photo credit: Ivan Solis
In a few words
Two husbands cooking together in a small kitchen in a house on a hill in Eagle Rock, California sharing recipes, stories, and traveling the world
What you will see here
You will find a variety of delicious, quick and easy vegetarian home-cooked entrees, sides, breakfasts, drinks, and snacks: plus everything from rich, chocolatey decadent desserts to tasty and 
healthy vegan options, as well as some of our our favorite dishes from around the world. We love cooking with seasonal produce, and our recipes will feature a variety of fresh ingredients throughout the year. All of our recipes are organized by category on the Recipe Index page to make them easy to find. We make our directions as clear and simple as possible so everyone will understand. At the top of every post you will find a prep photo showing all the ingredients you will be using since it is helpful to see everything in one place. And when we share a more complex recipe, we try to explain it so even beginning cooks can confidently follow along and have fun while doing it. We also love exploring new places and trying new cuisines, so we will be sharing our adventures and travel tips as well as recipes inspired by our trips around the world.
Ryan
I grew up in the kitchen.
When I was an infant, if I was ever fussy, my mom would put me in the baby backpack and start cooking. I would instantly calm down and watch her intently. At five years old, when other kids were starting sports, I was taking my first cooking class. My love for food continued, guided and encouraged by the two best chefs I know: my mother and my abuelita.
My mom is a superb cook, always seeking out dishes from around the world, even starting neighborhood gourmet cooking clubs on two different coasts. And throughout my life, her extensive collection of cookbooks and recipes has been the source for many of my best dishes.
Being in the kitchen with my Abuelita was a huge part of my childhood. She was an amazing woman who lived to 95, having raised a family in Cuba before moving to the United States. Her Cuban cooking filled my childhood with tortilla de patatas, black beans and rice, fried plátanos, and the silkiest, creamiest flan you’ve ever tasted. In my college years, we began to cook side-by-side, while I closely watched her prepare her specialities. She never used recipes, so I took detailed notes to make sure that her traditions would be enjoyed for generations. She adored Adam, and would always be sure to make a tortilla just for him when he would visit, since she knew how much he loved them. I watched him immediately fall in love with Cuban cooking, and I feel so lucky to have grown up eating and learning in such a loving kitchen.
I grew up in Portland, Oregon and became a vegetarian in 2000 when I moved to Los Angeles for college, and during this time I’ve discovered how flavorful and diverse meatless cooking can be. Our cookbook is filled with recipes from every culture, from Thai and French to Moroccan Tagines. This is delicious food that can be enjoyed by everyone, whether you are a vegetarian or not.
Adam
My cooking history is different from Ryan’s. While I do have early memories of making molasses taffy from the “Kids’ America” activity book in elementary school and the occasional batch of homemade chocolate chip cookies, I never truly discovered the joys of cooking until 2013. Just like Ryan, when I was growing up, my mom and my grandma were my favorite cooks. As much as I adored the meals they made, I never had any interest in making them for myself. While I have always appreciated food, I thought of cooking as more of a chore… until I met Ryan!
He has taught me so much in the kitchen and his positive spirit has made me fall in love with the process. I evolved from spectator and spoon-licker to enthusiastic participant! Now we make a great team and do everything together, from creating the recipes to cooking them side-by-side.
I’ve been a vegetarian since 1989, and I’m often asked, “What do you eat if you don’t eat meat?” I am excited now to share our extensive collection of tasty meals, desserts, and snacks that we have been enjoying and perfecting over the years, as well as new and delicious recipes that we are always creating. So now when people ask what I eat, I simply tell them to visit Husbands That Cook.
About us
We met in April 2001… Ryan was a freshman at the University of Southern California and singing with the jazz choir at school. For their class project, they recorded an album at the studio where Adam happened to be the recording engineer… We fell in love, and five years later we were married in front of 120 of our closest friends and family. When we are not in the kitchen, we love being in nature, whether we are hiking the mountains around Los Angeles, or spending time in our garden. Adam is also a musician, and one of the founding members of indie rock band The 88. Ryan sings classical choral music and acts in TV shows and commercials.
Our kitchen
We have a small space. It’s approximately 14’x 6’ but it is warm, cozy, and perfect for the two of us. There is no dishwasher, so we take turns cooking and cleaning. We fell in love with this kitchen the first time we saw it, and haven’t changed a thing since we moved in. From the chalkboard refrigerator (RIP 2010-2018) and the musician tiles above the stove, to the forest green countertops and wood-paneled ceiling, it is full of personality.
Sylvia
Sylvia loves to keep us company while we’re cooking. She is a Maine Coon/tabby mix that we rescued from the Humane Society in November 2010. Her favorite things are playing in boxes, hunting bugs, and eating canned pumpkin!