--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I've been cooking for a nine-year-old and…" description: "\"I've been cooking for a nine-year-old and her friends for the better part of seven or eight years. It's how I cook today, it's what makes me happy. I t..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/00b/anthony-bourdain-649_absence_i-ve-been-cooking-for-a-nine-year-old-an_455838.jpg" --- # I've been cooking for a nine-year-old and her friends for… ![“I've been cooking for a nine-year-old and her friends for the better part of seven or eight years. It's how I cook today, it's what makes me happy. I tend to overcompensate for my long absences when I'm home by cooking and it's therapeutic to me - it's how I express love for my daughter. It felt…” quote by Anthony Bourdain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/00b/anthony-bourdain-649_absence_i-ve-been-cooking-for-a-nine-year-old-an_455838.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/00b/anthony-bourdain-649_absence_i-ve-been-cooking-for-a-nine-year-old-an_455838.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/00b/anthony-bourdain-649_absence_i-ve-been-cooking-for-a-nine-year-old-an_455838.jpg) > “I've been cooking for a nine-year-old and her friends for the better part of seven or eight years. It's how I cook today, it's what makes me happy. I tend to overcompensate for my long absences when I'm home by cooking and it's therapeutic to me - it's how I express love for my daughter. It felt good to do.” [Anthony Bourdain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-bourdain/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Cooking serves as a therapeutic outlet, expressing love and coping with absence. **In simple terms:** Cooking heals and shows love. Key Takeaway Use cooking to connect and heal. Themes food therapy family love Mood comforting reflective Type inspirational personal When to use this quote - family meals - holiday cooking - solo cooking - stress relief Key Concepts culinary arts emotional expression Questions to Reflect On - How does cooking help you process emotions? - What dishes best convey love? A Different Perspective Time constraints can limit therapeutic cooking. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Absence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/absence/) [Cooking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cooking/) [Daughter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/daughter/) [Express Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/express-love/) [Food](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/food/) [Home](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/home/) [Home cooking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/home-cooking/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Therapeutic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/therapeutic/) [Today](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/today/) ## Related quotes > [It is certainly true that cooking is therapeutic, creative and all those other faintly creepy self-helpish words. I would love to tell you that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-almond/it-is-certainly-true-that-cooking-is-therapeutic-creative-and-all/) [Steve Almond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-almond/) > [I'd say, for me, it's cooking that gives me a space beyond music. I love food. And somehow, music and food go together so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shreya-ghoshal/i-d-say-for-me-it-s-cooking-that-gives-me-a-space-beyond-music-i-love/) [Shreya Ghoshal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shreya-ghoshal/) > [I find cooking very therapeutic. As a creative person, I relish cooking because it's such a creative process. You can cook anything out of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shilpa-shetty/i-find-cooking-very-therapeutic-as-a-creative-person-i-relish-cooking/) [Shilpa Shetty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shilpa-shetty/) > [“As it happens, cooking is very therapeutic. I’ve got something to do with my hands, and I don’t have to look anyone in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarina-bowen/as-it-happens-cooking-is-very-therapeutic-i-ve-got-something-to-do/) [Sarina Bowen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarina-bowen/) > [When I came back from Pakistan, I wanted to take computer classes nearby. I asked my brother. I was in my home, cooking for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malina-suliman/when-i-came-back-from-pakistan-i-wanted-to-take-computer-classes/) [Malina Suliman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malina-suliman/) > [In London there was no home cooking worthy of the name. When you were in funds you ate out. But only the people whose…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-james/in-london-there-was-no-home-cooking-worthy-of-the-name-when-you-were/) [Clive James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-james/) > [“I love food, I love everything about food – the growing, the purchasing, the cooking, the eating, the nourishment, the connection, the celebration. To…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alyce-alexandra/i-love-food-i-love-everything-about-food-the-growing-the-purchasing/) Alyce Alexandra > [There's just so much love that goes into home cooking, and I think it will really help the American family overall. I'm hoping to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ming-na-wen/there-s-just-so-much-love-that-goes-into-home-cooking-and-i-think-it/) [Ming-Na Wen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ming-na-wen/) > [“What I say is that, if a man really likes potatoes, he must be a pretty decent sort of fellow.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/what-i-say-is-that-if-a-man-really-likes-potatoes-he-must-be-a-pretty/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > ["Grandmother" doesn't mean that you have gray hair and you retire and stay home cooking cakes for your grandchildren.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carine-roitfeld/grandmother-doesn-t-mean-that-you-have-gray-hair-and-you-retire-and/) [Carine Roitfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carine-roitfeld/) > [British cookbook author Elizabeth David led the most adventurous life but is widely credited with bringing to the fore the importance of home cooking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-leong/british-cookbook-author-elizabeth-david-led-the-most-adventurous-life/) [Melissa Leong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-leong/) > [I need my fill of Indian home cooking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/waris-ahluwalia/i-need-my-fill-of-indian-home-cooking/) [Waris Ahluwalia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/waris-ahluwalia/) > [I love cooking. There is nothing I like better than going home and cooking my family a nice meal. Anything with pasta! Pasta with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eden-hazard/i-love-cooking-there-is-nothing-i-like-better-than-going-home-and/) [Eden Hazard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eden-hazard/) > [There are so many food shows, really beautiful ones, that exist to elevate professional cooking and professional chefs. But there aren't that many that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samin-nosrat/there-are-so-many-food-shows-really-beautiful-ones-that-exist-to/) [Samin Nosrat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samin-nosrat/) > [Cookery is not chemistry. It is an art. It requires instinct and taste rather than exact measurements.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcel-boulestin/cookery-is-not-chemistry-it-is-an-art-it-requires-instinct-and-taste/) [Marcel Boulestin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcel-boulestin/) ## More by Anthony Bourdain > [Everything important I learned, I learned as a dishwasher.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-bourdain/everything-important-i-learned-i-learned-as-a-dishwasher/) [Anthony Bourdain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-bourdain/) > [ \[When I die\], I will decidedly not be regretting missed opportunities for a good time. My regrets will be more along the lines of… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-bourdain/when-i-die-i-will-decidedly-not-be-regretting-missed-opportunities/) [Anthony Bourdain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-bourdain/) > [I'm at my most productive before I even have my first cup of coffee. I only get slower and stupider as the day progresses.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-bourdain/i-m-at-my-most-productive-before-i-even-have-my-first-cup-of-coffee-i/) [Anthony Bourdain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-bourdain/) > [The Italians seem to have a better attitude with kids and the food is great!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-bourdain/the-italians-seem-to-have-a-better-attitude-with-kids-and-the-food-is/) [Anthony Bourdain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-bourdain/) > [Just because I like sushi, doesn't mean I can make sushi. I've come to well understand how many years just to get sushi rice…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-bourdain/just-because-i-like-sushi-doesn-t-mean-i-can-make-sushi-i-ve-come-to/) [Anthony Bourdain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-bourdain/) > [At the end of the day, the TV show is the best job in the world. I get to go anywhere I want, eat…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-bourdain/at-the-end-of-the-day-the-tv-show-is-the-best-job-in-the-world-i-get/) [Anthony Bourdain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-bourdain/) > [I've sat in sushi bars, really fine ones, and I know how hard this guy worked, how proud he is. I know you don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-bourdain/i-ve-sat-in-sushi-bars-really-fine-ones-and-i-know-how-hard-this-guy/) [Anthony Bourdain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-bourdain/) > [“What’s the most frightening thing to a child? The pain of being the outsider, of looking ridiculous to others, of being teased or picked…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-bourdain/what-s-the-most-frightening-thing-to-a-child-the-pain-of-being-the/) [Anthony Bourdain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-bourdain/) > [“I saw how three or four ingredients, as long as they are of the highest and freshest quality, can be combined in a straightforward…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-bourdain/i-saw-how-three-or-four-ingredients-as-long-as-they-are-of-the/) [Anthony Bourdain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-bourdain/) > [My mom had Julia Child and 'The Fannie Farmer Cookbook' on top of the refrigerator, and she had a small repertoire of French dishes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-bourdain/my-mom-had-julia-child-and-the-fannie-farmer-cookbook-on-top-of-the/) [Anthony Bourdain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-bourdain/) > [If you go to working class, and working poor areas of America, the food sources that are relegated to them are generally limited to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-bourdain/if-you-go-to-working-class-and-working-poor-areas-of-america-the-food/) [Anthony Bourdain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-bourdain/) > [You realize after you travel enough that there's some things that, no matter how good you are at making television, no matter how good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-bourdain/you-realize-after-you-travel-enough-that-there-s-some-things-that-no/) [Anthony Bourdain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-bourdain/) > [“Imagine… There’s a roast goose in Hong Kong—Mongkok, near the outskirts of the city, the place looks like any other. But you sink your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-bourdain/imagine-there-s-a-roast-goose-in-hong-kong-mongkok-near-the-outskirts/) [Anthony Bourdain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-bourdain/) > [If I'm an advocate for anything, it's to move. As far as you can, as much as you can. Across the ocean, or simply…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-bourdain/if-i-m-an-advocate-for-anything-it-s-to-move-as-far-as-you-can-as/) [Anthony Bourdain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-bourdain/) > [“The essence of cool, after all, is not giving a fuck. And let’s face it: I most definitely give a fuck now. I give…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-bourdain/the-essence-of-cool-after-all-is-not-giving-a-fuck-and-let-s-face-it/) [Anthony Bourdain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-bourdain/) [Explore all 428 Anthony Bourdain quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-bourdain/) ## More Absence quotes > [Distance sometimes endears friendship, and absence sweeteneth it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-howell/distance-sometimes-endears-friendship-and-absence-sweeteneth-it/) [James Howell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-howell/) > [The work, the work, the work. This is what the business is all about. This is the fun, the glory, the pleasure. It's the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-dusenberry/the-work-the-work-the-work-this-is-what-the-business-is-all-about/) [Phil Dusenberry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-dusenberry/) > [Total depravity means the entire absence of holiness, not the highest intensity of sin. A totally depraved man is not as bad as he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-greenough-thayer-shedd/total-depravity-means-the-entire-absence-of-holiness-not-the-highest/) [William Greenough Thayer Shedd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-greenough-thayer-shedd/) > [Local and state governments have outrun the federal government. The EPA has served notice that it will enact a rule requiring CO2 reductions by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-gore/local-and-state-governments-have-outrun-the-federal-government-the/) [Al Gore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-gore/) > [There, in the center of that silence was not eternity but the death of time and a loneliness so profound the word itself had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/there-in-the-center-of-that-silence-was-not-eternity-but-the-death-of/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [Of all the bewildering things about a new country, the absence of human landmarks is one of the most depressing and disheartening.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willa-cather/of-all-the-bewildering-things-about-a-new-country-the-absence-of/) [Willa Cather](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willa-cather/) > [Young men have strong passions and tend to gratify them indiscriminately. Of the bodily desires, it is the sexual by which they are most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aristotle/young-men-have-strong-passions-and-tend-to-gratify-them/) [Aristotle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aristotle/) > [It is suggested that in domestic violence at least the presence or absence of a firearm, or of any other type of weapon, is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-greenwood/it-is-suggested-that-in-domestic-violence-at-least-the-presence-or/) [Colin Greenwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-greenwood/) > [The absence of God in most spheres of life is perceived to be normal, and even Christians feel it as normal - which is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-piper/the-absence-of-god-in-most-spheres-of-life-is-perceived-to-be-normal/) [John Piper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-piper/) > [Every person needs to take one day away. A day in which one consciously separates the past from the future. Jobs, family, employers, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/every-person-needs-to-take-one-day-away-a-day-in-which-one/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [“I was thinking how most people don't make you feel much of anything at all. Don't make you feel like time spent with them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-lotter/i-was-thinking-how-most-people-don-t-make-you-feel-much-of-anything/) [Jane Lotter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-lotter/) > [Cooperation isn't the absence of conflict but a means of managing conflict.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-tannen/cooperation-isn-t-the-absence-of-conflict-but-a-means-of-managing/) [Deborah Tannen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-tannen/) > [Many are observing Ferguson and witnessing the anger, demonstrations, looting and vandalism and calling for quiet. But quiet isn't enough. The absence of noise…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-jackson/many-are-observing-ferguson-and-witnessing-the-anger-demonstrations/) [Jesse Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-jackson/) > [Will capitalist economies operate at full employment in the absence of routine intervention? Certainly not. Are deviations from full employment a social problem? Obviously.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-yellen/will-capitalist-economies-operate-at-full-employment-in-the-absence/) [Janet Yellen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-yellen/) > [We must begin by acknowledging that there is a complete absence of two things in Indian Society. One of these is equality. On the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-r-ambedkar/we-must-begin-by-acknowledging-that-there-is-a-complete-absence-of/) [B. R. Ambedkar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-r-ambedkar/) [Browse all 2,057 Absence quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/absence/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I've been cooking for a nine-year-old and her friends for the better part of seven or eight years. It's how I cook today, it's what makes me happy. I tend to overcompensate for my long absences when I'm home by cooking and it's therapeutic to me - it's how I express love for my daughter. It felt good to do.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Anthony Bourdain" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-bourdain/i-ve-been-cooking-for-a-nine-year-old-and-her-friends-for-the-better/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Absence" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-bourdain/i-ve-been-cooking-for-a-nine-year-old-and-her-friends-for-the-better/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/00b/anthony-bourdain-649_absence_i-ve-been-cooking-for-a-nine-year-old-an_455838.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/00b/anthony-bourdain-649_absence_i-ve-been-cooking-for-a-nine-year-old-an_455838.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/00b/anthony-bourdain-649_absence_i-ve-been-cooking-for-a-nine-year-old-an_455838.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I've been cooking for a nine-year-old and her friends for the better part of seven or eight years. It's how…” — Anthony Bourdain", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Anthony Bourdain", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-bourdain/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I've been cooking for a nine-year-old...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-bourdain/i-ve-been-cooking-for-a-nine-year-old-and-her-friends-for-the-better/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-bourdain/i-ve-been-cooking-for-a-nine-year-old-and-her-friends-for-the-better/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```