The mother figure cook and other social types in Greek popular TV talk shows : is the former gradually superseded by the latter?

Abstract

The main objective of this research paper is to identify the role of both genders when they are "doing" cooking, especially the differences between them. In order to discover these patterns, a qualitative research method was used. The results of the research show that the role of the female, when it comes to culinary activities, has mostly to do with the mother-figure and how she can take care of her family members by cooking traditional foods. This is more obvious when the female is the guest of the TV talk show. In other words, when the female is the host of the TV talk show, she is both a busy career woman and a traditional housewife. On the other hand, the main role of the male in this kind of TV shows is the classical Greek man. Not only is he not willing to help with the culinary activities, in cases when he does, he does it because he is forced to do it so by his partner. Nevertheless, when the male is the cook in the TV show, he represents an innovative cook who uses the traditional foods and always likes to add his personal detail to each meal.