Kiwi blokes mix it up in kitchen

Celebrity chef Al Brown said it was "no surprise" New Zealand men were becoming busier in the kitchen. Photo / Josh Griggs

Kiwi blokes entertain at home more than women and are more likely to be adventurous in the kitchen, a new Plate of the Nation study has found.

Twice as many men, 12 per cent, than women entertain at home, research commissioned by home appliances giant Fisher & Paykel reveals. and 24 per cent of men call themselves adventurous when it comes to cooking, versus 15 per cent of women.

And 10 per cent of males described their cooking style as "gourmet" as opposed to 4 per cent of females.

Celebrity chef Al Brown, who runs central Auckland eateries Depot and the Federal Delicatessen, said it was "no surprise" New Zealand men were becoming busier in the kitchen.

"Men and women tend to cook in completely different ways," he said.

"When girls are cooking they are stirring a pot while on the phone to friends, or doing the ironing or helping the kids with their homework.

"With guys, it is usually a case of everyone else has to get out of the kitchen because they take it very seriously and don't want anyone else interfering with their work.

"Men don't even bother looking in the cupboard for ingredients. They will tend to head straight to the supermarket and get the lot.

"And when they finally get to the serving stage, they treat it like a major event and they are looking for a round of applause."

Plate of the Nation data also revealed 52 per cent of New Zealand cooks practice "a mix of planned and spontaneous cooking".

Only 14 per cent of Kiwis never entertain, and they are likely to live alone.

South Islanders are less likely to entertain frequently (more than once a month) than North Islanders, which surprised restaurateur Brown.

"In my experience, the further south you go anywhere in the world, the warmer the hospitality tends to get," Brown said.

Minna Reinikkala, Fisher & Paykel's head of communications, strategy and delivery, said the survey was helpful for planning future kitchen needs.

"The data means we can look at making appliances a bit more male-friendly by adding things like roast and pastry functions to our ovens."