That’s really interesting, from a cultural perspective, in the UK and my circle at least, if I was entertaining guests I’d be horrified if they were to so much as raise a finger in the kitchen.
I’ll do the prep, cooking, cleaning, hosting, and everything else, thank you. If you want something, ask and it will be given, but to think of my guests _working_ when I’m hosting is far from my nature and far from how I’ve experienced being a guest.
I’d invite you to come and cook with me if I wanted you to cook with me, but if you arrive as a guest under no circumstances would I expect, nor want them to be doing anything in the kitchen or around the house, personally.
Maybe they’re expecting to be rejected (think of how in Chinese culture one is expected to politely reject a gift the first time) and then are surprised and angry when you literally take them up on their offer, and take it out on your cookware ?