In every family, there is always one member whose cooking is irresistible. It makes someone want to have seconds or thirds, even when he or she is full to the point of not being able to stand up! In Puerto Rico lives one of the best cooks I know, my grandmother. She may not have the latest modern appliances; however, they are not necessary. Every time she cooks, it is an event. Everybody pushes and races against each other to be the first one in line, especially when she cooks one of her specialties: white rice with red pinto beans, and chicken sautéed with onions and sweet plantains. The mouthwatering smell fills our nostrils and its seasoned heavenly taste warms our bodies, like drinking a pleasant cup of coffee in the morning. Although the ingredients used in cooking play a major part in the outcome of the food, they are not the main reason. It is the chef such as my grandmother, for instance. The dedication, time, and love demonstrated by any chef, such as my grandmother, is what makes anyone the best cook he or she can be.

Being dedicated means doing something the right way and following through. It is sometimes tempting to take a short cut, but according to my grandmother, it is easier to do things right in the beginning rather than try to fix a mistake during the process. My grandmother always followed this type of dedication. Every day before cooking, I would hear rummaging noises as if someone was frantically looking for something important. It would turn out to be my grandmother checking her pantry, just in case there were any essential ingredients missing. If all the ingredients were in her pantry, she would smile, nod, and sigh in relief. However, when there was an ingredient missing, I would hear the sound of the keys being picked up, the car door close, and the screeching of the tires going to the nearest supermarket. For my grandmother, cooking takes real dedication.

Just like how my grandmother made time for her family in special events such as her daughter’s birthday party or her grandson’s basketball game, she made time to cook for her family. My grandmother was not a fan of eating at restaurants or fast food places, but she was an enormous fan of homemade cooking. While living in Puerto Rico, I remember the irritating alarm clock on my grandmother’s phone going “Drrrrrrriiiing, drrrrrrriiiinnnng” every day at five in the afternoon. She would stop whatever she was working on, whether it was laundry or just resting on the bed watching television, get up, and I would hear the sound of her footsteps going “Thump, tap, thump, tap, thump, tap” from her room, through the long hallway and towards her kitchen. This meant it was time for her to cook.

For my grandmother, her favorite part about cooking is seeing those she loves eat her food. One time I asked, “Grandma, what is your secret in cooking so good that it makes everyone want to have seconds and thirds?” She heartily laughed, gave me a big warm hug, and whispered in my ear, “Love.” Her response was not hard to believe. Every day, when I lived in Puerto Rico, I sat on the hard metal stool in front of her long, white, rectangular counter observing her hand movements and facial expressions while she cooked. My surroundings became blurred while I watched her. Anyone could tell cooking was her passion. My grandmother satisfyingly smiled when she sniffed the sweet smell of onions and bell peppers from the sofrito - a Puerto Rican seasoning - hitting the hot canola oil and tasted the soft, white, chewy rice and tender, golden brown roast chicken. Meanwhile, the way my grandmother proportioned everyone’s plate was a whole different story. After cooking, she would grab her favorite metal spoon and put two scoops of rice and beans on the left, pieces of roast chicken to the right, and sweet plantains across the top center. My grandmother set up each plate the way Leonardo Da Vinci painted his famous picture of the Mona Lisa. It was like a masterpiece of the love she had for her family and cooking.

Overall, my grandmother proved dedication, time, and love are three essential qualities that make anyone the best cook. Because of these attributes, her cooking skills are nothing compared to eating out at some fancy restaurant. My grandmother did not need to use the latest modern appliances, but rather a large metal spoon, a stove, a few pots, and her ingredients to make any plate taste delicious and look like art. Thanks to her, I know how to cook and hopefully my cooking skills will be compared to my grandmother’s skills in the future.