From Instant Noodles to Culinary Confidence: My Journey Overcoming Kitchen Fears in Buenos Aires

Hey there, fellow food enthusiasts and kitchen-fearful friends!

Let me introduce myself properly. I’m Felicia Lim, a proud, pure-bred Singaporean girl whose life took an unexpected, yet incredibly rewarding, turn back in April 2010. That month, I left the familiar comforts of Asia and embarked on a transatlantic journey, relocating to Buenos Aires, Argentina. The catalyst for this monumental move was a long-distance relationship that had begun to weigh heavily on both my boyfriend and me. The geographical distance, coupled with time zone differences and the inherent challenges of maintaining a connection across continents, had started to take its toll. We yearned for a more conventional existence, a chance to experience what a ‘normal relationship’ felt like, living in the same city, sharing daily life rather than just snatched video calls. It was a leap of faith, a commitment to exploring new horizons together, both romantically and personally.

A Culinary Clean Slate: From Novice to Noodle Master (of the Instant Kind)

When I first set foot in Buenos Aires, my culinary capabilities were, to put it mildly, non-existent. My kitchen skills were so terrible that the only thing I knew how to “cook” was instant noodles. Yes, those wonderfully convenient, waxed, curly noodles that come in a package with simple, three-minute instructions. They were my ultimate comfort food, my emergency ration, and frankly, my only means of survival in the kitchen. Anticipating my culinary helplessness in a foreign land, I had wisely (or so I thought at the time) packed a generous emergency supply of these instant lifesavers in my suitcase. They were my culinary safety net, a desperate measure against potential hunger, a last resort for someone who couldn’t even boil an egg without trepidation. However, as all temporary solutions do, my cherished noodle reserves eventually ran out. The last packet was consumed, leaving behind not just an empty stomach but a stark realization of my utter dependence and the daunting challenge that lay ahead in my new home. It was a genuine “Boo Hoo” moment, a poignant symbol of my unpreparedness for the culinary independence I now faced.

The Awakening: Cravings, Comfort, and the Quest for Fried Rice

With time, and out of sheer necessity, I began to evolve. Being thousands of miles and 28 hours by plane away from Asia meant that satisfying my intense cravings for authentic Singaporean delights was virtually impossible. The vibrant flavors, the unique aromas, the sheer comfort of home-cooked Asian food – these became a persistent ache. While I had brought some pre-packaged sauces from Singapore, the thought of actually using them to cook a full dish felt overwhelmingly complex. Any recipe with more than five steps would immediately make my eyes glaze over, and my attention span would vanish. The kitchen, with its array of unfamiliar tools and intimidating instructions, felt like a foreign battlefield. Yet, one particular dish haunted my memories: the simple, soul-satisfying home-cooked fried rice that my beloved domestic helper, Shah, used to prepare back in Singapore. That taste, that memory, was a powerful motivator. It wasn’t just food; it was a connection to home, to comfort, to a life I had left behind. I decided then and there that this was where I would start. Fried rice, Shah’s way (or at least, my attempt at it), would be my first culinary Everest.

My Fried Rice Odyssey: From Experiment to Perfection

My journey into the world of home cooking began with a trusty companion: a microwavable rice cooker I had brought with me from Singapore. This humble appliance, a veteran of my exchange student days in Germany, was a beacon of familiarity and ease. Cooking the plain white rice for my fried rice experiments was a breeze – just eight minutes in the microwave at 80% power, and ta-dah! Perfectly cooked rice. The real challenge, however, lay in the “frying” part. I embarked on a tireless mission, experimenting with various ingredients, mixing and matching flavors, trying different cooking techniques, and constantly adjusting proportions. There were countless failures: burnt rice, soggy rice, bland rice, over-seasoned rice. Each attempt was a lesson, a small step forward. I learned about the importance of heat, the art of tossing, and the delicate balance of seasonings. After many months of persistent practice and countless culinary trials, I finally reached a point where I could proudly declare that I had managed to perfect… all but ONE dish: fried rice. My way, which was undoubtedly heavily influenced by Shah’s masterful technique. It was a momentous achievement, a personal triumph that instilled a newfound sense of confidence in my abilities.

A Culinary Companion: LSY and the Return of Kitchen Fears

During this period, fate intervened, and I met LSY, another Singaporean girl who had sought refuge in Buenos Aires during her sabbatical from a demanding law career. Our shared heritage and love for Singaporean food quickly forged a strong bond. We met up often, growing incredibly close, and together, we ventured into preparing some authentic Singaporean delights. Of course, we often “cheated” a little, relying on those Prima Taste pre-prepared sauces I had mentioned earlier. These sauces were a fantastic shortcut, allowing us to recreate complex flavors without the daunting multi-step recipes. Through these shared cooking sessions, I gradually began to find my footing in the kitchen. My fear of the unknown began to dissipate as I gained practical experience and the moral support of a friend. However, this period of growing confidence was short-lived. In November 2011, LSY returned to Singapore, resuming her life as a successful lawyer. With her departure, my nascent kitchen confidence faltered, and old fears resurfaced. For a couple of months, my culinary endeavors once again dwindled to little more than microwaving overnight leftovers or, on rare occasions, whipping up my perfected fried rice, my sole culinary comfort zone.

The Unexpected Catalyst: Pelusa Molina and My Cooking Frenzy

Yet, the last few months have seen a dramatic shift, transforming my kitchen apathy into a veritable cooking frenzy. Following my annual visit back to Singapore, I returned to Buenos Aires with a renewed sense of purpose. It was then that serendipity struck: I found a flyer advertising a cooking course by the renowned Pelusa Molina, conveniently located just two blocks from my apartment. My initial thought was one of cautious optimism, “Okay, let’s see how it goes. If I don’t like it, I can always quit.” This tentative approach reflected my lingering apprehension about committing to a formal culinary education.

A Revelation in the Kitchen: Learning Spanish, Learning to Cook

Oh, how wonderfully wrong I was! From the very first class I attended two months ago, I have been utterly captivated and incredibly impressed. The experience has been far more enriching than I could have imagined. Not only have I been learning invaluable cooking techniques, but I’ve also found myself rapidly absorbing Spanish, especially within the culinary sphere. Pelusa Molina’s teaching style is nothing short of brilliant. She has a magical way of demystifying recipes, breaking them down into manageable, understandable components. What once appeared as a daunting block of complex words and steps on a page is now a clear, approachable sequence of actions. This newfound clarity has been transformative, dismantling my long-held belief that cooking was an insurmountable challenge.

Embracing the Homework and Discovering a Passion

Initially, old habits die hard, and I admit I was lazy when it came to doing the homework for the course, which, much to my initial dismay, involved actual cooking and not just passive recipe perusal. (Duh!) There was a month or so of inertia, a brief relapse into my old patterns of avoidance. But then, a profound shift occurred. I made a conscious decision to confront my lingering kitchen fears head-on. Something clicked. And, weirdly enough, a new sensation began to emerge: I started having genuine cravings to cook! Not just cravings for food, but an innate desire to *create* food, to experiment, to bring ingredients to life. This was a monumental change, a true turning point. Most importantly, I’m no longer afraid of the kitchen! That once intimidating space has transformed into a sanctuary of creativity and exploration, a place where I feel empowered and joyful.

Dish by Dish: Documenting a Culinary Transformation

So, this website, this blog, is really a sort of personal documentation. It’s a chronicle of my ongoing evolution in the culinary sphere, a journey I’m taking one dish at a time. Through these pages, I hope to share my experiences, my successes, and perhaps even my minor missteps, as I continue to grow as a home chef. My deepest hope is that those of you who have harbored similar kitchen fears – the apprehension, the intimidation, the belief that cooking is just “not for you” – will find inspiration here. I believe that with a little patience, curiosity, and the right guidance, anyone can overcome these anxieties and discover the immense joy and satisfaction that comes from preparing delicious food. My journey is proof that it’s never too late to learn, to grow, and to fall in love with something you once feared.

XoXo,
Felicia