[solatic]

It's not about learning recipes, it's about learning cooking as a matter of technique - everything from knife skills to the correct temperature for burners (high for boiling water, medium for bringing oil up to temperature, low for simmering sauces) to how to salt and season food for taste. These are simple skills which are generally not covered in recipes (due to their generic applicability) and, honestly, should be taught in high school as part of a home economics course.