There is something just so sexy about a man who knows his way around a kitchen. There’s a reason why romantic comedies almost always have a scene where the girl comes around and the guy is puttering around the kitchen, shirtless, and he gets the girl to try his special, secret sauce from a wooden spoon. There is always sauce. No matter what he’s cooking. And he always seasons it with a pinch of this and a twist of that and viola! Done and perfect. Lads, in this day and age, you can’t get away without knowing the basics of your way around the kitchen. In fact, you should have at least one dish that you do perfectly. But that’s for another article. For now, here are 7 things men should know how to do in the kitchen:

Use an cast iron pan
I know you can’t be arsed to get a cast iron pan when a non-stick one works ‘better’ with less fuss. But that’s like saying you can’t be arsed to drink a good whiskey when cocktails taste ‘better’ and still does the job. There is something just so bad ass to be able to use a cast iron pan correctly and not just cop out with a non-stick. If you’re worried about everything sticking to the cast iron pan when you cook, then you just need to season it correctly. What’s that? Don’t know what I’m talking about? Don’t worry, check out the video below to learn:

Chop onions
Ah the good ol’ onion. There are 3 main ways to prepare an onion; slicing, dicing and chopping. If you can do these things well, you’re well on your way. Don’t know how? Check out this nifty tutorial on how to chop onions.

Season food
Honestly, this is a skill. Some people can never season right. It’s either too little or too much. Just like in romantic comedies, a man who knows his way around a pepper grinder and a pinch of salt just looks a whole lot sexier. Learn more about spices from this how-to guide.

Sharpen a Knife
How many times have I come across a guy using a blunt knife? Many. Learn how to sharpen your knives guys! Here’s a quick video to show you how:

Cook an egg
Whether it’s a poached egg, scrambled, fried or an omelette, you should at least know how to cook an egg using one of these methods. Have a girl over? Avoid having to rush to the nearest deli for breakfast and instead impress her with your egg making skills.

Load a dishwasher
Yes, there is a right way and a wrong way to load the dishwasher. Aside from rinsing your plates before you put them in the dishwasher (a tip I learned from a friend), planning a little before loading the dishwasher helps you shave of precious time in the future!

Cook a steak
I’m not talking about throwing a slab of meat on the grill and being done with it. I’m talking about being able to choose the right cut, and cooking it to juicy perfection. That requires a measure of skill, though not unlearnable. Here’s Chef Rogers with a video on how to cook a steak:

Happy puttering about the kitchen boys!