“Anyone can cook” is the mantra of Chef Gusteau, the Michelin-star French chef in Disney’s beloved film Ratatouille. However, for a while, I thought I was the exception to this statement. I’ve burnt cookies, had to use a measuring cup to make packaged ramen, and even put a stick of butter into a pot of boiling water instead of in the cooked pasta. In college, I lived in the dorms and relied on a meal plan for my meals. However, as I live in an apartment while abroad in Paris, I’ve had to face my fears and learn to cook a little. Shockingly, I haven’t burnt anything yet (though I have set off the smoke alarm… sorry, neighbors), and I’ve actually come to kind of enjoy it. So, here are 5 survival tips from a very (very) amateur cook:

Google Translate is Your Best Friend

Starting in the pre-cooking stage, grocery shopping can be a little overwhelming in a new country. The brands are different and the language barrier can be tough. I’ve studied French in both high school and college, and I still have to pull out a translator (Google Translate or ChatGPT) at the store sometimes. It’s better to take a couple of seconds and translate a label just to be sure you’re buying the right thing instead of making a guess and having to go back later.

A little grocery haul; I usually shop at Franprix.

Start SmallWhen you first get to your host city, you’re jetlagged, and everything is brand new. Give yourself some slack and don’t start going crazy in the kitchen yet. My first week consisted of sandwiches, ramen, and pasta. The next week, I started looking up easy recipes like fried rice. The week after that, I conquered my fear of handling raw chicken (it’s still gross). Starting small with things you know and building up from there helps build confidence, skills, and makes adjusting to your new city easier.

One of the first meals I made: honey soy sauce chicken over rice.

Staples!

You can do a lot with a little! Learning to make a few key things with staple ingredients (think: rice, pasta, potatoes, beef, chicken, etc) can give you multiple different meals without spending a lot or doing anything too complex. For example, once you can cook chicken, you can add so many different spices, sauces, or pair it with varying things to make many meals. Once you have just a few bases covered, you can have easy meals with a variety of flavors and nutritional value, while also not spending too much on fancy ingredients.

There are so many cute produce stands if you want fresh fruits and veggies!

Multitasking Makes Life Easier

One thing that is helpful when cooking is learning to multitask. Without doing multiple things at once, making one meal can take so much longer than it has to. For example, while one thing is cooking or you’re waiting for water to boil, start chopping up another ingredient or doing some dishes. Intermixing clean-up with making the meal not only keeps you busy, but also saves time later. Your roommates will thank you!

Social Media Inspo!
Make your doomscrolling on Instagram or TikTok productive by finding recipes! There is nearly infinite cooking content on social media, and it’s great to use to inspire your next cooking venture. There is a lot of content for college students or for making budget-friendly meals. If you see something that looks good, add it to your saved and try it! Even if you don’t end up making any of the recipes you see, even just watching the videos can help give you ideas of how to spice up things you already know how to make or give you more confidence in the kitchen.

To wrap up, cooking while abroad has been a great way to push me outside of my comfort zone, build skills, and get more immersed in everyday life in France. Speaking as someone who was (and still kind of is) scared of cooking, it is truly not as difficult as you think it is. Bonne chance (good luck) and remember, as Chef Gusteau wisely said, “anyone can cook”!

Written by: Evangeline, SAI Paris Spring 2026 student from Baylor University