Why Following a Recipe Isn’t Enough: The Surprising Truth About Cooking Failures
Don’t Blame the Recipe: Experience Matters in Cooking

Have you ever followed a recipe to the letter, only to end up with a disappointing dish? You’re not alone. Our survey revealed that a significant number of people have experienced cooking failures despite following a recipe.
60% of People Experience Cooking Failures Despite Following a Recipe
The Sirabee editorial team conducted a nationwide survey on cooking failures among 632 men and women aged between their teens and 60s. The results showed that 59.7% of respondents had experienced failure in cooking despite following a recipe.


Experience plays a significant role in cooking, and simply following a recipe may not be enough to guarantee success.
Cooking Failures More Common Among Older Women
Our survey revealed that the proportion of women who experienced cooking failures was higher in all age groups. Notably, the proportion of women increased as they got older.


One reason for this may be that older women have had more opportunities to cook in the past.
Real-Life Examples of Cooking Failures
A woman in her 20s who failed to make a cake recalls, “I checked the recipe over and over, measured the ingredients accurately, and followed each step carefully. However, when it came to baking it in the oven, it burned and I failed.”
Another example of a cooking failure is a dish of grilled okra with mayonnaise and soy sauce. Despite following the recipe, the okra was stringy and difficult to chew.
These examples highlight the importance of experience and intuition in cooking, and how simply following a recipe may not be enough to guarantee success.
