Can some people just not cook?

[Red Revolver]

I totally believe someone when they say they can't cook. You know the saying "Takes one to know one?"

Here I am. I burned soup once. Come at me.

 

[Shiri]

I've burnt an omelet, burnt a cappuccino, failed at rolling a crepe, smashed an egg shell against the counter so hard that the yolk and white splattered everywhere, had a panic attack over making sauce...cooking and I don't always see eye to eye. The only thing I'm reasonably confidant in is boiling noodles. How sad is that?

 

[Imbroglio]

I cast 'yes' some people just can't cook.
And I say this as someone who cooks and bakes pretty well.

Now that being said, I don't think someone cannot cook in the sense that it's impossible.
But rather some people just aren't terribly good at it. Some people don't have a very refined palate or are very picky and in being picky limit what foods they're willing to cook with. Even more people are just lazy about it.

Example: Sibling will not use basil because basil is green. And he 'doesn't like green stuff.'

I think it'd be difficult to be good at cooking if you were out there denying ingredients based on color or even flavor profiles. Can't even begin to list the number of people I know who avoid anything even a tiny bit bitter. Or earthy. Or just different than what they usually eat just because it's unfamiliar.
And some of those people have a tendency to cook really bland food with really bland flavors.

Now all that said, the long-term-cohabitation-human (see: boyfriend) proclaims he cannot cook.
He can cook. Not great stuff or anything.
But he can follow directions. Totally managed a lemon cake with mulberries based on my scribbled directions once. And if he took the time to understand the chemistry behind cooking he could probably be decent at it. But he enjoys eating it not making it. And I think for a lot of people that's what keeps them from really being decent. There's a lot to learn and it's just waaaaay too much if you don't actually like to do it.

LONG WINDED.