Write a story in which a character cooks up something to impress someone.

Posted in Romance on Dec 8, 2023

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✍️ 34 stories

“A Baby in the Oven” by Brian Haddad

Submitted to Contest #228

My stomach twisted into a balloon animal while my eyes darted around the kitchen. The oven was going, the salad was prepped, the potatoes were boiling. My heart started pounding again. I have to get this right, I thought, running through the checklist again. The doorbell rang and I jumped like a horse had kicked me in the chest. I frantically wiped my hands on a towel and rushed to the door. Taking a deep breath and holding it, I turned the doorknob and pulled it open. "Jenny!" I declared, smiling. I took half a step forward, beginning t...

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“Eye of the Tigress” by Simeon Bingham

Submitted to Contest #228

The annual Hawthorne Springs Boysenberry Pie Contest is, without a shadow of a doubt, the most anticipated event of the entire year. Tens of people, including myself and my loyal husband Bob, commute from our neighboring suburban enclaves to The Covenant Church of Hope for a shot at pastry greatness and local fame, each of us toting exactly three distinctive takes on the boysenberry pie; classic, crumble, and chef’s special. We offer our submissions to be tasted by the contest’s judges, all esteemed members of the church. The contest is...

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“Chefs vs. Computer Chips” by Damien Harley

Submitted to Contest #228

“Welcome ladies, gentleman, and various mechanized lifeforms to ‘Chefs vs. Computer Chips.’ My name is Fallon Frazer and this is the very first episode of our cooking competition show that pits classically trained gastronomes against AI guided counterparts. Tonight, Marion Fincastle, owner and head chef of Marion’s Kitchen in Chicago, takes on SizzleThangUno, or STU, a program built by students who attend Walen prep-school in England. Before we speak to our contestants, let me introduce you to my tasty morsel of a co-host, Nick Albright, who...

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“kneading.” by Lara Deppe

Submitted to Contest #228

2 Tablespoons sugar 2 Cups hot water (near 110 degrees) Bri poured the sugar into the bottom of the bowl. She tested the temperature of the water and poured it over the sugar. She swirled the sugar into the water until she could no longer see the cloudy crystals. Her thoughts were swirling like the warm water in her plastic, orange bowl. She had started this recipe so many times that it no longer required her attention. Her mother showed her how. Each step. 1 ½ Tablespoons active dry yeast She pulled the yeast out of her freezer and m...

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“Cooking For the Fates” by Sarah Jo

Submitted to Contest #228

The lines at the supermarket are always the worst part of shopping. I know, I know—but what about the lingerers or the ankle biters or the hummers? I can handle all of that because I have a certain amount of patience on retainer for my journey through the store.Do I still fight to tap the lady pursuing the produce on the shoulder because she’s standing in front of the oranges that I need? Absolutely. Do I want to scream, “It’s not staying in your body forever, just grab some damn apples!” Without a doubt, I do. That’s why, by the time I get ...

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“Gastronomic Alchemy: Victor's Culinary Tale” by Frank Amaya

Submitted to Contest #228

In the heart of the vibrant city, where the amalgamated aromas of diverse cuisines danced in the air, a charming little restaurant stood out, celebrated for its enigmatic chef, Victor. Victor's culinary creations were avant-garde wonders, and tonight, he was set to unveil his latest masterpiece. Beyond the gastronomic spectacle, Victor harbored a secret plan—a culinary adventure aimed not just at dazzling taste buds but also at capturing the heart of someone special.The evening unfolded within the bustling kitchen of the restaurant, where Vi...

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“let's meet up in uncanny valley” by Masha Kurbatova

Submitted to Contest #228

At work, you text me the link to a headline: Decatur Town Square Moth Man. And you say he’s here!!! And I read the article, and it’s a Decatur in Texas, not ours in Georgia. But you so seldom text me at work now that I reply only wow!! When I scroll through our older messages, it’s just you saying wanna come over and me saying sure over and over, and sometimes, you send articles about whatever cryptid caught your eye this month. Sasquatch stuff in October. Now, November, Mothman. The article says that a person named Tur...

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“The Diplomat's Feast” by Haris Robinson

Submitted to Contest #228

The visitor appeared as lightning – bright, fast, and with terrible noise, heralding their arrival to the Auvergne countryside with black scorch marks in a field of crops. On a cloudless, rainless night, it could be seen and heard for miles – but there was only one who noticed it, who peered out with tired eyes from his farmhouse window, shrugged it off, and went back to bed. The visitor, perhaps expecting a larger welcome, decided to wait. Alexandre found them the next morning, completely by chance, after tending to the cows, and rearing ...

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“The kitchen warzone ” by Miiaa R.

Submitted to Contest #228

Today is my day off, and now an opportunity to show that I can be wife material. Today I will show my boyfriend, I can cook. We usually both eat out due to our work schedules being hectic, and everytime we’ve cooked it’s been a rush so it ends up being semi cooked and we're so hungry to the point that we just eat it or get takeout. Last time he cooked, he burned burgers and our fire alarm went off due to all the smoke engulfing the place. Last time I cooked, I actually don’t remember. I usually don’t cook due to hating washing the dishes or ...

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“Seasons” by Grace Page

Submitted to Contest #228

"You're breaking up, what was that last--Amy? Oh, great, that's just great." Evie swiped the phone screen, hoping in vain that the cell service would magically improve, allowing her friend to save her fourth batch of cookies. "Too flat, too soft, too sweet...why do I care so much?" Evie shook her head and began sluggishly plopping the dough balls onto the baking sheet. As if whatever extra spice or dough-rolling technique would have changed what Asher thinks about me. I've spent six hours over cookies...cookies! I'm done. She tapped through...

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“Blossom Park Diary” by Dalyn Campbell

Submitted to Contest #228

We met at Blossom Park, the sun was just setting, & I was reading on the bench right underneath the pink tree I always sat at when I was 9, it was always my favorite. I remember it so clearly, when he first kissed me, telling me "My dear, do not fret, I will show when time is right" he kissed me that very night, promising me we will see each other when the time is right, & I believed him, knowing less than I already do now. It was 6;30 tonight, I was reading Romeo & Juliet, the edited version. I saw someone, they were wearing a s...

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“The Joy of Yummy Cooking” by Marsha Ingrao

Submitted to Contest #228

The Joy of Yummy Cooking By Marsha Ingrao Julia never claimed to take after her namesake. The fact that her mother hung that moniker on her still chaffed forty years later. Her thoughts roamed back to her past conversations with her mom as she drove to a family St. Paddy’s Day dinner. Julia Child, indeed. “The only way to a man’s heart is through his stomach.” Nothing but finding her a “good” husband” seemed to matter to her mother. How antiquated was that, anyway? What kind of a chef were you, Mom? Julia’s mom had the reputation of being...

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“An effort was made nonetheless” by Eddie McKenzie

Submitted to Contest #228

Why on earth did he decide it was a good idea to invite the man over to make him dinner? He didn’t know how to cook! Well, actually that was not entirely true, what he did not know how to do was cook something that was edible – or even something that was not worthy of being labeled a biological hazard – but that did not mean that he did not know how to stir things. He would like to think he was capable of that at least, but frankly Charlie doubted there were very many recipes that were made entirely by the act of stirring things over the sto...

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“Legacy, broken” by Poornima Mandpe

Submitted to Contest #228

Charu came from a family of skilled cooks. Her sister was the owner of Calimiri, the cloud kitchen which was slowly turning into a franchise. Her cousin, the writer of 101 recipes to win a man’s heart. Another one, the famous dietician that Kareena Kapoor consulted to retain her famous sindhi figure after her childbirth. Basically all the women in the family were skilled cooks, like an unbroken legacy of little more than 50 years (or so was Charu told). But it was more than just a passing down of secret recipes and ingredient...

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“I Can Cook?” by Michael Moran

Submitted to Contest #228

I met her Monday morning. She was peering into the large glass double doors of the office building in which I worked in the Los Angeles area. My mood matched the ugliness of the grey clouds having spent the previous afternoon and evening with the guys drinking beer and watching the pathetic Chargers lose until I asked, “Can I help you?” And then she turned around and so did my mood. Her name was Farah Cassidy. She was a new hire. “It’s a pleasure to meet you,” I said. “I can’t figure out how to get in,” she said sweetly brushing a stra...

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Write a story in which a character cooks up something to impress someone.

Submissions are closed

✍️ 34 stories

“A Baby in the Oven” by Brian Haddad

“Eye of the Tigress” by Simeon Bingham

“Chefs vs. Computer Chips” by Damien Harley

“kneading.” by Lara Deppe

“Cooking For the Fates” by Sarah Jo

“Gastronomic Alchemy: Victor's Culinary Tale” by Frank Amaya

“let's meet up in uncanny valley” by Masha Kurbatova

“The Diplomat's Feast” by Haris Robinson

“The kitchen warzone ” by Miiaa R.

“Seasons” by Grace Page

“Blossom Park Diary” by Dalyn Campbell

“The Joy of Yummy Cooking” by Marsha Ingrao

“An effort was made nonetheless” by Eddie McKenzie

“Legacy, broken” by Poornima Mandpe

“I Can Cook?” by Michael Moran

🌟 Similar prompts

Start or end your story in a bustling street food market.

Include in your story a scene about a family's last meal before a significant change.

Write a story in which a character eats something that they shouldn’t have eaten.

Write a story in which a certain food makes your character travel back in time.

Contest #228

Enter our weekly contest!

$250

Prize money

232

Contest entries

88

Stories

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

Explore more writing prompt ideas: