Father’s Day: Favorite TV dads who cook, with Walter White and more

As far as television is concerned, there’s something just irresistibly funny about dads who cook. Well, we beg to differ. Here are five TV dads who knew their way around the kitchen, to a greater or lesser extent.

Walter White from “Breaking Bad”: We all know Walter White was a good cook ... but we’re not just talking about his one-of-a-kind recipe for meth. When White wanted to turn on the charm and compete with his brother-in-law Hank, he headed outside to the grill. And who could forget his adorable apron over a checkered shirt? It was dark green and read, “MMM something’s cookin!” Yes, with White, something was always cooking.

Coach Taylor from “Friday Night Lights”: Coach Eric Taylor, played by Kyle Chandler, is one of the most beloved father characters on TV. Many memorable scenes from the show take place in the kitchen or at the dinner table. Coach Taylor cooked for team barbecues and he was also a fan of bacon. In an interview with The Times in 2011, Chandler said he and the crew would insert bacon into as many scenes as possible. “It wasn’t a set, it was a real house,” Chandler said. “So every time we went there to shoot, I’d go in early and cook everyone bacon.”

Dr. Heathcliff Huxtable from “The Cosby Show”: He may not have been the best cook in the world, but he was an expert at pretending to cook. In one scene, Huxtable is in the kitchen, explaining to Sondra’s boyfriend Elvin how to cook his secret spaghetti sauce. He instructs him to just boil stuff in a pot, throw some random spices and twigs in and mix. Then when no one is looking, pour in some bottled spicy barbecue sauce and voila. And don’t forget to wipe your brow a couple times. You know, to make it look like you’re really cooking.

Phil Dunphy from “Modern Family”: Phil Dunphy is an ace in the kitchen. Remember that Mother’s Day episode a few years back when he’s in the kitchen with his father-in-law, Jay? Not only does Dunphy don onion goggles, he can switch on a Julia Child impression in no time ... and it sounds pretty good. He even suggests adding a couple ingredients to the pot that aren’t in the recipe. Now if he could just find a way to stop annoying Jay.

Deacon Claybourne from “Nashville”: When he’s not pining after country star Reyna James or writing a hit song, Deacon Claybourne is trying to be a good new dad. When it comes to cooking, Claybourne whips up a mean bowl of cereal and milk. He also eats things out of a can and he can burn a lasagna like no one else can.

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