Recently, I mentioned to my sister that I was making raisin bagels in my office.
The reaction was immediate.
She thought it was hilarious.
Not because the bagels were funny, but because the idea of someone cooking in an office seemed completely unheard of to her. In her mind, offices are places where people answer emails, attend meetings, and maybe heat up leftovers in a microwave.
The notion that someone might actually prepare food in their workspace struck her as wonderfully absurd.
The more we talked about it, the more I realized that perhaps I should defend myself.
Because contrary to what my sister believes, I am not quite as unusual as she thinks.
“People spend a significant portion of their lives at work. Perhaps it shouldn’t be surprising that some of us eventually bring a little bit of home with us.”
After all, people spend a significant portion of their lives at work. Many of us are in our offices for eight, ten, or even twelve hours a day. It shouldn’t come as a surprise that some people eventually start bringing a little bit of home with them.
Office cooking is more common than many people realize.
A quick look around the internet reveals that office cooking is far from unheard of. People use everything from electric kettles and rice cookers to air fryers, toaster ovens, slow cookers, and hot plates.
Some make oatmeal. Others prepare soups, eggs, grilled cheese sandwiches, baked potatoes, and even full meals.
Compared to some of those culinary adventures, a raisin bagel hardly seems revolutionary.
Why I Started Cooking at Work
In my case, office cooking started for practical reasons. Bringing food from home saves money, gives me more control over what I eat, and allows me to enjoy something fresh rather than relying entirely on vending machines, takeout, or whatever happens to be nearby.
Of course, there is also something satisfying about it.
There is a certain pleasure in taking a break from work and creating something warm and comforting. The smell of cinnamon and raisins is certainly more appealing than the smell of printer toner.
Fresh bagels beat vending machine snacks every time.
And if we’re being honest, food has a way of making a space feel more human.
My sister still finds the whole thing amusing. She seems convinced that I am running some sort of secret bakery from my office.
I suspect she is already mentally drafting a comedy sketch about me greeting coworkers with fresh bagels while simultaneously answering emails.
The Office Baker
But perhaps that’s part of the charm.
The older I get, the less interested I am in pretending that work and life exist in completely separate worlds.
We bring ourselves wherever we go—our habits, our personalities, our preferences, and yes, sometimes our cooking.
So if making raisin bagels in my office earns me a reputation as the office baker, I can live with that.
And to my sister, who was shocked to discover this hidden side of my workday: thank you for the laugh.
But no, I’m not that odd.
At least not according to the surprisingly large number of people who are apparently cooking lunch, breakfast, and everything in between at work. The only difference is that I happened to tell you about it.
