Write a story in which too many cooks spoil the broth — literally or metaphorically.

Posted in Adults on Oct 28, 2022

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✍️ 10 stories

“My first Day in the kitchen!” by Debito INC.

Submitted to Contest #162

Have you ever gotten that tiny little sensation where it feels like butterflies tickle your stomach? Normally that would mean you’re feeling anxious, nervous, or just worried about what’s to come, but I’ll be honest…This, was different. It was my first day working in a real kitchen—and not just one of those run of the mill restaurants that you see on the side of the main road in any given city, but actual fine-dining! I was static, like I was at t...

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“The Singing Tree” by Jenna Hudson

Submitted to Contest #162

Nestled deep in the heart of the woods was a cedar tree. The cedar was not just any tree, of course. For if this were an ordinary tree, it would not fill the air with the most beautiful song in the purple minutes of twilight. Traders and merchants and royals and peasants came from far and wide, from kingdoms all across the realm, to be graced by its sweet singing. The singing tree was a beacon of light amongst a sullen forest. Even its branches, green as a lifetime of dewy spring morns, outshone those of every tree in the woods. Its trunk...

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“A Perfect Birthday Party” by John Steckley

Submitted to Contest #162

It was the largest family get-together than many of the people there had ever experienced. It was all to plan the ‘perfect’ birthday party for Dave. He was the oldest member of the family, and the party they were planning was for his 90th birthday. The suggestions started quite slowly, but soon started to build up to quite an event. The first idea came from ‘flashy Fred’ as everyone knew him, Dav...

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“FAULTY FORMULA” by Joseph Monachino

Submitted to Contest #162

Fred, Dan, and Mat have been working on creating a formula for almost 12 months. They must somehow come up with the final factor to make it function properly. The 3 scientists have been colleagues for several years at Jamco Corporation. For the last 13 months or so, they have been working on a formula that Mat devised. When created to perfection, this formula will create a liquid that, when added to gas tanks, will prevent gasoline from freezing for 3 months. The “eureka” moment has arrived. After several trials, they...

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“Grandma's Soup” by Amy Hughes

Submitted to Contest #162

Larissa scrambled around the kitchen, anticipating the arrival of one of her three children at any moment. With a sigh, she placed the large pot on the stovetop to start making her mother’s famous soup. This would be the first time anyone ever attempted it since her passing in April. Larissa still hadn’t truly come to terms with losing her mother. Though she carried around the dull ache of sadness with her wherever she went, she never let herself acknowledge it. The recipe was never written down, so Larissa had to try to remember all the st...

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“A SHRED OF CAKE ” by Emmanuel Kaume

Submitted to Contest #162

A scene of utter desolation compelled the evening forlorn sun to deteriorate slowly into the western horizon. Horizon was rescued by immensely thick dark pregnant clouds stretching its vast darkness but at some point, it allowed the sun to peep with desultory though full of despondency. It was a day the sun had amputated hope for her. A motion that it could neither stop to comfort her nor retract into days she would hear her last message and make it work but blessed the land with crepuscular. Though it faded, it never sieged completely into ...

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“Too Many Cooks Spoil the Broth” by Judy Robinson

Submitted to Contest #162

Too Many Cooks Spoil the Broth! As Judy watched the news, with all the wildfires and record heat waves, the saying "too many cooks spoil the broth" seemed to apply. Climate change is long-term shifts in temperatures and weather patterns. Some are natural due to variations in the solar cycle. Since the 1800s, human activities have been the leading cause of climate change. Fossil fuels such as coal, oil, and gas generate greenhouse emissions. These emissions act like a blanket wrapped aroun...

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“AT DINNER WITH...HIM” by Mara Masolini

Submitted to Contest #162

AT DINNER WITH….HIM “ I beg (pray) you, please, remember that the lobster must be boiled alive! WOE to you if you throw it in the boiling water already dead! He, our eminent guest, is a very refined palate, eh…so he would immediately realize that the lobster has been boiled when it was already a corpse! Come on, you don’t make me look like shit with that very big one, who is our eminent guest….Ah, and the Brussels broccoli must be really of today, just popped out! You must also check one by one the cherries of Montegirigonz...

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“Too many cooks...” by J Stephens

Submitted to Contest #162

Long before he passed through the entryway of Downtown Memorial, Matthew Wexler instantly regretted many of his decisions from the prior evening. While he would’ve paid any price for the right to call out and climb back into bed, he knew the optics weren’t in his favor considering his less than subtle appearance at the annual Neurology Department Gala. And while the details remained fuzzy, his friend’s social media post of him grinding on the dance floor with one of the attendings told Matthew everything he needed to know. “Late night...

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“Way too Many Cooks” by Gloria Bartone

Submitted to Contest #162

"Darn," I sighed,wishing I could say something more colourful but knowing I couldn't use those words with my two little ones in the room, "I wish you had warned me, so I had time to prepare something really special." My husband Mickel looked abashed. " I only found out yesterday from Mama that grandma Irena wanted this. I didn't even know she was still in Michigan. I thought they'd already left. But don't worry; anything you fix will be terrific." Now I am known in my family as a good, even awesome, cook. I love cooking, and my spec...

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Write a story in which too many cooks spoil the broth — literally or metaphorically.

Submissions are closed

✍️ 10 stories

“My first Day in the kitchen!” by Debito INC.

“The Singing Tree” by Jenna Hudson

“A Perfect Birthday Party” by John Steckley

“FAULTY FORMULA” by Joseph Monachino

“Grandma's Soup” by Amy Hughes

“A SHRED OF CAKE ” by Emmanuel Kaume

“Too Many Cooks Spoil the Broth” by Judy Robinson

“AT DINNER WITH...HIM” by Mara Masolini

“Too many cooks...” by J Stephens

“Way too Many Cooks” by Gloria Bartone

🌟 Similar prompts

Start your story with someone looking at a restaurant menu.

Write about a character whose love language is making food for others.

Write a story where a character’s life completely changes over the course of a meal.

Start your story with one character trying to convince another that they make the best grilled cheese in the world.

Contest #162

Enter our weekly contest!

$250

Prize money

234

Contest entries

98

Stories

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

Explore more writing prompt ideas: