Enjoying and feasting on delicacies together makes for a good mood and lots of fun. At some point we thought: let’s combine enjoyment and fun and invented themed cooking – the cooking challenge for friends.
When I moved to my best friend in Berlin, I was looking forward to one thing in particular: finally cooking together again! As students, we lived together in a shared apartment and cooked and ate together every day. We are both passionate hobby cooks and immediately decided to get down to business. Every Friday, one of us would take turns putting on the chef’s hat and then we would feast together. One beautiful evening, the Motto Cooking was born: before we knew it, it became a regular cooking event that was the envy of our other friends!
What Is Theme Cooking and What Does a Cooking Challenge Look Like?
Motto cooking is one thing above all: creative! We cook with four people and change the kitchen and the cook every time. At the latest one day before your cooking evening with friends, the one who cooks must know what the motto is: because this motto is given by the others! The big challenge for the cook is to implement the motto in the best possible culinary way. While the cook takes care of the food, the others think about a special drink to go with it, which of course must also fit the motto!
These Are the Rules of a Cooking Challenge
- Are there vegetarians* or vegans* among you?
- Clarify if a friend has an allergy and if someone does not like something
- At the latest one day before the cooking event, the motto must be set!
- Two friends independently give a component of the motto
- One has the chef’s hat on and another friend is working for him in the kitchen.
- The implementation of the motto should be as creative as possible
- The two who don’t cook figure out a drink to go with the meal together.
- The theme should be reflected in all courses and in the drink
Tips and Suggestions for Cooking Challenge Mottos
The menu has a surprise in store for everyone: whether it’s a drink or a meal, everyone can get creative. A theme with a personal touch is perfect if you don’t plan to have a regular event, but just plan to eat together once. There’s nothing better than celebrating a shared hobby. Do you all watch Tatort on Sundays, maybe sometimes even together? Or are you all fans of a series like Game of Thrones*, Vampire Diaries* or Sex and the City*? If you’re planning a movie night together, the movie or genre of the movie is a wonderful source for a theme.
Our motto is always made up of two components, such as 1. alien and 2. smurf blue or 1. bourgeois and 2. old pink. In our experience, descriptive words are more stimulating to the imagination than simple designations. Specifically, old pink, baby pink, piggy pink, pale pink, bright pink or pink dream inspire more than just the word pink. I’m sure you have plenty of ideas already – for more inspiration, we’ve put together a list of possible theme snippets for you here! You can combine them as you like.
Themes for the Extraordinary Cooking Challenge
- Aliens
- Pirates
- Detective
- Lucky Luke
- The Wild West
- Island
- Bella Vita
- Carnival
- Paradise
- Garden of Eden
- Spring Awakening
- Midsummer Night’s Dream
- Soccer
- Midnight magic
- Mine
- Dwarf tunnel
- Wine festival
- Fantasy food
- Cinema
- Cake
- Adventurer
- Camping
- Picnic
- Musical
- Childhood memory
- past & present
- Sea
- Dreamland
- Citrus fruits
- Cabbage time
- Vampires
- Haunted castle
- Horror
- Lent
- 007 James Bond
- Mafia
- Casino
- Evening in red/yellow/green
- Future
- Childhood heroes
- Las Vegas
- Oktoberfest
- superheroes
- ancient romans
- folk music
- train
- planets
- ocean
- Heroes
- Angel & Devil
- Village tavern
Countries:
- Italy: italian, italiano, italian terms like amore, Canale Grande, italian flag
- Spain: torrero, bullfight, flamenco fire, Spanish flag
- Japan: Japanese cherry blossom, sushi, anime and manga, Fujiyama
- Korea: dumplings, Seoul, Pyongyang, K-pop
- Germany: home-style, roast, regional specialties, festive roast, classic German
Series / Movies:
- A Game of Thrones, Targaryen hot, Dornish sand pie, Sansa’s lemon delight, Winterfell’s knight’s roast, direwolf, Daenerys’ favorite, Robert Baratheon’s feast table, Brienne’s tart, Ramsey’s sausage snack, White Walker ice cream pie, Melisandre’s fire pot, Joffrey’s poison pie, trout a la Catelyn Tully
- Vampire Diaries, Vampiric, Elena’s Choice, Kiss of Death, Died and Resurrected, Moonlight
- James Bond 007: shaken not stirred, masculine and bold, action packed, power food, elegant and beautiful, tuxedo appropriate
- The Lord of the Rings: lembas bread, favorite farms, Shire garden salad, Helm’s Deep stew, Legolas’s body prizes, Gandalf’s braising recipe, Gollum’s fish stew, Rohan’s steppe, Aragorn’s forest pot
- Caribbean Pirates: pirates, roasted, skewers, rustic, hearty, roast leg, South Seas, fruit dream
- Pretty Woman: prince food, girl’s dream, love and money, love spell
Method of preparation:
- Baked
- Gratinated
- Cured
- Flambéed
- Creamy
- Cooked
- Baked
- Fried
Aggregate States:
- solid
- liquid
- gaseous
Shapes and patterns:
- square
- rectangular
- round
- circular
- egg-shaped
- Ufo
- snail-shaped
- dotted
- checkered
- dotted
- perforated
Colors as Mottos Are a Perennial Favorite in the Cooking Challenge
- Red: Evening Red, Ahon Red, Alpine Rose Red, Old Bordeaux Red, Crimson, Fire Red, Purple, Beeter Red, Apricot Red Arabic Red, Bengal Red, Bittersweet Red, Bloodstone Red, Blood Red, Brown Purple, Blood Beech Red, Burgundy Red, Brilliant red, Ruby red, Camelia red, Campari red, Cayenne red, Vermilion red, Dahlia purple, Dragon blood red, Squirrel red, Railway red, Foxglove red, Flag red, Ferrari red, Flame red, Flamingo red, Flesh ochre red, Flesh red, French purple, fuchsia red, fox red, glow red, pomegranate red, grell red, cockscomb red, heart red, henna red, hell red, crab red, lucifer red, lotus red, emperor purple, carrot red, ladybug red, shell pink, carnation purple, pastel red, peony red, peach red, turkey red, shaved red, red cherry, saffron red, sandstone red, scarlet red, signal red, devil red, Titian red, cheek red, Christmas red, warm red, brick red, cinnamon red, anger red, onion red
- Orange: orange orange, apricot, apricot orange, azalea orange, amber orange, pale orange, blood orange, brown orange, campari orange, cognac orange, cream orange, dark orange, yellow beet orange, yellow orange, gold orange, gold topaz orange, grell orange, autumn leaf orange, Indian orange, Bright orange, Copper orange, Pumpkin orange, Turmeric orange, Salmon orange, Tangerine orange, Matte orange, Melon orange, Neon orange, Orange yellow brown, Orange gold, Pastel orange, Squeaky orange, Marigold orange, Sunset orange, Terra cotta, Deep orange, Traffic orange, Vermilion orange
- Yellow: acacia yellow, pineapple yellow, apple yellow, orange yellow, apricot yellow, bamboo yellow, banana yellow, bast yellow, amber yellow, beer yellow, pale yellow, blonde, brown yellow, buttercup yellow, butter yellow, Champagne yellow, Citron yellow, Curry yellow, Yolk yellow, Euro yellow, Pale yellow, Spring yellow, Poison yellow, Gold yellow, Grell yellow, Honey yellow, Ginger yellow, Canary yellow, Bright yellow, Corn yellow, Turmeric yellow, Light yellow, Lion yellow, Dandelion yellow, Mango yellow, Melon yellow, Brass yellow, Mirabelle, Mustard yellow, Narcissus yellow, Neon yellow, Ochre yellow, Oil yellow, Pastel yellow, Postal yellow, Squeaky yellow, Quince yellow, Cream yellow, Rust yellow, Saffron yellow, Juice yellow, Sahara yellow, Sand yellow, Mustard yellow, Sunflower yellow, Sun yellow, Street dog blonde, Straw yellow, Tea yellow, Tiger yellow, Desert yellow, Delicate yellow
- Green: algae green, aloe green, amazon green, traffic light green, apple green, army green, avocado green, mountain green, screen green, birch green, pale green, leaf green, blue green, bean green, brown green, chemical green, Douglas green, jungle green, dark green, Ivy green, Ealyptus green, Felt green, Bottle green, Frog green, Spring green, Grass green, Poison green, Cucumber green, Light green, Hay green, Periwinkle green, Hunter green, Cactus green, Kiwi green, Clover green, Kale green, Cabbage green, Kotz green, Crocodile green, Copper green. Corpse Green. Light green, Lime green, May green, Malachite green, Mint green, Mint green, Moss green, Neon green, Nile green, Nix green, Olive green, Paradise green, Pastel green, Pistachio green, Police green, Juice green, Lettuce green, Sate green, Sea green, Emerald green, Summer green, Deep green, Turquoise green, Water green, Wilt green, Winter green, Wave green
- Blue: Achat blue, Adel blue, Admiral blue, Adriatic blue, Aquamarine blue, Arctis blue, Atlantic blue, Eye blue, Azure blue, Baby blue, Berry blue, Pale blue, Pale turquoise, Blue black, Lightning blue, China blue, Cyan blue, Twilight blue, Dolphin blue, Thistle blue, Scent blue, Dark blue, Ice blue, Gentian blue, Pale blue, Fig blue, Lilac blue, Florentine blue, River blue, Thunderstorm blue, Glass blue, Glacier blue, Bellflower blue, Gray blue, Green blue, Pike blue, Blueberry blue, Light blue, Sky blue, High mountain blue, Horizon blue, Hydrangea blue, Hyacinth blue, Illusion blue, Indigo blue, Iris blue, Jeans blue, Kaiser blue, Captain blue, Bright blue, Cobalt blue, Hummingbird blue, Royal blue, Cornflower blue, Crystal blue, Lagoon blue, Lapis lazuli blue, Lavender blue, Purple pale blue, Lupine blue, Madonna blue, Sailor blue, Maya blue, Sea blue, Metallic blue, Midnight blue, Moonstone blue, Napoleon blue, Neptune blue, Nivea blue, Opal blue, Ocean blue, Pastel Blue, Persian Blue, Peacock Blue, Plum Blue, Smoke Blue, Ring Pigeon Blue, Velvet Blue, Swimming Pool Blue, Sailor Blue, Fir Blue, Dove Blue, Deep Blue, Deep Sky Blue, Ink Blue, Turquoise, Turnbulls Blue, Ultramarine Blue, Violet Blue, Forget-Me-Not Blue, Water Blue, Winter Blue, Wonder Blue, Plum Blue
- Violet: amethyst violet, eggplant, bishop’s violet, pale lilac, blue lilac, blue red, Bordeaux violet, brown lilac, blackberry, Doge’s purple, dark violet, wolfsbane violet, feminist violet, Lilacs, Bellflower purple, Light purple, Indian purple, Crocus purple, Lavender purple, Mauve, Milcal purple, Plum purple, Black purple, Taupe, Ultraviolet, Violet purple, White purple
- Pink: Alpine Rose Red, Old Pink, Azalea Pink, Baby Pink, Pale Pink, Candy Pink, Erika Pink, Flamingo Pink, Flesh Pink, Fox Rose, Geranium Pink, Raspberry Pink, Japan Pink, Camellia Pink, Church Blossom Pink, Coral Pink, Salmon Pink, Lillifeepink, Lotus Pink, Magenta, Mauve Pink, Almond Blossom Pink, melon pink, morning glory pink, shell pink, carnation pink, neon pink, oriental pink, bird of paradise pink, pastel pink, pearl pink, pearl pink, peach blossom pink, phlox pink, pink, quartz pink, rose red, rosé, rose quartz, reddish pink, ham pink, piggy pink, pale pink, cotton candy pink
- Black: anthracite black, eye black, blue black, burnt black, blackberry black, chrome black, domino black, print black, ebony black, espresso black, flame soot black, graphite black, hell black, charcoal black, caviar black, charcoal black, lacquer black, lacquer scribe black, Lava Black, Mieral Black, Night Black, Obsidian Black, Olive Black, Oil Black, Onyx Black, Pitch Black, Raven Black, Raven Black, Smoke Black, Velvet Black, Slate Black, Chimney Sweep Black, Storm Cloud Black, Tar Black, Deep Black, Ink Black, Wild Tulip Black
- White: alabaster white, albino white, old white, ash gray, atlas white, eye white, birch white, pale, blue white, pale, lead white, flash white, flower white, brilliant white, carrara white, clown white, cream white, cream white, opaque white, Dark white, edelweiss, eggshell white, polar bear white, ivory, eternal white, feather white, frost white, plaster white, ermine white, lime white, cheese white, hospital white, chalk white, crystal white, corpse white, lily white, Magnolia White, Painter White, Margarite White, Marble White, Flour White, Milk White, Shell White, Lunar Silvery, Mist White, Pearlescent White, Pearl White, Persil White, Platinum White, Polar White, Porcelain White, Powder White, Quark White, Cream White, Pure White, Schloh White, Snow White, Swan White, Soy White, Asparagus White, Titanium White, Toga White, Deathly Pale, Sneaker White, Vanilla White, Vampire White, Laundry White, Cloud White, Wool White, Tooth White, Cotton Candy White
Have fun with the cooking challenge!!!
Here on our blog for leisure time ideas you can find many more indoor activities and general tips for activities with friends, with kids and with your partner.
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