Welcome! I'm not a professional chef either. But as a home cook I love being part of this community. There's a lot to learn and some great people to meet here from all over the world.
What is your particular culinary insterest? Are there ingredients, methods or recipes you particularly love? Are there local or regional items you like?
Have a look around the site! Don't miss the cooking articles, blogs, photo galleries, etc. You'll be amazed at it all- and that's before you dig into the forums.
Enjoy!
Mezzaluna