In centuries gone by natives cooked on open fires on hot stones. Cooking process was a long and tedious chore. Housewives did not go to work and all they did was concentrate on caring for their family and cook all day long in big pots to feed their household as well as in the case of farms, feed the farm hands. Cooking was the pride and joy of a woman.

There were no ovens or any electrical appliances. Everything was heated over an open fire. They used ceramic ware and cast iron pots and pans. Today bar-b-cued food is very popular and it is something that people do in their backyards and the origin of this type of cooking came from the natives.

In place of ovens, housewives baked bread from home grown grain ground at a mill. Thereafter brick baking ovens equipped with iron doors were used to do your baking. Today you don't even have to bake your own bread but if you must, electric ovens with timers are available. The dough is made with the assistance of a electrical appliances which are readily available.

By 1960s family habits started changing. Inspired by the women's liberation movement, college-educated women chose to become a career woman and also have a family. Meals were not given the same prominence as days gone by, with the whole family around the table at specific meal times, but instead became casual and help yourself from the well stocked fridge. When weather permitted meat was often cooked outdoors on a charcoal grill. Consumer market flourished after the World War II. Even as many changes were taking place in the Universe the electrical and electronic industry boomed and with that came the advent of home appliances of every kind like mixers, blenders, toasters, ovens and rotisseries. The versatile food processor became a very useful item for chopping, slicing, grating and mixing. To facilitate a quick hot meal, microwave ovens became essential for heating food.

Time became limited as women now had two roles to play, one of the mother and one of the career woman. They tried their best to play both roles well and dividing their time in the best way possible. However, juggling with a job and doing the work at home is not the easiest of tasks and most women prioritized well to give their first place as moms and also to be focused in their jobs.

Development of modern kitchens paved the way for modern cooking which was all about not having to spend too much of time in the kitchen making meals. There was not time to marinate food for hours. Instead, it is now possible to buy pre-marinated chicken where all you have to do is put it in the oven. Even the salads do not require fresh vegetables being cut but instead packs of salads is available. Due to time constraints ways and means were found to spend less time in the kitchen. Advent of ready to serve meals is best invention for a busy housewife.

Modern cooking has certainly taken over ethnic cooking, not because it is better but because it is that much easier and quicker.