Skyscript Astrology Forum

What do the traditional books say about chefs and cooks as a profession, or at least people with talent in cooking and culinary arts?

At first I thought Venus would be the main significator, because it rules over things that are pleasant to the senses. But then, two of the main skills of cooking involve finely cutting ingredients and appropriate manipulation of heat, both of which are significations of Mars.

So currently my formulation is either:

1) Mars well dignified and/or well placed in harmonious aspect with Venus, or
2) Venus well dignified and/or well placed in harmonious aspect with Mars.



Comments, anyone?

I had the same question few years back.

My findings also led me to well dignified/placed Mars (Point 01 in your post). t

The one cook I know personally has Venus in Scorpio in the 2nd, which isn't exactly in gorgeous condition, and Mars in Aries in the 7th Whole Sign. Which is, of course, anecodtal evidence, but of the three traditional career significators (Mercury, Venus, Mars) it's leaps and bounds above the others in dignity. And is also in an angle from the First House Lot of Fortune, for what that might be worth.

i don't know any professional cooks. i knew a few at one point, but they left for other occupations. i have a few friends, including my wife who all love to cook. the 2 friends are both sun in water, one a pisces with mars in aries and the other a scorpio with mars in scorpio in an angle.. my wife is also a scorpio, with mars in virgo in an angle. this might lend merit to mars being a key factor, but obviously isn't conclusive! all 3 are sun in a water sign. something about nurturing others with food strikes me as a water characteristic. caveat - this is not 'traditional' astro, or something ive read in a t astro book, but based on direct observation in a limited context.

Thanks for the replies, guys.


Maternus, who also talked about deciding occupation using Mars, Venus and Mercury (though his method is different from Ptolemy; there is no mention of heliacal phases as being one of the indicators as in Ptolemy), said:

"But if Venus is in alien houses or terms, she indicates honorable and civilized skills: she produces goldsmiths, gold-platers...But if she is found in dejected houses, she will make inn-keepers, tavern keepers, cooks, perfumers..."
[Liber Quartus, page 146]

On the other hand, we have Lilly:

"Mars signifies such laborious and hard Professions which require both the strength and endeavour of the whole body, he therefore principally governeth Mannuall Occupations, which are toylsome, and exercised of themselves by fire...Being well constituted he makes Souldiers, Horsemen, Captains...If he be meanly dignified, he makes Champions, Copper and Iron-smiths...but if weak, he makes Cooks, Wood-cleavers, Carriers..."

[I got this from margerita's website: http://heavenastrolabe.net/stars-trade- ... linations/]


We can assume that Lilly follows Ptolemy, who similarly gives cooks or chefs to Mars:

"Mars, in aspect with the sun, makes his subjects those who use fire in their crafts, such as cooks, moulders, cauterizers...if he is not with the sun, those who work with iron, such as shipbuilders, carpenters...If Saturn testifies to him, he produces seamen, drawers of water, tunnelers, painter, gamekeepers, cooks, embalmers."
[Book IV, Of the Quality of Action]

No mention of "cook", "chef" or "culinary" in Dorotheus. I checked Maternus's Liber Tertius further, and found one more quote:

"Mercury and the Sun by day in the seventh house will entrust the natives with power and great affairs...If found thus by night the natives will suffer many evils, laboring and seeking daily bread from low-class occupations. Their skills will be sordid or filthy...such as the occupation of tanners, leather makers...millers, cooks and the like."
[Liber Tertius, page 104]

It seems that both Maternus and Lilly view the culinary profession as a kind of low-class career. I haven't searched Valens's books yet. I might check them out later.