Back in the 1980s,
Kitchens filled with chatter,
Stoves lit with sparks,
Laughter bubbling like boiling water.

American homes drifted away from kitchens,
 And the world followed.
No irony here
Only a lot of regret.

Home-cooked meals matter.
They help save marriages,
Teach children the wisdom of grandparents
And revive the cultural essence.

Once, homes were made of people;
Now, fifteen women dine alone
Twelve men lost in walls of home,
Forty-one children start life apart,
Half of first loves break,
Two-thirds of second vows shatter,
Three-quarters of third dreams dissolve.

COVID made us dependent on junk,
Shrinking our hearts
And dulling our minds.
Being a cook is not anti-feminist
It is an act of care, of connection, of legacy.

Hope is not lost.
The remedy is only one step away,
Step into the kitchen,
Light the stove,
And reclaim the lost aroma of home.

REFRENCES 

• Medium — “When the Kitchen Falls Silent: How Home‑Cooked Meals Hold Families Together” by Kandiah Namasivayam (Aug 25 2025) discusses how the decline of home cooking is reshaping family life.
• CL News — “When the Kitchen Falls Silent…” (Aug 30 2025) emphasises how changes in mealtime rituals and kitchens going quiet correlate with weakened family bonds and health outcomes.
• LinkedIn post — Titled “The Silent Kitchen: A Cultural Warning from America to India” by Dr. S. Kumar (on LinkedIn) connects the quiet kitchen phenomenon with broader cultural and familial breakdowns across geographies

.    .    .