Bruce Springsteen Turns 75 Today—Here’s The One Dish He's Learned to Master

When it comes to cooking, we all have to start somewhere. Whether you’re scrambling your first egg or learning the art of a perfect roast chicken, no one becomes a master in the kitchen without a few bumps along the way. Even the rock and roll icon Bruce Springsteen wasn’t always comfortable behind a stovetop. At one point, the only thing he'd ever made in his life was music.

But in his 75 years, Springsteen has mastered something else—something a little more relatable than selling out arenas or writing hits. Believe it or not, Bruce Springsteen has become a pancake pro, and the story behind his cooking journey is as heartwarming as any of his songs.

Bruce Springsteen’s Favorite Dish to Cook For His Family

If there are two things that have shaped Springsteen’s life, it’s his music and his family. For all his wild success, the bond with his wife, Patti Scialfa, and their three children has always been a cornerstone of his world. In fact, the reason Springsteen actually found his way into the kitchen at all was to stay connected with his kids.

In his autobiography, "Born to Run," Springsteen revealed that as his children grew up, he realized the morning hours were the best time to bond with them. As for the best way to bond with them, that came as a suggestion from his wife: over pancakes. Initially, he didn’t think he had it in him, countering that he didn’t know how to make pancakes. She simply replied, “Learn.”

As you can imagine, most rock musicians aren't necessarily morning people. But, even if he was “mumbling, grumbling, stolid faced,” Springsteen made his way into the kitchen at 7 a.m., spatula in hand, ready to put on a show.

Did The Boss turn out a plate of fluffy, golden pancakes from the start? Of course not. It took several (we can imagine) frustrating rounds of flipping flapjacks before his family became a fan of his work. But, that morning labor paid off in a major way.

“After some early cementlike results,” Springsteen shared, “I dialed it in, expanded my menu, and am now proud to say that should the whole music thing go south, I will be able to hold down a job between the hours of 5 and 11 a.m. at any diner in America.”

We don’t know the exact recipe Springsteen has made over the years—apparently, it came from a family chef—but we’re pretty sure any good batch of buttermilk pancakes could bond a dad with his kids over the breakfast table. He didn't have to master the whole breakfast menu—all it took was one dish that could become "dad's special."

So, the next time you’re feeling like a kitchen late-bloomer, remember Bruce Springsteen’s approach. At 75, he’s mastered more than just the guitar—he’s figured out how to make a mean stack of pancakes. And if Springsteen can do it, there’s hope for the rest of us to perfect that one dish, whether it’s pancakes, pasta, or even a roast chicken.