Hi, I’m Marco Bennett (though some of my friends call me Fastio—short for Fastion, because I’ve got a knack for finding shortcuts), and if you told me five years ago that I’d find my peace in the kitchen, I would’ve laughed while microwaving another sad burrito between school runs and Zoom calls.
I live just outside of Nashville, I’m 37, and I’m a dad of two tornadoes disguised as kids. Life has always moved fast—soccer practice, laundry mountains, deadlines. For a long time, cooking felt like one more thing I had to squeeze in, not something I could actually enjoy. But then something shifted.
It started with a memory—me, about eight years old, standing on a step stool while my grandma rolled out biscuit dough on the counter. She’d let me press the cutter down, always saying, “Good food isn’t about fancy, it’s about love.” I didn’t get it then. But somewhere between a particularly hectic Tuesday and a tearful breakdown over takeout again, I remembered those words. So I dusted off an old recipe and tried.
I burned the first batch. Forgot the salt. The kids laughed, and for once, I did too. But I kept going. I started making one real meal a week. Then two. I began sharing my flops and small wins on social media, and the messages started coming in: “Thanks for showing it doesn’t have to be perfect.” That’s when I realized—there are so many of us trying to do it all, and just needing one small, doable win in the kitchen.
Now, I create and share recipes that are built for real life—the kind with picky eaters, empty fridges, and zero energy. You won’t find me chiffonading herbs or making 12-step sauces. But you will find shortcuts that actually work, meals your kids won’t hate, and little kitchen moments that help you reconnect with yourself.
Cooking isn’t about perfection. It’s about reclaiming a few minutes of joy, a little pride, and a hot meal that didn’t come from a box. So if your days are messy and your energy is low, come sit at my table. There’s always room for another parent learning to love cooking—one simple meal at a time.
You can find more at Fastiorecipes.com or reach me at [email protected]. Let’s make easy your new normal, together.