One preparing eggs

MAMA BIRD

Think of the creature that keeps her unhatched young warm before they crack open—she’s not in the kitchen.

The clue "One preparing eggs" plays on two meanings of "preparing eggs." Literally, it could mean someone cooking eggs, but the answer "MAMA BIRD" hints at a bird sitting on eggs to hatch them. The word "preparing" here cleverly refers to the nesting and incubation process, turning a simple phrase into a nature-themed pun.