Cooking dinner was a nightmare when DS was that age. It didn't help that we were both working at that time and after a day at daycare DS wanted even more attention. It was also getting close to bedtime so he was extra clingy.
Our solution was to have DS involved. It was often messy and sometimes made for some interesting meals when he added extra things in but it was the only way I could get something done. I would give him things to cut up (butter knife), mix, measure, etc. Early on he was in his high chair which I would roll over to be right beside me. A little over a year he would stand on a tall stool at the counter beside me. He quickly graduated to using real knives and is actually a pretty decent cook now.
One of my favorite memories was him tasting things when I wasn't looking - I can still picture his face after he bit into an onion like it was an apple. He would also eat garlic by the clove and go back for more if I wasn't watching.
Good luck!
