Rick Kennedy, St. Charles

Newly retired with more time on his hands, Rick Kennedy of St. Charles has taken on the cooking duties for his wife and sons, who range in age from 17 to 24.

"All were home during the quarantine," he said. "That is what really accelerated my interest in cooking."

His style of cooking, as he describes it, is pretty traditional. "My wife is Italian, and I like to make her mom's (who was Sicilian) family dishes," he said.

Cooking gives him a creative outlet.

"I think what I love most about it is bringing all kinds of ingredients together and combining them with some love, time, heat and/or refrigeration; you get to create something," he said.

Having more time is one reason he wanted to join the Cook of the Week Challenge this year.

What is he hoping to get out of the contest? Plenty.

"I am really looking forward to it, even though it will be scaled back this year," Kennedy said. "I think we are all learning to live life a little differently than we used to, so all we can do is make the best of it, and that is what I plan to do with this experience. I am also looking forward to learning some tips and tricks from the other cooks."