THE MAN BEHIND THE QUESTIONABLE DECISIONS
I'm Peter. I make food. And occasionally questionable life decisions.
I'm originally from Denmark, but these days I live in Marbella, Spain, where I spend an unreasonable amount of time thinking about what I'm going to cook next.
During the day, I build and run businesses on the internet. I genuinely love it. There's something incredibly satisfying about taking an idea and turning it into something real.
But if I were rich enough, I'd probably spend my entire life cooking.
Unfortunately, we're not quite there yet. So for now, I have to keep working like the rest of you peasants.
I'm kidding.
Mostly.
A LIFELONG LOVE AFFAIR
It started with a chair.
I've loved cooking for as long as I can remember.
When I was a little boy, I used to drag my Tripp Trapp chair across the kitchen floor whenever my mother was cooking.
I'd push it right up next to her, climb onto it, and watch everything she did.
I didn't particularly care what we were making. I just wanted to be part of it.
Looking back, I suppose not much has changed.
I'm still happiest standing in a kitchen, watching something come together.
The only real difference is that these days, I'm allowed to use the knives.
And apparently, nobody is supervising the amount of butter anymore.
MORE THAN JUST FOOD
I genuinely love feeding people. Well, some people.
There's something incredibly satisfying about making a meal from scratch.
Taking a bunch of ordinary ingredients, spending far too much time preparing them, and turning them into something that makes people genuinely happy.
I love the process. The smells. The little adjustments along the way. The moment you taste something and realize you've absolutely nailed it.
But what I love most is watching someone else enjoy something I've made.
And that reminds me of something.
A COMPLETELY TRUE STORY
The most romantic thing anyone has ever said to me involved olive oil.
One of my ex-girlfriends once told me she absolutely loved the olive oil I used in my cooking.
And I'm not exaggerating when I say it made me ridiculously happy.
Not just because the olive oil was expensive. Although, for the record, it fucking was.
But because she'd noticed.
From the very first bite, she could tell that I genuinely cared about the ingredients and the effort that went into making something good.
And for some reason, that meant more to me than almost any ordinary compliment.
Some men want to be complimented on their looks, their cars, or their success.
Apparently, all it takes to make me feel genuinely appreciated is a woman recognizing the quality of my extra virgin olive oil.
Romance is a beautiful thing.
STRICTLY INVITATION ONLY
Not everyone gets to eat my cooking.
Now, as much as I love cooking for other people, there's one small detail I should probably mention.
Not everyone gets to eat my food.
You see, access to my kitchen operates on a very exclusive premium membership system.
There's no application form. No waiting list. No monthly fee.
You either qualify or you don't.
Very few people currently hold an active membership.
Some have even had theirs permanently revoked.
A tragic situation, really.
And before anyone asks, no, there is no appeals process.
Anyway, if I cook for you, congratulations.
You're probably one of the good ones.
A FEW THINGS ABOUT ME
Apparently, I have other interests too.
When I'm not cooking, I'm usually working on some internet business idea, going for a long walk, or spending time with people I actually like.
I love dogs. Generally more than people, if we're being completely honest.
I enjoy a quiet life, good food, long walks, building things, and having absolutely no reason to leave the house.
My sourdough starter is called Candy.
Yes, I named a jar of fermented flour and water.
She's a valued member of the household, contributes absolutely nothing financially, and somehow still gets fed every day.
I also have a habit of speaking before thinking.
Sometimes that's funny.
Sometimes it's probably better that nobody was recording.
Unfortunately, I've now decided to start recording myself.
So we'll see how that goes.
MY COOKING PHILOSOPHY
Make what you love. Enjoy the process. Don't be afraid of butter.
I don't believe every meal needs to be healthy, every ingredient needs to be measured to perfection, or every dinner needs to look like something from a Michelin-starred restaurant.
Some days I make something healthy.
Other days I use four different cheeses because three felt disrespectful.
I cook what I feel like eating.
Sometimes it works beautifully.
Sometimes I learn something.
Either way, I usually have a pretty good time.
And at the end of the day, that's what cooking should be about.
Good food. Good company. And doing something that makes you happy.
Anyway, welcome to my kitchen.
I started Peter Made This because I wanted somewhere to share the food I make, the recipes I love, and whatever nonsense happens to come out of my mouth along the way.
I'm not a professional chef.
I'm just a guy who really loves cooking.
And if something I make inspires you to get into your own kitchen, try something new, or simply add a completely unnecessary amount of parmesan to your dinner, then I'd say we're doing pretty well.
Thanks for being here.
Peter
Good food. Questionable commentary.
See What I've Been Cooking