Hiring a cook is supposed to make everyday life easier, but spending thousands of rupees every month does not always guarantee food that matches your taste. A Bengaluru woman has sparked a discussion on X after sharing why she continues to pay her cook despite finding the food average. Her reason offers a different perspective on what people value when they hire domestic help.
Bengaluru woman shares cook’s monthly charges
According to the woman, hiring a cook for two people in Bengaluru costs around Rs 7,000 to Rs 8,000 a month. The cook visits twice daily, prepares two dishes and then moves on to another household. Sundays are usually off.She also described how quickly meals are prepared, with vegetables chopped and dishes cooked within a short time. Pressure cookers, she observed, are used for a range of foods, including dal, potatoes, soya and chicken.Sharing her experience, she wrote: “Bengaluru cook economics are crazy actually. For 2 people, around ₹7–8k/month, 2 visits a day, Sunday off. They come in, chop vegetables, make 2 dishes quickly and move on to the next house. Pressure cooker is basically their Astra, dal, aloo, soya, chicken… everything somehow ends up in it!”
Why the food can be average
The woman said getting the taste right often requires clear instructions about how the household prefers its meals. Without regular feedback, the food may not turn out as expected. She also pointed out that extra oil and masala can become a shortcut to adding flavour.Explaining why she still finds the arrangement worthwhile, she wrote: “Taste is usually average unless you keep explaining how you want it. Otherwise more oil + more masala seems to be the shortcut. And yet we continue. Because I realised we’re not really paying ₹8k for amazing food. We’re paying ₹8k to not have to think about cooking twice every single day.”
X users react to the post
The post received responses from users who shared their views on the cost of hiring a cook.One user wrote: “It’s not easy for sure and surely comes at a cost that sometimes we just have to manage with.”Another said: “People pay for the freedom from daily kitchen decisions.”A third user agreed that the food may not always be very tasty but said home-cooked meals can still be a healthier choice than ordering food through delivery apps.The discussion highlights the different expectations people have when hiring domestic help. For this Bengaluru woman, the benefit lies in having one less daily responsibility to manage, even when the food does not always meet her expectations.Disclaimer: The views expressed in the post are those of the individual user and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Times of India.Thumb image: Canva (for representative purposes only)