Eva Mendes Says She 'Can't Cook' but Ryan Gosling Is 'Amazing' in the Kitchen: Here's Her Favorite Dish of His

Mendes also admitted that her two daughters "don’t really like" the way she makes eggs and it "kind of hurts" her "feelings"

Eva Mendes and Ryan Gosling
Eva Mendes and Ryan Gosling. Photo:

Dave Allocca/Starpix/Shutterstock

Eva Mendes is getting candid about her cooking prowess!

The Hitch actress, 50, revealed during a recent event at 92NY promoting her new picture book Desi, Mami, and the Never-Ending Worries that while she excels at a lot of things — cooking is not one of them.

“I can’t cook,” the actress admitted, before adding that Ryan Gosling, 43, is “an amazing cook.”

When asked if he had a signature dish, she shared that “his shakshuka” in particular was “amazing.” However, that’s not the only culinary dish that he takes the lead on during family meals. 

Eva Mendes at the 92nd Street Y in New York City on September 17, 2024.
Eva Mendes at 92NY in N.Y.C. on Sept. 17, 2024.

Karl Ault/Michael Priest Photography

“I know it sounds crazy but my kids don’t really like my eggs, and it kind of hurts my feelings,” Mendes said. 

She continued, “And I tell [Gosling] ... at nighttime I'll be like, ‘Baby, how can I mess up eggs?’ I go, ‘anybody can make eggs,’ and he’s like, ‘Oh, no, no, that's where you're wrong.’”

“Apparently it's a thing,” she added. “You just go for it, and I don’t have it.” 

While she may not have the best culinary skills, Mendes shared that she does enjoy a different household task: dishes. She revealed during the chat that she often hand-washes the dishes after meals and makes sure that the kitchen sink is clear.

“Yeah, I clean, I just don’t cook,” the actress explained.

Eva Mendes
Eva Mendes.

Tim Hunter / Newspix via Getty

When Mendes and Gosling aren’t on movie sets or tending to household chores, they’re often spending their time with daughters Esmeralda Amada, 9, and Amada Lee, 8. A source previously told PEOPLE in 2023 that the couple are "hands-on parents and have little help."

"When they are not working, they are all about their girls," the source said. "Ryan is such a fun dad. He is goofy and his girls love it."

"He takes them out by himself for various activities,” the insider added. “As a family, they enjoy visiting the desert and the beach. They are a very active family. Eva and Ryan seem happy. They tend to be flirty and hold hands. It's cute."

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However, it appears that their girls are not impressed by their parents' careers, as Gosling told PEOPLE back in May, “They don't care.”

“Eva was on an episode of Bluey,” he recalled of her stint voicing a yoga instructor in a 2021 episode, adding that it didn’t get a response from their kids. “They didn't like it,” he said. “They were like, ‘Fast-forward through that part!’ ”

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