Never heard of this. My hubby is a great candidate though! He almost exclusively cooks!

Rise of the 'gastrosexual' as men take up cooking in a bid to seduce women

By Eleanor Glover
Last updated at 7:43 PM on 21st July 2008

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They say that the way to a man's heart is through his stomach but it seems the dining tables have turned as increasing numbers of men are taking up cooking in a bid to seduce women. 

Dubbed 'Gastrosexuals' this new generation of men consider cooking more a hobby than a household chore and use their kitchen prowess to impress friends and prospective partners.

Men having the ability to cook is also now a key factor in attracting women along with salary, status, personality and appearance, according to new research.

Things are hotting up in the kitchen as men pursue cooking as a way to attract women

The report 'Emergence of the Gastrosexual' cites the popularity of superstar chefs Gordon Ramsay and Jamie Oliver as a factor in making cooking a macho pursuit.

According to the study by food company PurAsia 48 per cent of people say being able to cook makes a person more attractive to them and 23 per cent of 18-34 year old men say they cook to potentially seduce a partner.

The report also shows 60 per cent of British men now regularly cook for friends and family, favouring complicated foreign dishes over traditional British food.

Over half of the men surveyed prepare meals using separate ingredients everyday spending on average 41 minutes cooking on a daily basis.

The survey also shows the number of families where men help in the kitchen has risen from 27.5 per cent in the post war period to 66.5 per cent in 2008.

Too many cooks: Celebrity chefs Gordon Ramsay (left) and Jamie Oliver have helped boost the macho, competitive image of cooking which appeals to men

Many women now believe men are actually better cooks than them. According to the research a fifth of women say their partner is a better cook than them. This rises to a quarter in women under the age of 34.

Interestingly the findings indicate men's new found enthusiasm for the kitchen does not mean they are interested in other household chores.

The cleaning of the home, washing of clothes and shopping for groceries are still forms of work dominated by women.

Men spend just 4 minutes a day washing clothes, less than a quarter of the time spent by women.

A spokesperson for PurAsia said: 'Gastrosexuals can be male or female but the common denominator is their love of food. We found that cooking for this new generation isn't simply a matter of refuelling. For them it's an enjoyable experience and something to be relished - they cook for pleasure, praise and potential seduction.

'Male Gastrosexuals in particular are no longer content with what they can find at the back of the kitchen cupboard. They are looking for something much more satisfying in terms of taste, participation and effort.'  

Commenting on the findings Dan Davies, Deputy Editor of Esquire Magazine, said: 'The ability to cook will only make a man look more sophisticated, more modern and more aware of what's going on today.

'Many of the current best known celebrity chefs are men. And that's different from previous generations when the most prominent cooks on TV tended to be women.'  

The PurAsia report says the average Gastrosexual male is aged between 25-44 and is upwardly mobile, well travelled and cooks for their own pleasure and the praise of others.

The survey shows the number of families where men help in the kitchen has risen from 27.5 per cent in the post war period to 66.5 per cent in 2008

He cites Jamie Oliver, closely followed by Gordon Ramsay as his culinary heroes and is a fan of TV cooking programmes such as Masterchef and Hell's Kitchen which glorify high-pressure, competitive cooking.

Professor Melanie Howard, an expert in social trends forecasting from the Henley Management College, said: 'Many celebrity chefs are conspicuously masculine, red-blooded men.

'There is no suggestion that cooking is anything less than manly, which I think does make this field more attractive to men - and can actually also appeal to women.'  

The increase in the number of women working full time has contributed to the rise of the Gastrosexual male. The study also found men and women have a very different attitude towards cooking.

Cooking is a passion for the Gastrosexual - over half of men say they consider it to be a hobby and not a chore, compared with only 40 per cent of women.

Professor Howard added: 'Being actively involved in cooking means that you're a good modern man playing your part in making the household run efficiently. Cooking is actually a more rewarding and creative form of domestic contribution.'