Cooking and Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs: A qualitative analysis of amateur chefs' perspectives.

The aim of the present study was to examine the effect of cooking as a hobby activity on the chefs, in the context
of Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs. Twenty semi-structured interviews were conducted with amateur chefs in the
qualitative part of the present study. The results of the analyses show that Maslow's theoretical construct is a
relevant and valid context for understanding the effect of cooking on the chefs. Thus we found that cooking
affords amateur chefs a sense of control, of social and ethnic belongingness, connecting to family's roots, it
reinforces self efficacy and social esteem. We also found that cooking allows amateur chefs to express their
creativity and feel good about themselves. Finally, the study shows that as perceived by amateur chefs, it has
therapeutic elements, such as a dim sense of time, altered conscious level and strong sensual stimulus. The option
of serving the cooked product was also perceived as a therapeutic variable in cooking.