Your story really hit home for me, especially the bit about "kitchen burnout." I think a large amount of us feel the same when we stack up our home-cooked meals next to the amazing dishes we've tasted from others. It's amusing and something we can all see ourselves in, hearing about how Indonesian and Vietnamese cuisines have influenced your taste. And it's so neat how the mothers of your partners delve into demonstrating their family's cooking traditions with a significant amount of enthusiasm: you add a lot of fun to this adventure of yours in the kitchen. Keep discovering those amazing flavors, and who knows, maybe one day you will have your own cook! A discerning reader, such ken as yourself, will surely comprehend how your anecdotes, inherently, or in substance, similar to our own mishaps and successes, make your writing thoroughly engaging.