Cook? You must be joking

Cooking a good old-fashioned Sunday roast for the family is about as enjoyable as a visit to the dentist, according to a survey today.

The nation's cooking talent is flagging, it seems, with a third of people questioned claiming they aren't even capable of dishing up such a traditional meal.

We love to watch those TV chefs, but it seems that watch is all we do. Sixteen per cent of men and two per cent of women claim their sole cooking skill is boiling an egg, while five per cent of men and one per cent of women say they can't even manage that.

The experience of cooking Sunday lunch for the family is considered as stressful as that trip to the dentist, getting married or moving house by 15 per cent of the 1,009 adults surveyed for Sainsbury's tasteforlife.co.uk website. Sixteen per cent of men and 10 per cent of women refuse point-blank to even try to tackle the task, although Britons are prepared to spend over the odds on "healthy" food.

Opinions are divided on the reasons for cooking a good meal. Marking a special occasion or birthday is considered paramount by 20 per cent of respondents, while a similar number find cooking a good way to relax. An optimistic seven per cent of men and one per cent of women cook to impress a partner, while a grudging 34 per cent of those quizzed say the only reason to cook for family and friends is simply to get them fed.

The most common culinary disaster is over-cooking with 21 per cent of men and 28 per cent of women admitting to having ruined a meal in this way. Burning food is cited as a frequent error by 17 per cent of respondents, while seven per cent say their most common mistake is to add too much salt or spice.

Nearly half say a roast dinner is their favourite meal although 20 per cent prefer Chinese and 19 per cent choose curry. Surprisingly that old British staple - bangers and mash - only scores one per cent of votes.

The importance of handing culinary skills down the generations is revealed by the 41 per cent who say their mother has been the biggest influence or inspiration with regard to their cooking abilities.

While 23 per cent of men nominate their partner as the major inspiration behind their culinary efforts, only 14 per cent of women say the same about their partners.

Sainsbury's aims to revive the nation's culinary expertise by offering 4,000 recipes on its website, along with hints and tips on cooking plus extensive information about food and wine.