The Cooks in BB1-4
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TV ClubHouse: ARCHIVES: Big Brother USA 2003 General Discussions Part 1: The Cooks in BB1-4

Mizinvanccouver

Saturday, August 16, 2003 - 09:08 am EditMoveDeleteIP
It was mentioned in another thread about the cooks getting a bad rap for being the "Cook" of the BB House.

I just have to say I have not heard once in all the BB seasons any of the other HG's approach the cook and say they want to cook. So why do they complain???(If I'm wrong and there has been such a situation that I missed, feel free to fill me.)

Also mentioned in other threads that the Cooks only do it because they are:
-Bored
-Want to seem valuable to the other houseguests
-Like being in the kitchen to overhear conversations in the house

I agree that's partly the reasons why but the bottom line is the other HG's benefit too from this so I figure it's a 2 way street.

If I was in the house and wanted to cook for myself or for the others I would just say so.

If they don't say anything they can't get pissy about it and should be grateful for their hard work.

What are your thoughts on this?

Mizinvanccouver

Saturday, August 16, 2003 - 09:21 am EditMoveDeleteIP
Guess I know how to start & kill a thread at the same time!!! LOL smiley

Spunky

Saturday, August 16, 2003 - 09:27 am EditMoveDeleteIP
Again, you're giving up too soon..

that was a great question, I wondered about that as well. I think Nate was polite in avoiding a confrontation with Jun, he may not have liked some of the meals she prepared but had to keep quiet about it. Some other may felt the same.

I for one would not have let her do the cooking all the time, I would have suggested each of them cook their favorite meals if they had one. I'd be competing with Jun in the kitchen and I think knowing Jun I'd have been out of the house already... Never can have too many cooks in the kitchen... eh, eh..

Bonzacat

Saturday, August 16, 2003 - 09:30 am EditMoveDeleteIP
Mizin, it's not you, really! It's still somewhat early in the West and still less posters in the East without power. And perhaps those in the geographical Center are still pondering your theory...

One thing I can add about the "cooks" of the seasons and why the HG appear to turn on them without ever having offered or asserted their own efforts: the "cooks" can last a long time in the game without having (or appearing to have) any other strategy. When the HG wake up and realize this they begin to campaign against them. They may not have a good reason so they begin to grasp for something to substantiate the "cook is bad" scenario.

The other HG may never have wanted to cook at all, but it's easy when they are past the half-way mark to claim they've been kept away from the duty. Human nature.

Kmjm

Saturday, August 16, 2003 - 09:31 am EditMoveDeleteIP
I haven't seen Jun kick anyone else out of the kitchen, but BB2 Nicole, now there was a control freak. I used to watch her prepare pasta and break it all into small pieces so that you couldn't eat it properly by twirling it on your fork against your spoon. And she was supposed to be a professional chef? I would be so hopeless as a BB houseguest- I probably would have had a big fight with her about it!

Trinity63

Saturday, August 16, 2003 - 09:35 am EditMoveDeleteIP
This is a great thread! I think some are just naturally made to cook, while others aren't. Who were the cooks in the other BB's? I am drawing a blank. I know in other shows like Survivor they have appreciate their cooks -- and Keith was one cook they hated, even though he was a chef.

If I were going head-to-head with Jun right now, I'd be for sure cooking my rear end off, and making sure my meals were the best. It's just how I am. And knowing myself, if my cooking didn't win them over, I'd have been voted out right away. I am just that kind of a person, you either love me or hate me. There is no in-between:)

But to answer your question -- ya you are right, it is a two way street. and it beats the hell out of PBNJ.

I really think they need to re-think the PBNJ thing. I am not so sure that's the healthiest thing to eat.

Onlyhuman

Saturday, August 16, 2003 - 09:37 am EditMoveDeleteIP
Miz, I like your thoughts on this topic.

One thing that is interesting is that there wasn't a dominant cook in BB3. I remember lots of people making different meals. Danielle did a lot of cooking, but Josh was an excellent cook and prepared several meals, Amy cooked a couple of her favorite dishes as did Marcellas and Jerry (which is another topic...)

One of the reasons I think there was no dominant cook in BB3 is as a reaction to Nicole's dominance in BB2 If anyone had tried to domante that much, there would have been a whole "she's trying to be Nicole" vibe and no one wanted to get labeled like that.

Puzzled

Saturday, August 16, 2003 - 09:42 am EditMoveDeleteIP
I think being the cook in a houseful of young 20-somethings also sends a subliminal message of control. Mama decides what everyone will eat, and Mama's in charge.

Now people may love their Mama's, but they don't love the control, and if they don't love their Mama, they ain't gonna love BB Mama, either.

Even if you're older, wouldn't you get tired of eating what the cook decided would be on the menu, day after day (unless he/she was a master chef). What if you've got a craving for a stew and the cook never makes it? Yet you're stuck in the position of being "ungrateful" if you complain.

In an environment like this, the meals are the high spot of the day, so there's going to be a lot of emotion going around about the cooking--conscious or subconscious.

Trinity63

Saturday, August 16, 2003 - 09:45 am EditMoveDeleteIP
Jerry was the chap that didn't wash his hands after going potty right? Yuck.

And yes! Puzzled -- you are right, Mama does decide what everyone will eat.

Makes me wonder if Jun ever asks everyone what they want for dinner, or if she just starts cooking.

Bonzacat

Saturday, August 16, 2003 - 09:49 am EditMoveDeleteIP
Trinity -- I saw it discussed in a thread yesterday that Jun just tells everyone what she is cooking. She doesn't ask, she has a menu plan and starts cooking.

Churah

Saturday, August 16, 2003 - 09:50 am EditMoveDeleteIP
It's the same thing with Survivor. Someone always takes on the job of being the cook. I would like eating someone else's cooking for a change, instead of my own. :)

Needmylifeback

Saturday, August 16, 2003 - 09:53 am EditMoveDeleteIP
She also goes to see what is in the storage room...If there is only chicken she'll be cooking something with chicken in it....This week with them getting (or in the case of today...Not getting) their groceries on a daily basis ...even she doesn't have too much control over what she cooks...just how she does it...Would she be doing it all if she had to bake her own bread...grow her own vegetables like in BB1? How would she cope with the chickens?

Mizinvanccouver

Saturday, August 16, 2003 - 10:01 am EditMoveDeleteIP
Wow!! Thanks everyone for your contributions! I thought maybe nobody was interested in this topic like I am.

I liked Puzzled theory about "Mom's = Control", think that really could be something there.

And yes, Nicole was control freak!! Not just in the kitchen! lol No wonder she had to have those Xanex pills. (Or was it something else? Can't remember.)

As for people complaining about the food that's cooked, they shouldn't complain. I was taught if I didn't like something someone prepared for me that I politely just not finish and make an excuse about being full or something.

If they don't like Jun's style of cooking they should volunteer to cook for themselves or the group.

I do agree that they associate the food as the highlight of the day and it's 'control' measure.

Demeter

Saturday, August 16, 2003 - 10:02 am EditMoveDeleteIP
The main cook in BB1 was Karen, BB2, Nicole, BB3...more evenly shared, although Danielle did the bulk of the cooking, BB4 Jun.

Jun has not wanted anyone else cooking. Dana was also a cook and when they had food competitions, they made sure those two were split up so they would still have a cook no matter who was on PB&J.

However, Dana did not have much opportunity to cook as Jun would take over. I often hear others asking to help prepare the meals and Jun tells them no, she has it under control. Occasionally she will "let" someone cut veggies. She takes on the cooking, but also complains. For instance, she has complained frequently about Erika not eating red meat.

If it were me, hey, I'd let someone else cook if they wanted to cook, so I wouldn't mind Jun cooking. However, if I wanted something different I also wouldn't hesitate to fix up my own meal, even if not in Jun's plans.

Demsome

Saturday, August 16, 2003 - 10:13 am EditMoveDeleteIP
I agree with the power cook thing you have a good point. I am curious about something though. Is there a cookbook anywhere in the house available to them? Or are they just suppose to know how to cook everything without a recipe? If they don't have any cookbooks that could be another reason Jun cooks all the meals. Somethings are harder to make without a recipe to follow. Especially baked items. She might just have more experience with cooking without a recipe.

Foliage

Saturday, August 16, 2003 - 10:14 am EditMoveDeleteIP
I agree with Demeter. Jun has maintained control over the kitchen and complains (a little) about the odd balls (no red meat, no rice).

I think I would naturally gravitate to help (if not take over)in the kitchen out of boredom and willingness to help. I would be offended if shut out by the likes of Jun. I'm sure most folks with dietary restrictions/preferences are used to fending for themselves.

Puzzled

Saturday, August 16, 2003 - 10:15 am EditMoveDeleteIP
LOL--and look what happened to Dana, although I doubt it had anything to do with being one of the cooks!

Mizinvanccouver

Saturday, August 16, 2003 - 10:16 am EditMoveDeleteIP
No, as far as I know there is no cookbook in the house.

If there was a cook book I'm sure the HG's would be reading for entertainment since there are no books in the house except Nat's bible.

Cricket

Saturday, August 16, 2003 - 12:16 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
"If they don't like Jun's style of cooking they should volunteer to cook for themselves or the group."

Miz, both Dana and Erika have offered to cook and Jun has kicked them out of "her" kitchen. I don't understand why they have let her do this for so long. BB should ask for volunteers in the DR and then assign the daily cooking so everyone will get a chance to cook what they like.

I thought Justin was going to cook dinner the other night, but that never came to pass.

I can't remember who the cooks were for BB1 and 2.

Mizinvanccouver

Saturday, August 16, 2003 - 12:42 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Cricket--Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhh I didn't know Jun was kicking people out of the kitchen!!

I would tell her I want a turn to cook my OWN food please and that she doesn't own the place!

That's a totally different spin...I wasn't aware of this!

Scorpiomoon

Saturday, August 16, 2003 - 03:08 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
No offense to anyone and their theories, but I think you guys are overanalyzing this.

If you were to look closely at the facts, you'd see there really no "cooks" pattern within BB. As someone pointed out, BB3 didn't even have a dominant cook. (And I don't think it was because they consciously decided not to repeat Nicole's actions. Most of them hadn't even watched BB at all. They couldn't have known about Nicole's behavior.)

During BB1 and BB2, I believe the reason why Nicole and Karen took up cooking duties was because they missed their home and their families. Cooking was probably the only thing they could do in the house that gave them a sense of comfort--something that gave them a connection to their "normal" life. I don't think Nicole or Karen purposely put themselves in the role of cook to gain an advantage.

Jun has done this though. But I also think Jun is bored and Jun wants to/needs to be surrounded by food all the time. IMO if doing something like, say, cleaning the bathroom would suddenly give her an advantage in the game, I think, she would still stay in her comfort zone--in the kitchen.

Mizinvanccouver

Saturday, August 16, 2003 - 03:25 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Scorpiomoon--Aren't we over analyzing everything in BB4 threads? Isn't that sort of the point? It's why I come here. lol

I do agree with everything in your last paragraph and no I seriously doubt she would be cleaning the bathroom daily to get brownie points from the others.

Cricket

Saturday, August 16, 2003 - 03:45 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
LOL, Miz, I agree with you. We are overanalyzing everything. Otherwise we'd go out of our freakin' minds from boredom with this season. :)

I'd LOVE to see someone challenge Jun to kitchen rights. If BB were smart, they'd encourage that in the DR. It would be something to see.

Scorpiomoon, I agree that Jun needs to be around food. That is her comfort zone. That's why I'd like to see a rotation done to see how she would play the game away from her 'comfort zone.' With her in the kitchen most of the time, I'm not really seeing her interact with everyone as much; only late at night.

Mizinvanccouver

Saturday, August 16, 2003 - 06:17 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
What a great idea Cricket....would be interesting to see them bicker more over household stuff. This group doesn't argue much, strategize yes, but argue no. lol