From my Table: Simple Barbecued Chicken

The husband of our graphic designer, Devorah Cohen, is a rebbe 10 months a year. When the school year was over, he offered to step in to help her make Shabbos. He happens to be savvy in the kitchen, and Devorah’s favorite sport is not cooking, so it was the perfect treat for her.

We followed his lead in our subsequent columns, along with the stipulations he set up for himself. He wouldn’t ask Devorah for advice, help, or even recipe directions. He called his mother to ask how to make challah, and searched through cookbooks so as not to trigger a wife’s natural “I’ll just do it” reaction.

My kids had the same drive to give me a break, and I loved the way they galvanized to make such a meaningful statement together. It was a labor of love for them, and they really felt proud of themselves.

I’d like to thank all the husbands and sons who stepped up to the plate to give their mothers and wives a well-deserved break week after week. I hope we can say that we started a revolution of more help in the kitchen, or just of taking notice of the ways our families can chip in to make our lives easier. Sadly, we’ll be saying goodbye to Man with a Pan, and welcoming a fun new competition column, Feel the Heat, which is debuting this week. A pair of you will go head-to-head to create two unique versions of one base recipe. Lots will happen along the way, and we can’t wait to hear about it!