Penny Lancaster says cooking robs men of their masculinity.

It sounds like Rocking Rod is off the hook for kitchen duties forever.

Penny Lancaster – wife of raspy-voiced rocker Rod Stewart – reckons men should leave cooking to women because hacking and heating a dead beast is not sufficiently manly.

The 44-year-old mother of two acknowledges that her views may be “a bit old-fashioned” (you think?) but the male species should be “the hunter-gatherer, the macho man, looking after the family” (just not by feeding them).

“I do agree with equal rights and if women want to go and work that’s fabulous,” she told The Telegraph.

Lancaster is married to a man who croons love songs for a living, but says cooking deprives men of their manhood.

“If anything, when men come home I think it’s more a case of being part of the family, spending more time with the children, being a strong role model.

But going as far as cooking and putting the apron on, I think that it, not belittles men, but takes the masculinity and I would miss that.

We’re different… men are from Mars and women are from Venus. Testosterone, oestrogen – we’re different creatures. I think you’ve got to let men do it their way.”

So, the take-away message here is women should cook. Because hormones. And planets?

As someone who is constantly trying to ensure that cooking duties in our home are evenly split, reading this today made me cry a little inside.

My husband and I are DINKS – dual income, no kids – so there are no helpless and hungry mouths to be fed (apart from our dog’s, and even that responsibility is shared).

We both work full-time, so our unspoken agreement is that whoever is home first will start cooking dinner.

But according to Lancaster, I should be working full-time and then cooking dinner each night, lest my poor husband be robbed of his masculinity by the simple act of putting on an apron.

That’s not going to happen. Because my lovely husband is an adult . So ensuring food makes its way to his stomach is his responsibility, not mine.

Sorry, Penny. But you are so wrong.

Men cooking is far from emasculating,

It’s sexy. There is nothing better than that early stage in a relationship when each person cooks for the other, each trying to impress with their culinary prowess (even if it only extends to one dish). Having someone, anyone, take the time to prepare a home-cooked meal for you is one of life’s simple pleasures.

It’s empowering. Lancaster obviously hasn’t been between an Aussie man and his BBQ, the sacred place for pondering life over a snag and VB (to complete the stereotype). Having a secret cooking power that brings the boys to the yard (or people to the table) is a point of pride.

It’s equality. It’s about sharing the load. If a woman chooses to take on the sole responsibility of cooking because she wants to, good on her. But there should not be a blanket expectation that women will prepare and cook every meal.

It’s survival. Options include eating raw food, frozen meals, take away, cooking or starvation.

Men are cooking more now than ever, thanks to popular cooking shows on TV and celebrity chefs (the vast majority of which are male). I know plenty of homes in which the man routinely cooks because his partner has no interest in it.

As mundane as putting together a weeknight dinner in little time and with many distractions can be, lots of people enjoy cooking generally – regardless of their gender.

Despite Lancaster’s comments, she certainly doesn’t spend all her time in the kitchen.

She has previously spoken about the family’s “wonderful chef”, though she says she likes to go to the supermarket “to stay connected to reality”.

I think it might be time for a quick trip to Tesco.

Cooking is many things. Emasculating is not one of them.

For more on all things cooking, try these articles:

Struggle to cook toast? These ‘rookie recipes’ are for you.

MasterChef fans are mad because one contestant cooks too damn well.

Finally! A cooking show you can actually relate to.

7 mummy hacks that will change the way you cook dinner.

Who cooks in your house?