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I’m Never Going To Recover From This: 73 Hilariously Bad Kitchen Fails
Lots of people say that they can’t cook. But what does that really mean? Surely, they can read a recipe and follow directions! Perhaps they just don’t enjoy cooking, and they’d rather order takeout. Or maybe, they nearly burned their house down after melting a kettle, and now they’re keeping their distance from the kitchen.
If you’re wondering just how bad kitchen mishaps can be, pandas, you’ve come to the right place. Bored Panda has compiled a list of the absolute worst fails and faux pas that have taken place in personal kitchens and restaurants around the world. Some were honest mistakes, and others were purely bad luck. But we hope you’re entertained by them, and be sure to upvote the photos that you find most shocking! Click here & follow us for more lists, facts, and stories.
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Cooking is a skill that almost nobody is naturally born with. It takes time, practice, and ideally, a great teacher to show you the ropes. Even if you started learning from your parents at 3 years old, you still picked up those skills from somewhere. And unfortunately, some people make it well into adulthood without knowing their way around a kitchen.
According to a YouGov survey, the majority of Britons consider themselves to be fairly good or very good cooks. But only 28% are “very confident” that they could cook a meal from scratch using only fresh ingredients without a recipe or instructions. And a measly 25% say that they actually do that often.
#5
My Kitchen Is Now 100% Lickable. Thanks, Sweet And Condensed Milk Grenade
I now own the world's only official lickable kitchen. Send help and spoons, as the caramel is still delicious.
When it comes to how many meals Britons feel prepared to make a meal from scratch without having a recipe on hand, 35% say they could make between one and five different dishes. Nearly a quarter say that they could make between six and ten different meals on the fly, and about one-fifth say they could make more than 11 meals.
Unsurprisingly, young Britons are less confident in the kitchen than their elders, and one in ten Britons wouldn’t be able to cook a single meal from scratch without the help of a recipe.
#9
Just Normal Milk Shattered A Glass Perfectly In Two And Exploded The Milk Across The Kitchen. The Glass Wasn't Moved After
The UK certainly isn’t the only country where people feel uneasy in the kitchen. Linz Shop’s 2024 Clueless Cooks Report found that 54% of Americans don’t consider themselves to be proficient in the kitchen. Nearly one-fifth describe themselves as “beginner” cooks, and one-third have received negative feedback about their cooking skills. This can even cause issues within marriages, as 31% of people said their spouse can’t cook. (But this is something that 57% have decided to keep a secret. Probably a smart move.)
Unfortunately, many Americans aren’t motivated to improve their cooking skills, as 35% say they won’t ever try to become a better cook. And as far as where the most clueless cooks in America live, Cleveland, Ohio, takes the cake, apparently. Other cities in the top ten include: Pittsburgh; Seattle; Madison, Wisconsin; Lubbock; Portland, Oregon; Austin; Minneapolis; Atlanta; and Nashville.
Now, you might be wondering what it is exactly that’s stopping these Americans from improving their cooking skills. The Clueless Cooks Report found that lack of time is the most common excuse cited. Americans also said that lack of motivation, lack of skills/experience, limited kitchen resources, and lack of confidence hold them back in the kitchen. And as far as what influences how Americans cook, having parents who were good cooks and watching cooking videos online seem to make the most impact.
#17
First Time Trying To Fry Buffalo Wings. I Think It Went Pretty Well
Valuable lesson: do not leave your heated oil unattended for any reason.
#18
Was Away From My Apartment For One Night And I Came Home To This. Yes It Was Sewage. Yes It Filled The Entire Kitchen With Sediment
More than a quarter of Americans admit that they’re intimidated by the idea of cooking a meal from scratch. And over three-quarters say that dinner is the scariest meal to have to prepare. As for what intimidates them the most, Americans say time constraints, cleanup, complexity of recipes, lack of experience, and fear of failure worry them the most.
#20
Sink Drain Exploded The Exact Day After I Got The Apartment Professionally Cleaned. Oh Well
The guy 2 floors above me had some maintenance done. Hoping the landlord figures it out. I’m moving out soon anyway.
Past negative experiences might also be scaring Americans out of the kitchen. 75% say that they’ve failed miserably at cooking a meal before, so they might not feel confident getting back in there. The most common mistakes these chefs have made are burning a meal, undercooking a meal, forgetting a key ingredient, misreading the recipe or adding the wrong ingredient, breaking or shattering dishes or cookware, and using expired or spoiled ingredients.
#22
Our Dog Turned On The Stove Burner While I Was At The Gym And Melted The Spatula Into The Pan
#24
I Accidentally Burned Down My Parent's Outdoor Kitchen By Placing A Still Burning Fire Log On Top Of The Rest Of The Firewood
Are these photos making you terrified to try out a new recipe for dinner tonight, pandas? Keep upvoting the photos that you’re extremely glad didn’t happen in your kitchen, and let us know what the worst cooking disaster you’ve ever experienced was. Then, if you’re interested in checking out another article from Bored Panda featuring absolute nightmares in the kitchen, look no further than right here!
#25
Left The Kettle On The Stove
Got a set from Goodwill, mostly for decor cuz they’re cute, but I’ve used them both multiple times, and they work just fine. But don’t really whistle. And usually I’m in the kitchen while I’m making tea, but this time I wasn’t and forgot about it. Came back in a few hours later to this. Wondering if the stove is salvageable and how I’m supposed to clean this up.
#26
Woke Up At 5 Am To Make Eggs And Knocked Over A Bottle Of Soy Sauce
I accidentally knocked over a bottle of soy sauce while making breakfast, causing it to splatter across the floor and wall.
The worst part, the bottle was still pretty full. Best part, the floors are cleaner!!
#28
We Were Standing In Our Kitchen, And The Cabinet Door Flew Open, And Every Single Plate On The Middle Shelf Fell Out And Broke And Dented The Floor
#34
I'm Pretty Sure I Saw My Coworkers Soul Leave His Body This Morning
What actually happened is someone left a plastic scooper in a bag of confectioners' sugar. He was doing a double batch, so he dumped 100 lbs worth into the mixer and didn't see the scooper. When he turned it on, the scooper got stuck in the whisk a few minutes in, and I don't understand the physics of what happened after that, but here we are.
#36
This Happened
I froze a salmon chowder in a pot for quick reheating, then while it was reheating, the bottom part boiled before the top thawed, so pressure built up in the pot until it ejected a 10 lb plug of frozen soup upwards with enough momentum to destroy our range hood, and then carry the soupcicle all the way across the kitchen.
Thankfully, nobody was hurt, but I got to spend the rest of the day scrubbing salmon out of every nook and cranny in the kitchen. And thankfully, I get to learn from this mistake, when I could have easily been seriously injured.
#42
While I Am Known As The Worst Cook... I Am Officially Banned From My Kitchen
While I have had many kitchen disasters, this one left me speechless. My friends say I could make Chef Ramsay speechless with my cooking.
#45
The Handle On One Of Our Basically New Kitchen Knives Melted In The Dishwasher And Fused To The Heating Element At The Bottom
I say basically new because we've had them for maybe a month. Had to run the dishwasher again to get it unstuck. It's a bad apartment with a provided dishwasher that doesn't do its job well. There's still melted plastic on the heating element, and the plastic fumes are strong.
I was never taught that you're not supposed to put knives in the dishwasher. Going forward, I will wash them by hand.
#46
Both Juicers Broke On The First Try And Were Loaned
There are plastics that are more resistant than that metal.
#49
As I Do Every Morning Upon Waking, Stumbled To The Kitchen And Blindly Pressed Start On The Coffee Maker
#54
Apparently, My Scissors Couldn't Handle A Kool-Aid
The twist top wouldn't twist. Spent a minute messing with it.
#55
My Mom Was Just Finishing Cleaning The Kitchen And Then Spilled A Bag Of Chia Seeds On The Ground
#57
When Your Husband Forgets To Set A Timer For Hard Boiled Eggs
I heard a pop. I go into the kitchen to see this.
#62
Okay, So I Messed Up
We have a buffet-style service and normally leave the rice cooker out in the galley when we prep a new pot of rice. Someone brings the entire thing into the kitchen while someone else goes to clean the pot. I mistakenly threw the rice and water into the cooker without the pot…
#65
Super Thankful For Smoke Detectors Tonight. My Best Guess Is That The Instant Pot Was Bumped And Somehow Turned The Front Burner On
#66
My Great Friend Put Soup In A Crock Pot And It Wasn’t Heating Up Fast Enough, So She Put The Crock Pot On My Stove Top To Heat It Up Faster. Big Mistake
#69
“Microwave And Oven Safe” But Not Safe To Make Soup Or Boil Water. I Cleaned The Water Up But Now The Stove Won’t Turn On
#70
My Wife Decided To Wash Our New Cutting Board
By putting it in the dishwasher. She's done this with other things not safe for dishwashers. I think I should be doing dishes full-time now.
#71
When You Come Home Late From Work And Husband Announces He Might Have Had A Little Accident Making Dinner
He turned the hob on to heat up some rice in a saucepan and had the plate ready (he placed it next to the hob plate he THOUGHT he turned on). Turns out he turned the front hob on, not the back one, and then the phone rang, and he forgot all about it...
You might also like: 45 Pics Proving That Some People Shouldn’t Be Legally Allowed To Cook
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