I’m really irritated because my papa insists on taking charge of the barbecue even though we like our meat cooked differently. I like mine rare, just seared on the outside, but my papa prefers it well-done.

I’m Osaka, a male member. Back when I was a student, I was on a hard-core sports team, so it was quantity over quality all the way. Dinner at training camps was basically a battle for food. Six starving wolves would swarm around a single hot plate, focused on nothing but the meat. At first, I’d line the meat up on the plate, but if anyone tried to add vegetables, they’d get booed mercilessly lol. Vegetables could wait—we’d just cover the plate with meat. But waiting for it to cook was unbearably slow, and since one guy would inevitably jump the gun and start eating it practically raw, even a medium-rare guy like me couldn’t wait lol. The well-done members had it the worst. Watching the meat disappear before their eyes, they’d panic and say, “Hey, hold on!” before claiming their own territory on the hot plate. But every time new meat was added, it all went into the free-for-all zone. That was when I truly witnessed the law of the jungle: survival of the fittest. I converted to Team Rare from then on. Thanks to this habit, whenever I went out for yakiniku at student mixers, people would give me strange looks as I piled meat all over the grill. Eventually, I learned the proper etiquette: each person tends their own meat in their own little section, cooking it however they like. This wolf from the savanna encountered civilization, discovered the tongs, and was deeply moved by the peaceful meals of an agricultural society. As I went to yakiniku restaurants more often, I learned about all the different cuts. Salted beef tongue is eaten first with lemon juice; I learned the characteristics of loin, kalbi, skirt steak, and so on. To get a good balance of vegetables, you wrap the meat in lettuce leaves, and toward the end comes the offal. I was overwhelmed by the depth of yakiniku. Maybe that’s when I started thinking that being particular about how you grill your meat was cool—it made you seem knowledgeable. You could call it the Industrial Revolution, I suppose lol. Feeling pretty pleased with myself as a full-fledged yakiniku gentleman, I invited my girlfriend out for yakiniku. She ordered some of her favorite dishes, and then an unfamiliar item appeared on the table! Green onion–topped beef tongue! I figured it was still just tongue and put it on the grill as usual, but when I flipped it over, she let out a disappointed cry. The scattered green onions had stuck to the grill and were giving off the smell of burnt onion (T_T) I had no idea you were supposed to wrap it up like a gyoza. Looks like I still have a long way to go on my yakiniku journey (T_T) ...Wait, what was I trying to write about again? Basically, just like the questioner, I’m a big fan of yakiniku.

Don’t worry about that—just eat whatever you like… —Matsurika

It’s me. He sounds like a kind papa (a male supporter). Since he clearly doesn’t mean any harm, that almost makes it harder to know how to respond. Rather than saying, “Can I eat this now?” try saying, “I like my steak rare, so I’d like to eat it when it’s about this done.” I think he’ll get the message. After you brought up the hormones, he started asking you directly, didn’t he? He’ll probably think, “Oh, then you should’ve just told me sooner!” ♪( ´▽｀)

I’m Kamihikōki, a male member. That would be unbearable. Yakiniku is probably the kind of meal that reveals your compatibility the most. I think you should date a papa (a male supporter) you’d actually want to go for yakiniku with every time. Each time, ask the server, “Could we have another pair of tongs?” Then say, “I want to try cooking it the way they do at the latest trendy yakiniku place, so let me cook.” Alternatively, have him take you to a steakhouse or teppanyaki restaurant. When they ask how you want your steak cooked, answer loud and clear, “Rare.” Make sure he remembers that rare is your preference. But compatibility is really important, so if your tastes and the man’s consideration don’t match, I don’t think the dates will be enjoyable at all. I hope you find a papa who’s a better match for you.

I’m Tetsu, a male member. I love eating delicious food, so I understand how you feel. That said, I sometimes wonder whether everyone else finds the things I consider delicious equally tasty. I think the reason some people want to be with someone who shares their taste in food is that everyone’s preferences are so different. What I find hardest is having someone else force their food preferences on me. As for your question, how about saying, “I love grilling meat, so would you mind letting me take over today?” and switching roles with him as the grill master? Then, serve him the meat when you think it’s perfectly cooked and see how he reacts. If he still seems to prefer it well done, you could simply say, “I prefer it a little more tender, so I’ll take my pieces off the grill when they’re ready for me.” When I go to a Korean barbecue restaurant, I usually ask for several pairs of tongs and grill our meat separately. I think it’s more enjoyable when each person can cook and eat at their own pace. And if he grills something nicely, you could say, “That looks perfectly cooked. Can I have a little?” Or, when you cook something well yourself, say, “I think this turned out really well. Would you like to try it?” It would be nice if you could enjoy the whole grilling process together.

I’m Nana Ayase ♡ It’s not like you’re eating yakiniku every day, and you’re receiving an allowance and getting treated to yakiniku, so I think you should just put up with that part. Let him open the car door for you, too. You don’t want to hit another car, after all, and try to keep your papa (a male supporter) happy. That might be the secret to making the arrangement last.