Social changes and the availability of cheap foreign labor has led to a complete dependence on domestic workers to carry out common household chores such as cooking and cleaning. This trend has, in turn, produced a generation of girls who are unable to carry out basic chores independently, something many Saudi men require of their wives. The famous saying — the shortest way to a man's heart is through his stomach — still runs true in this day and age, with most girls of marriageable age are being asked about their culinary expertise and domestic attributes. Faced with the prospects of being queried about their level of proficiency in cooking and cleaning prior to marriage, a significant number of women have begun taking cooking classes in order to raise their cooking capabilities while being competent enough to experiment with food for meals at home, Al-Riyadh daily reported. Newlywed grooms are known to ask their wives whether they can cook and a negative answer often results in arguments. Women, on the other hand, say they are either busy with their studies or had to work and did not have time to learn how to cook. Most are also surprised at the responsibilities they have toward their husbands, children and homes after marriage. Mohammad Al-Amer married recently. He said he was greatly disappointed after he discovered that his wife did not know how to cook. “As a bachelor, I had had enough of take-out food, and was expecting some decent home food if not culinary delights after marriage. I was really disappointed when my wife said she could not cook,” Al-Amer said. “But instead of compounding the issue, I got over my disappointment and have asked her to take up cooking classes. In addition, I even bought her a few cook books from where she can learn the rudiments of cooking,” he said. Samar Al-Abdullah, an unmarried university student, said girls should know basic household chores, including cooking, and should not be over-reliant on domestic workers. “I was keen to take cooking classes to help out my family whenever the need arises. Knowing how to cook will also help me in the future,” she said. Bashaer Al-Ahmadi, however, disagreed and said she doesn't need to know how to cook because her family has always had more than one domestic servant to cook and carry out other household chores. She is reliant on the fact that after marriage too the situation would remain the same — either her husband would either hire domestic help or she would be helped by her family to sustain her earlier lifestyle. Family consultant Wedad Al-Mesfer said girls who do not know how to cook will face problems in the future and added that such girls have become completely dependent on domestic servants. “Some husbands are better cooks than their wives and it's advisable for girls to learn all necessary married-life skills for their own benefit and for those they care for,” she said. The head of Weaam Marriage & Family Guidance Center, Mohammad Al-Abdulqader, said the center is planning to hold a number of cooking classes for would-be brides so they can easily transition into married life. — SG
