Meat Me After Class

SAN DIEGO LIFE: By Sophie Kinnefors

Meat Me After Class

There are two types of men who cook.

1. Those who have to.

2. Those who want to — all the while impressing potential love interests.

If you’re the latter, you just may be a “gastrosexual.”

According to a study by cuisine brand PurAsia, 48 percent of those polled say being able to cook makes a person more attractive to them; 23 percent of 18- to 34-year-old men say they cook to potentially seduce a partner.

The macho image of celebrity chefs may have encouraged men to spend more time in the kitchen. An Oxford University study found that men spend more than twice as much time cooking today than they did in 1961.

To help men become better chefs, meat experts Stan Glenn and Christopher Brill from Iowa Meat Farms and Siesel’s Meats offer classes on steaks, ribs, pork, poultry and braising.

The pair host a get-together called “The Man Class” at Great News Cooking School (greatnews.com) in Pacific Beach.

Class topics include: What to ask your butcher at the meat counter; the number-one mistake men make at the grill; and what to know about marinades and seasonings.

Glenn also lets students in on the details of the cuts of meats being featured.

“It’s this background/insider knowledge that makes all the difference when selecting and purchasing your meats,” says Brill. “You can’t make great-tasting food out of subpar ingredients.”

Brill is a believer in the pleasant side effects of cooking.

“It’s a very sensuous experience,” he says. “The sounds, sights, smells, tastes and feel of food, not to mention the emotional reactions that it illicits, can in some ways be comparative to being in love.”

Meat 101

The schedule for meat-oriented classes at Great News Cooking School in Pacific Beach:

January 30: The Man Class

February 27: Steaks

March 19: This Little Piggy

April 2: Ribs