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Once Again, It’s Home Cooking for the Win

Our epic trip just reinforced my longtime preference for food cooked in the home—mine or someone else’s.

Published June 12, 2024

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A paella made by Mark. Photo: Kate Bittman

I probably began to say that home cooking is generally better than restaurant cooking shortly after I began reviewing restaurants, back in 1980. I haven’t changed my mind since then. 

My basic contention is that, given rough equivalents, a decent and practiced home cook will produce a better eating experience than most restaurants. I include in this evaluation quality of ingredients (usually far better at home, or at least you know what they are); relative value; quality of experience (I know we think of eating in restaurants as enjoyable, but in my experience, at least, they’re frequently annoying); and even flavor. Of course, I’m assuming a level of competence on the part of the home cook. 

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