The role of identity and gender in seafood cooking skills

Purpose The purpose of this study was to explore whether consumers' confidence in cooking skills related to seafood differed across genders, and if such difference could be explained by the identity-relevance of seafood cooking for men. Design/methodology/approach Survey data was collected from a balanced sample of 515 Norwegian consumers. Findings The results showed that men (versus women) with high confidence in their seafood cooking skills have a lower preference for convenient seafood solutions, indicating that these men may be more reluctant to use food products that could hinder the cooking outcome being attributed to their cooking skills. Originality/value This study adds nuance to the understanding of male consumers as highly reliant on convenience products when cooking. More specifically, this study provides novel insight into how men function differently than women in relation to preparing seafood, suggesting that some men resist using convenient seafood solutions in order to express an identity as skillful in the kitchen.