Fact check: Historically speaking, all cooks (including professionals and amateurs) were men

1. Summary of the results

The original statement is demonstrably incorrect based on multiple historical records. There is clear evidence of prominent female cooks throughout history, including Amelia Simmons, who authored the first American cookbook in 1796, and influential figures like Julia Child, Helena Rizzo, Eugénie Brazier, and Dominique Crenn ^[1]. Contemporary culinary landscape continues to feature prominent female chefs such as Alice Waters, Katie Reicher, Stephanie Izard, Tamearra Dyson, and Nite Yun ^[2].

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

The original statement overlooks several crucial historical and social contexts:

• Gender Roles in Cooking: There has historically been a distinct division between domestic and professional cooking. Women were traditionally associated with domestic cooking, while men were more commonly found in professional kitchens ^[3].
• Prehistoric Context: Early human societies likely saw both genders participating in food preparation as a basic survival skill ^[4], though specific gender roles in early human cooking are not definitively documented in the available sources.
• Professional Evolution: The culinary world has seen women not just as participants but as innovators, restaurant owners, and mentors ^[2], demonstrating their significant impact on both domestic and professional cooking spheres.

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

The statement appears to suffer from several biases:

• Historical Erasure: The statement completely erases the documented contributions of numerous female cooks and chefs throughout history ^[1], suggesting either a lack of research or deliberate misrepresentation.
• Professional vs. Domestic Bias: The statement fails to acknowledge the historical distinction between professional and domestic cooking, which has significant gender-related implications ^[3].
• Benefit Analysis: This type of historical revisionism could benefit those seeking to maintain male dominance in professional kitchens or diminish women's historical contributions to culinary arts. The statement's oversimplification serves to reinforce gender stereotypes that have historically limited women's professional opportunities in the culinary field.