People who suffer from mageirocophobia feel strong anxiety or panic when thinking about cooking, watching others cook, or even being in a kitchen; many go out of their way to avoid cooking.
This phobia can be directed at certain aspects of food preparation, such as making someone sick with undercooked or contaminated food, injuring themselves while cooking, not following recipes correctly, or being judged for how the food looks or tastes.
In more severe cases, avoidance of cooking can significantly affect daily life and diet, sometimes leading people to rely heavily on ready-made foods, restaurants, or foods that require no cooking.