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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!
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#1
Slight Kitchen Mishap
RELATED:
#2
I Guess It's Time For A New Pepper Grinder
#3
I'm Never Going To Recover Financially From This
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.
#4
We Doing Spills?
22 quarts of cranberry puree, and they still haven't fixed the grip on the stairs.
#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.
#6
When You Hand Slice And Pickle 300 Chillies Only To Promptly Drop Them All On The Floor
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.
#7
Making Green Oil Gone Wrong
#8
She Hasn’t Even Told Us What Happened Or Addressed The Situation
Deborah McKenney 16 hours ago (edited)
Putting aluminum foil on burners is dangerous. Stop doing that. Why? Putting aluminum foil on stove burners is dangerous primarily because it traps heat and blocks vital airflow. This can cause the appliance to overheat, fuse the foil to the surface, damage internal wiring, or even trigger deadly fires and carbon monoxide.
#9
The Cook At Work Lost His Glasses A Few Days Ago. We Found Them Today
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.)
#10
My Canned Curry Sauce Exploded In My Face
#11
Tomato Bisque Blew Up
LakotaWolf (she/her) 16 hours ago
I love the cook still casually cooking as the cleanup goes on XD (at least, I think he's cooking)
#12
Just Normal Milk Shattered A Glass Perfectly In Two And Exploded The Milk Across The Kitchen. The Glass Wasn't Moved After
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.
#13
Blender Exploded As I Was Making A Smoothie
#14
I Made A Mistake
#15
This Is Why I Don't Cook
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.
#16
I Can't Use My Oven Unless I Connect It To The Internet
#17
The Tiramisu Is Extra Sad
#18
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.
UnclePanda 4 hours ago
What about running around in a panic trying to find the fire extinguisher?
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.
#19
Was Cooking Dinner When My Stove Top Randomly Exploded
#20
I Spilled A 10 Lb Bag Of Rice All Over The Kitchen
Well, this is my life now.
LakotaWolf (she/her) 16 hours ago
Legit thought OP had, for funsies, pushed the rice into a fun Zen garden pattern on the floor in frustration. Then realized OP has a weird rug that is the same color as uncooked rice XD
#21
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
Started My 15-Hour Shift With This Today
#23
I Accidentally Burned Down My Parent's Outdoor Kitchen By Placing A Still Burning Fire Log On Top Of The Rest Of The Firewood
#24
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.
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
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
#26
Our Dog Turned On The Stove Burner While I Was At The Gym And Melted The Spatula Into The Pan
WindySwede 12 hours ago (edited)
Spatula city! The president of Spatula city have the same charisma as the CEO eating the Big Arch I see now! 😸🍔🍔🍔 you must watch the clip:
#27
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!!
Pawsome 4 hours ago
One time at the sushi place that I worked at, someone broke a bottle (Japanese soda) and instead of just telling us or just leaving it be, they moved the table onto the broken glass. On top of that, there was a soy sauce spill mixed in with cabbage. This meant that the glass shards-soy sauce-cabbage mess dried and became extra sticky. So, when I came to clean up the room at the start of my shift and noticed that the table was in the wrong spot and couldn't move it (because it had become stuck to the floor), I bent down and tried to move the foot of the table. I had a nice big glass shard sticking out of my glove (thankfully not my finger), when I took my hand away.
#28
Mom’s Sweet Potato Casserole
LakotaWolf (she/her) 16 hours ago
Mom's Casserole turned into a Colossusrole. (X-Men reference XD )
#29
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
#30
When You Become Impatient And Suddenly Leave The Syrup, It Can Be A Bad Idea
#31
Found Out My Sink Has Been Glued To The Counter This Entire Time. I Hate It Here
#32
My Watermelon Just Exploded, Now My Kitchen Has Juice Everywhere
LakotaWolf (she/her) 14 hours ago
Ooooh, that is some fermented, rotted watermelon XD Probably exploded due to the gases forming inside from the decomposition, and the pressure was too much.
#34
I Can Smell These Olives From Here
#35
I Made Coffee While I Was Still Half-Asleep
#36
Little Brother Jammed It In There And Now We Can’t Get It Out
#37
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.
#38
Coffee Anyone?
#39
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.
#40
Before Bed Snack Exploded
LakotaWolf (she/her) 16 hours ago
Was.. OP going to have a whole potato as a before-bed snack?!
#41
Forgot To Clean The Rice Cooker, Opened It 2 Months Later To See This
#43
So This Just Happened. So Many Lost Eggs
WindySwede 12 hours ago
What happened to not in same basket? Well here prob, do not put eggs in inly two baskets..
#44
Nice Fire Pit
#45
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.
#46
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.
SM 11 hours ago (edited)
There shouldn't be any reason that you can't put knives in a dishwasher. Most likely what really happened is he put the knife in a way where the water knocked it off the rack and it fell to the bottom on the heating element. And yeah a plastic handle sitting on the heating element will melt it. Personally I dislike using the drying/heating. Just open the door when the wash finishes and let it air dry.
#47
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…
UnclePanda 3 hours ago
I've done this with the breadmaker. The pan was on the counter but the hole in the machine was the same shape and about the same size...
#48
Both Juicers Broke On The First Try And Were Loaned
There are plastics that are more resistant than that metal.
#49
Pure Disasters
#50
As I Do Every Morning Upon Waking, Stumbled To The Kitchen And Blindly Pressed Start On The Coffee Maker
#53
I Dropped A Pot On My Parents' Stove Top While Putting Dishes Away
Robert Beveridge 4 hours ago
Bro, I hope you have a paper route in a VERY affluent neighborhood. You're gonna be paying for that till you get out of law school.
#54
Picked Up The Salt Jar
#55
My Husband Just Wanted Some Crackers And Cheese
#56
Apparently, My Scissors Couldn't Handle A Kool-Aid
The twist top wouldn't twist. Spent a minute messing with it.
LakotaWolf (she/her) 16 hours ago
Holy hell, that drink is a childhood flashback right there XD
#57
My Mom Was Just Finishing Cleaning The Kitchen And Then Spilled A Bag Of Chia Seeds On The Ground
#58
I Knew Those Pancakes Smelled Weird
#59
When Your Husband Forgets To Set A Timer For Hard Boiled Eggs
I heard a pop. I go into the kitchen to see this.
Sara Frazer 16 hours ago
Ooooof...were the burnt eggs popping?? I could only imagine that smell... 😵
#60
Half-Cooked Eggs Can't Be Cooked Further In The Microwave
#61
If You Start Mashed Potatoes Then Go Home It Will Burn Through The Pot
#62
The Glass Bowl Exploded After 3 Minutes Of Eating
No soup for me, then I guess.
#63
Just Wanted A Homemade Dinner After 40 Hours Of Hospital Cafeteria
Robert Beveridge 4 hours ago
On the bright side, you can probably scoop it up and sell it to the hospital.
#64
Dropped Some Eggs Down The Forbidden Abyss
#65
To The Person Whose Pepper Grinder Is Broken, The Lid Of My Pepper Shaker Fell Off
Sara Frazer 16 hours ago
This looks salvageable... Maybe scoop off just enough pepper you may need for this dish, rinse the chicken, proceed with cooking and pick up more pepper next time you're at the store
#66
Spanish Omelette Flipping Went Wrong
Robert Beveridge 4 hours ago
Well, I mean, it DID flip... it's the catching bit that went wrong
#67
Super Thankful For Smoke Detectors Tonight. My Best Guess Is That The Instant Pot Was Bumped And Somehow Turned The Front Burner On
#68
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
Don’t Pour Cold Water Into A Glass Dish On A Hot Stove
#70
“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
Sara Frazer 16 hours ago
Methinks direct flame is a little different from a microwave, or on a rack in an oven....
#71
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.
Sara Frazer 16 hours ago
Either she's completely clueless (and/or dúmb) , or this is weaponized incompetence
#72
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...
#73
Apartment Oven Fried Itself In The Middle Of The Night
#74
When Life Gives You Key Lime Pie, Apparently The Floor Wanted Some Too
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Malakai 14 hours ago
The absolute lack of common sense in so many of these astounds me. Probably 3/4ths of these things could have been avoided if people didn't leave HOT STOVETOPS/ACTIVELY COOKING THINGS unattended. Don't set things on the highest heat. If something's not happening fast enough, either be patient or throw it in the microwave. And for the love of all things holy, learn some basic science about how certain materials, such as glass, react to sudden increases and decreases in temperature! My head hurts with all of this nonsense.
Chich the witch 5 hours ago
# new rules o live by: No wifi reliant appliances, no glass topped anything and no pots of boiling oil.
Malakai 14 hours ago
The absolute lack of common sense in so many of these astounds me. Probably 3/4ths of these things could have been avoided if people didn't leave HOT STOVETOPS/ACTIVELY COOKING THINGS unattended. Don't set things on the highest heat. If something's not happening fast enough, either be patient or throw it in the microwave. And for the love of all things holy, learn some basic science about how certain materials, such as glass, react to sudden increases and decreases in temperature! My head hurts with all of this nonsense.
Chich the witch 5 hours ago
# new rules o live by: No wifi reliant appliances, no glass topped anything and no pots of boiling oil.
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