally blunts knives or throws them away when they're sharp because she's worried about injuring herself on the sharpness of the knife.”

----Mel Robbins, motivational speaker states, "Sometimes our attempts to help can lead to unexpected outcomes, especially in the kitchen." This sentiment resonates with many who have experienced kitchen mishaps while trying to assist. As James Clear, author notes, "Mistakes are the portals of discovery," highlighting how even the worst kitchen crimes can lead to valuable lessons and growth.

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16. “I made a gorgeous roast turkey for Thanksgiving one year at my Family's house.”

Brined it perfectly, assembled an amazing blend of aromatics and roasted to perfection. The pan drippings and juices had the most amazing flavor I've ever had from roasting a bird. Apples, shallots, fresh sage leaves, celery, carrot, honey crisp apples, and cinnamon all came together in perfect harmony. I salivated as I deglazed and strained every last drop of that magic with the intent of making the ultimate gravy.20 minutes I leave the kitchen for it to cool so I could skim it, and my mother helped herself to a spoonful of it. She agreed that it was amazing, and decided it would be best to pour every last drop of it over HER turkey as a baste....I cried---Dr. Esther Perel, couples therapist and author states, "In relationships, the way we share and communicate can lead to unexpected outcomes, even in the kitchen."flic.kr

17. “I had some leftover Passover wine, and decided to do a thing.”

I sautéed mushrooms and tomatoes into it, building up a nice sauce for my fancy pasta dish.My boyfriend went behind my back and added amaretto coffee creamer.His intention was to thicken the sauce, and since I didn't have cream, he thought the amaretto would "compliment" it.Unfortunately, the result was disgusting. I could only take a couple of bites before it made me feel ill. As Dr. Michael Greger, nutritionist, states, "Combining flavors that clash can lead to unpleasant culinary experiences" (nutritionfacts.org).I'm still mad to this day.---Dr. Michael GregerGETTY

18. “Turning up the heat on my barely simmering Bolognese, because they didn't think it was "simmering enough".”

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19. “Was making quesadilla's for my parents. I left the kitchen for FIVE MINUTES. I come back, open the kitchen doors, and the air is burning my eyes.”

 Like, onions jacked up times 100. I look at my dad, and ask 'What did you do?'.He looked at me, very sheepishly, and said 'I only added three...'A while before, a friend of my mom's had gifted me a jalapeno pepper plant. Dad put three peppers, seeds and all, into the sauce.We adulterated that sauce with a full container of plain yogurt, with another one on the side, and it was still insanely hot. As Dr. Adam Grant, organizational psychologist, notes, "Sometimes our best intentions can lead to unexpected outcomes," which perfectly encapsulates our cooking adventure. Mom took the leftovers, put them in ice-cube trays, and used *one* per pot of soup/stew/sauce.I miss my dad. Good memory.---Dr. Adam GrantFlickr

20. “Just the other day we were bbqing chicken legs. ”

We went to the butcher and got these amazing delicious fat legs. They turned out perfect! Luckily we got to snag one each before my grandma put the rest in the oven because in her opinion they "needed to be cooked more."What is it with old people wanting dry, chewy, overcooked chicken!? Now no one has touched the leftovers because she ruined them when she could have just cooked *her* portion more rather than all of it!---whoamiwhatamid0ingflickr

21. “I was cooking a prime rib. I used the method of blasting it at 500 for 30 minutes and then shutting off the oven and letting it coast without opening the door for a couple of hours. I was very clear not to use the oven, and I put a sign on the oven door to not open.”

My son decided that he needed to cook a frozen pizza because he was hungry. He turned the oven on at 425 and cooked his pizza for 15 minutes. After taking it out, he forgot to shut off the oven. As Dr. Dan Siegel, a renowned psychiatrist, emphasizes, "Mindfulness in everyday tasks can prevent accidents and enhance safety in the home." You can learn more about his insights on parenting and mindfulness at drdansiegel.com.Flickr

If you want to make sure that nothing goes wrong when you are cooking, you have to constantly monitor the cooking process and ensure no one is interfering with your cooking method. One simple mistake can ruin. and everything and makes the end product completely inedible.