Welcome to Warcraft Tavern’s Cooking guide! In this guide, we’ll provide everything you need to max out your Cooking skill, from the materials required to level up your profession to the best recipes to follow.
Why Cooking?
Cooking is a secondary profession which can be learned by every character regardless of their choice of primary professions. It provides necessary utility and power for all characters, as max-level food buffs those who eat long enough with a broad range of stat enhancements, depending on the recipe used to prepare the meal.
Beasts drop an assortment of meat, eggs, and clams, which you will combine with seasoning or other material purchased from vendors to make most cooking items. Fishing can also lend a strong hand to the Cooking profession, as each catch can be fried up for a chance to increase your skill. Consider leveling fishing alongside your cooking skill for added synergy!
Cooking Dailies
The new daily Cooking quests in the major faction cities are available immediately when you learn Apprentice Cooking and can be completed by even low level characters. These daily quests award a point of Cooking skill as well as the Chef’s Award currency, which is required to purchase endgame Cooking recipes. It’s a good idea to start doing these quests as soon as possible so you can buy all of the recipes you’ll need. The Cooking daily quests in Shattrath and Dalaran are also worth doing for some extra recipes and rewards, including the Chef’s Hat.
There is also a Cooking quest available at the Darkmoon Faire which you can complete every time it’s in town (which is every 2 weeks in Cataclysm Classic). This quest awards 5 Cooking skill, but you will need at least 75 skill level to complete it.
Cooking Fire & Chef’s Hat
The Basic Campfire ability that is learned along with Apprentice Cooking has been changed to Cooking Fire with Cataclysm, but it still works the same way. As of Wrath of the Lich King, this ability is free to cast and does not require you to carry around wood and tinder like it did in Vanilla or Burning Crusade. So you can set up a fire anywhere and get cooking on the spot.
The Chef’s Hat is also useful for Cooking, although it may be difficult to get while leveling. This item can be obtained with 100 Dalaran Cooking Awards, which are earned by completing the daily Cooking quests in Dalaran. There are only a few of these quests available each day, so it can take a while to earn the hat. Once you have it, it will allow you to cook faster. Plus you will look the part!
Required Materials & Recipes (Summary)
If you intend to follow the most optimal suggestions from the guide, the first table below summarizes all of the materials you will need. The second table will cover all of the recommended recipes. Please check the rest of the guide for alternatives, suggestions, and details.
Note that sometimes you will have to craft yellow recipes that don’t guarantee a level up on every craft, therefore the materials required are estimates, rather than exact figures.
Recommended Materials
Material | Quantity Required |
|---|---|
60 | |
60 | |
35 | |
65 | |
100 | |
50 | |
25 | |
25 | |
25 | |
30 | |
30 | |
90 | |
90 | |
80 | |
40 | |
10 | |
30 | |
90 | |
50 |
Recommended Recipes
Recipe | Source |
|---|---|
 Tansy Puddlefizz (48.2 8.2 – Ironforge) Zansoa (56.0 73.4 – Durotar)(and more) | |
| Tharynn Bouden (41.8 67.0 – Elwynn Forest) Harn Longcast(47.6 55.0 – Mulgore) (and more) | |
| Catherine Leland (41.8 67.0 – Stormwind City) Naal Mistrunner (51.8 52.4 – Thunder Bluff) (and more) | |
| Tansy Puddlefizz (48.2 8.2 – Ironforge) Shankys (66.6, 41.6 – Orgrimmar) (and more) | |
| Only: Vivianna (31.2, 43.4 – Feralas) Only: Sheendra Tallgrass(74.6, 42.8 – Feralas) | |
| Only: Doba (42.2, 27.8 – Zangarmarsh) Only: Gambarinka(31.6, 49.2 – Zangarmarsh) | |
| Innkeeper Biribi (56.6, 53.2 – Terokkar Forest) Rungor(48.8, 46.0 – Terokkar Forest) | |
Cooking Trainers
Apprentice: 1-65
A star 
indicates a recipe that is included in the Recommended Materials and Recommended Recipes sections above.
Levels 1-40
Buy these materials from a Cooking Supply Vendor, located near the Cooking Trainer. Make these until the recipe turns gray in your crafting window.
Crafted Item | Material Needed |
|---|---|
| Spice Bread x60 |
Levels 40-65
Pick from any of the options below based on the Auction House price of the materials or your Fishing skill level. Raw Slitherskin Mackerel are easy to catch and tend to be cheap on the Auction House.
Crafted Item | Material Needed | Recipe | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tansy Puddlefizz (48.2 8.2 – Ironforge) Zansoa(56.0 73.4 – Durotar) (and more) | |||
| Catherine Leland (55.0 69.6 – Stormwind City) Harn Longcast(47.6 55.0 – Mulgore) (and more) | |||
– | Cooking Trainers | ||
Spiced Wolf Meat x30 | – | Cooking Trainers | |
Smoked Bear Meat x25 | Bear Meat x25 | Only: Andrew Hilbert (43.2 40.6 – Silverpine Forest) Only: Drac Roughcut(35.6 49.0 – Loch Modan) | |
| Lynx Steak x35 | Lynx Meat x35 | Only: Landraelanis (49.0, 47.0 – Eversong Woods) | |
Journeyman: 65-130
Be sure to visit a Cooking Trainer and learn Journeyman Cooking by the time you reach level 75, or you will not gain any further skill points from the recipes you craft.
Levels 65-110
Pick from any of the options below based on the Auction House price of the materials or your Fishing skill level. Raw Longjaw Mud Snapper are easy to catch and tend to be cheap on the Auction House. There are a few faction-specific options that can have cheaper materials as well.
Rogues will benefit greatly from learning to make Thistle Tea, which is also good for leveling in this range. You can get skill for this recipe all the way up to level 140.
Crafted Item | Material Needed | Recipe | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tharynn Bouden (41.8 67.0 – Elwynn Forest) Harn Longcast(47.6 55.0 – Mulgore) (and more) | |||
| Only: Catherine Leland (55.0, 69.6 – Stormwind City) Only: Shankys(66.6, 41.6 – Orgrimmar) | |||
Coyote Steak x65 | Coyote Meat x65 | – | Cooking Trainers |
Boiled Clams x65 | – | Cooking Trainers | |
| Only: Fazu (53.6, 56.4 – Bloodmyst Isle) Only: Master Chef Mouldier(48.4, 31.0 – Ghostlands) | |||
Goretusk Liver x65 | Only: Kendor Kabonka (77.4, 52.8 – Stormwind City) | ||
| Blood Sausage x110 | Bear Meat x55 | Only: Kendor Kabonka (77.4, 52.8 – Stormwind City) | |
| Bat Bites x65 | Bat Flesh x65 | Only: Master Chef Mouldier (48.4 31.0 – Ghostlands) | |
| Strider Stew x65 | Strider Meat x65 | Only: Tari’qa (51.6 30.0 – Northern Barrens) | |
Only: Smudge Thunderwood (71.0, 45.8 – Hillsbrad Foothills) Only available to Rogues |
Levels 110-130
Pick from any of the options below based on the Auction House price of the materials or your Fishing skill level. Raw Bristle Whisker Catfish are easy to catch and tend to be cheap on the Auction House. There are plenty of alternatives, though, depending on what materials are cheapest or easiest to obtain on your server and faction. Alliance have a particularly wide selection of recipes available in this level range from a single vendor in Stormwind City.
Savory Deviate Delight is a fun alternative that you may want to craft for yourself if you enjoy its costume effects.
Rogues can opt to continue to make Thistle Tea, although the recipe will be green from level 120 on.
Crafted Item | Material Needed | Recipe | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Catherine Leland (41.8 67.0 – Stormwind City) Naal Mistrunner(51.8 52.4 – Thunder Bluff) (and more) | |||
Crab Cake x30 | Crawler Meat x30 | – | Cooking Trainers |
Dry Pork Ribs x25 | Boar Ribs x25 | – | Cooking Trainers |
Deviate Fish x25 | World Drop | ||
| Westfall Stew x60 | Only: Kendor Kabonka (77.4 52.8 – Stormwind City) | ||
| Crocolisk Steak x25 | Crocolisk Meat x25 | Only: Kendor Kabonka (77.4 52.8 – Stormwind City) | |
| Cooked Crab Claw x25 | Crawler Claw x25 | Only: Kendor Kabonka (77.4 52.8 – Stormwind City) | |
| Murloc Fin Soup x20 | Murloc Fin x40 | Only: Kendor Kabonka (77.4 52.8 – Stormwind City) | |
| Redridge Goulash x20 | Only: Kendor Kabonka (77.4 52.8 – Stormwind City) | ||
Lean Wolf Flank x40 | Only: Kendor Kabonka (77.4 52.8 – Stormwind City) | ||
Boar Ribs x40 | Only: Kendor Kabonka (77.4 52.8 – Stormwind City) | ||
Gooey Spider Leg x40 | Only: Kendor Kabonka (77.4 52.8 – Stormwind City) | ||
| Only: Tari’qa (51.6, 30.0 – Northern Barrens) |
Expert: 130-225
Be sure to visit a Cooking Trainer and learn Expert Cooking by the time you reach level 150, or you will not gain any further skill points from the recipes you craft.
Levels 130-175
Your options in this range are narrower. Raw Bristle Whisker Catfish is likely to still be the easiest/cheapest recipe even though it becomes green at 160 skill.
Crafted Item | Material Needed | Recipe | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Catherine Leland (41.8 67.0 – Stormwind City) Naal Mistrunner(51.8 52.4 – Thunder Bluff) (and more) | |||
Tangy Clam Meat x50 | – | Cooking Trainers | |
Lean Wolf Steak x50 | Lean Wolf Flank x50 | Super-Seller 680 (40.6, 79.2 – Desolace) | |
Raptor Egg x50 | Kendor Kabonka (77.4 52.8 – Stormwind City) Keena(74.0, 32.6 – Arathi Highlands) Nerrist (32.6, 29.2 – Northern Stranglethorn) | ||
Hot Lion Chops x45 | Lion Meat x45 | Vendor-Tron 1000 (60.2, 38.0 – Desolace) Zargh(52.6, 29.8 – Northern Barrens) |
Levels 175-225
You have a few more options to choose from in this range. Raw Mithril Head Trout are likely your best bet for Fishing or buying cheap on the Auction House.
Crafted Item | Material Needed | Recipe | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tansy Puddlefizz (48.2 8.2 – Ironforge) Shankys(66.6, 41.6 – Orgrimmar) (and more) | |||
Sagefish Delight x50 | Erika Tate (78.4, 53.0 – Stormwind City) Suja(56.6, 61.2 – Orgrimmar) (and more) | ||
Buzzard Wing x50 | – | Cooking Trainers | |
Turtle Meat x50 | – | Cooking Trainers | |
Hot Wolf Ribs x50 | Red Wolf Meat x50 | Vivianna (31.2, 43.4 – Feralas) Sheendra Talgrass(74.6, 42.8 – Feralas) Super-Seller 680 (40.6, 79.2 – Desolace) | |
Jungle Stew x100 | Corporal Bluth (38.0, 3.0 – Northern Stranglethorn) Nerrist(32.6, 29.2 – Northern Stranglethorn) Vendor-Tron 1000 (60.2, 38.0 – Desolace) | ||
Roast Raptor x50 | Raptor Flesh x50 | Corporal Bluth (38.0, 3.0 – Northern Stranglethorn) Nerrist(32.6, 29.2 – Northern Stranglethorn) (and more) |
Artisan: 225-300
Be sure to visit a Cooking Trainer and learn Artisan Cooking by the time you reach level 225, or you will not gain any further skill points from the recipes you craft.
Levels 225-250
Raw Spotted Yellowtail are usually cheap or easy to catch, and you can learn this recipe directly from the Cooking Trainer. We’ve included several alternatives if you’re able to find a better deal on the Auction House. Every recipe listed in this level range will be orange all the way to 250, so you can purchase exact quantities of the ingredients.
Crafted Item | Material Needed | Recipe | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
– | Cooking Trainers | ||
Filet of Redgill x25 | Raw Redgill x25 | Kelsey Yance (28.2, 74.4 – Cape of Stranglethorn) | |
Kelsey Yance (28.2, 74.4 – Cape of Stranglethorn) | |||
Monster Omelet x25 | Giant Egg x25 | Malygen (62.2, 25.6 – Felwood) Bale(34.8, 53.2 – Felwood) Himmik (61.2, 39.0 – Winterspring) | |
Tender Crab Meat x25 | Kriggon Talsone (36.2, 90.0 – Westfall) Banalash(44.6, 56.8 – Swamp of Sorrows) Uthok(31.6, 28.0 – Northern Stranglethorn) | ||
Tender Wolf Meat x25 | Dirge Quikcleave (52.6, 29.0 – Tanaris) Innkeeper Fizzgrimble (52.4, 27.8 – Tanaris) Truk Wildbeard(14.4, 42.6 – The Hinterlands) | ||
Zesty Clam Meat x25 | “Chef” Overheat (65.0, 38.8 – Badlands) Mrs. Gant(42.6, 72.8 – Cape of Stranglethorn) |
Levels 250-275
It’s slim pickin’s at this level, but Raw Sunscale Salmon should be easy enough to come by and you only need exactly 25. Those can only be caught during the day while Raw Nightfin Snapper are caught from the same locations at night, and either one will do, although the latter requires an additional ingredient. If you can get some Bear Flanks for cheap you could opt for one of the other two recipes instead. All of these recipes are conveniently found at your nearest Cooking Trainer.
Crafted Item | Material Needed | Recipe | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
– | Cooking Trainers | ||
Nightfin Soup x25 | – | Cooking Trainers | |
Bear Flank x25 | – | Cooking Trainers | |
Bear Flank x25 | – | Cooking Trainers |
Levels 275-300
Again there are only a handful of recipes in this range, but they can each be made with exactly 25 of the required ingredients. Raw Whitescale Salmon are likely your best bet from Fishing or the Auction House, though you could try one of the other two fish recipes instead. Runn Tum Tubers can be collected inside the Dire Maul dungeon, which is also where you can get the recipe to cook them.
Crafted Item | Material Needed | Recipe | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Baked Salmon x25 | Only: Vivianna (31.2, 43.4 – Feralas) Only: Sheendra Tallgrass(74.6, 42.8 – Feralas) | ||
Lobster Stew x25 | Only: Vivianna (31.2, 43.4 – Feralas) Only: Sheendra Tallgrass(74.6, 42.8 – Feralas) | ||
Mightfish Steak x25 | Vivianna (31.2, 43.4 – Feralas) Sheendra Tallgrass(74.6, 42.8 – Feralas) Kelsey Yance (28.2, 74.4 – Cape of Stranglethorn) | ||
Runn Tum Tuber x25 | Drops from Pusillin, an Elite Demon in Dire Maul |
Master: 300-350
Be sure to visit a Cooking Trainer and learn Master Cooking by the time you reach level 300, or you will not gain any further skill points from the recipes you craft.
This level range will require recipes and materials from Outland.
Levels 300-325
Barbed Gill Trout are likely to be your best option for Fishing or the Auction House in this range, but there are some other options as well.
Crafted Item | Material Needed | Recipe | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blackened Trout x30 | Only: Doba (42.2, 27.8 – Zangarmarsh) Only: Gambarinka(31.6, 49.2 – Zangarmarsh) | ||
Feltail Delight x30 | Spotted Feltail x30 | Only: Doba (42.2, 27.8 – Zangarmarsh) Only: Zurai(85.2, 54.6 – Zangarmarsh) | |
Buzzard Bites x30 | Buzzard Meat x30 | Only: Sid Limbardi (54.2, 63.6 – Hellfire Peninsula) Only: Cookie One-Eye(55.0, 40.2 – Hellfire Peninsula) | |
Ravager Dog x30 | Ravager Flesh x30 | ||
Clam Bar x30 | Jaggal Clam Meat x60 | Only: Mycah (17.8, 51.2 – Zangarmarsh) |
Levels 325-350
Golden Darter will be the best option from Fishing, but you may find cheaper materials from some of the other recipes below.
Crafted Item | Material Needed | Recipe | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
Golden Darter x30 | Innkeeper Biribi (56.6, 53.2 – Terokkar Forest) Rungor(48.8, 46.0 – Terokkar Forest) | ||
Clefthoof Meat x30 | Uriku (56.2, 73.2 – Nagrand) Nula the Butcher(58.0, 35.6 – Nagrand) | ||
Talbuk Steak x30 | Talbuk Venison x30 | Uriku (56.2, 73.2 – Nagrand) Nula the Butcher(58.0, 35.6 – Nagrand) | |
Warp Burger x30 | Warped Flesh x30 | Supply Officer Mills (55.8, 53.0 – Terokkar Forest) Innkeeper Grilka(48.8, 45.0 – Terokkar Forest) |
Grand Master: 350-440
Be sure to visit a Cooking Trainer and learn Grand Master Cooking by the time you reach level 375, or you will not gain any further skill points from the recipes you craft.
This level range will require recipes and materials from Northrend.
Levels 350-400
Fangtooth Herring is likely to be the cheapest or easiest to fish in this range, but there are plenty of other options if you want to check the Auction House for deals. These recipes will all be green by 382, so a good chunk of your skill-ups will depend on luck and you may wind up having to make even more than 90 of any of these recipes. On the other hand, these recipes can all be picked up right at the trainer, which will save you having to hunt them down.
Crafted Item | Material Needed | Recipe | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
– | Cooking Trainers | ||
Baked Manta Ray x90 | – | Cooking Trainers | |
Grilled Sculpin x90 | – | Cooking Trainers | |
Nettlefish x90 | – | Cooking Trainers | |
Smoked Salmon x90 | Glacial Salmon x90 | – | Cooking Trainers |
Mammoth Meal x90 | Chunk o’ Mammoth x90 | – | Cooking Trainers |
Rhino Dogs x90 | Rhino Meat x90 | – | Cooking Trainers |
Roasted Worg x90 | Worg Haunch x90 | – | Cooking Trainers |
Shoveltusk Steak x90 | Shoveltusk Flank x90 | – | Cooking Trainers |
Worm Delight x90 | Worm Meat x90 | – | Cooking Trainers |
Levels 400-415
This level range is a bit awkward as most of the available recipes require a heavy time investment in the Northrend cooking dailies, both to purchase the recipe and to get the spices to craft it. Luckily there is one recipe that can be learned directly from the trainer, and the ingredients can be easily bought or fished. You could also choose to make more of any of the 350-400 recipes above, but you will need to make a lot of any of those since they’ll be green in this range.
Crafted Item | Material Needed | Recipe | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black Jelly x30 | – | Cooking Trainers |
Levels 415-440
We’re still in the awkward range of the Northrend dailies, but this little Dwarven gem is learned from your trainer and it requires only vendor materials, making it cheap and easy to skill up with until it turns gray at level 440. Both materials are sold by many bartender NPCs and other drink vendors, including Sarah Brady in the Dalaran Underbelly (45.6, 48.6).
Crafted Item | Material Needed | Recipe | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Darkbrew Lager x40 | – | Cooking Trainers |
Illustrious Grand Master: 440-525
Be sure to visit a Cooking Trainer and learn Illustrious Grand Master Cooking by the time you reach level 450, or you will not gain any further skill points from the recipes you craft.
This level range will require recipes and materials from level 80-85 Cataclysm zones.
Levels 440-450
You’re almost out of the awkward Northrend phase. Once again there’s only one recipe available that doesn’t require spending a lot of time on cooking dailies. Toughened Flesh comes from Beasts in endgame Cataclysm zones. This is the only stretch where you can’t level with fish (unless you do the Northrend daily quests).
Crafted Item | Material Needed | Recipe | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
Toughened Flesh x10 | – | Cooking Trainers |
Levels 450-475
From here on out, you’ll have to purchase recipes using Chef’s Awards from the cooking dailies in Orgrimmar or Stormwind City. Each recipe costs 3 Chef’s Award and you’ll only be able to earn 1-2 of those per day, so you won’t be able to do this all in a single day. Pick the recipe that has the cheapest or most easily obtainable ingredients on your realm. You may also consider a recipe for food that you will want to use or which will sell well.
Crafted Item | Material Needed | Recipe | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
Mountain Trout x30 | |||
Lavascale Fillet x30 | |||
Striped Lurker x30 | |||
Lurker Lunch x30 | Striped Lurker x30 | ||
Salted Eye x30 | Snake Eye x30 | ||
Seasoned Crab x30 | Monstrous Claw x30 | ||
Whitecrest Gumbo x30 | Blood Shrimp x30 |
Levels 475-500
Again you’ll have to purchase recipes using Chef’s Awards from the cooking dailies in Orgrimmar or Stormwind City. If you are only concerned with leveling your skill, Sharptooth will be the easiest to catch or cheapest to obtain, even though you need more of them. The food it makes does not provide any buffs, however, so if you’re interested in using or selling what you make, you may prefer to pick up a more useful recipe.
Crafted Item | Material Needed | Recipe | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fish Fry x30 | Sharptooth x90 | ||
Pickled Guppy x35 | Highland Guppy x35 | ||
Blood Shrimp x35 | |||
Levels 500-525
This is it – the home stretch! Once more you’ll need to use Chef’s Awards to purchase your recipe(s). At 500 skill level you can cook most of the best endgame recipes. You’ll most likely want to pick one that you will personally use so you can start stocking up. You could also choose a recipe that has cheap ingredients on your realm or that you will be able to sell for a good price. Deepsea Sagefish are relatively common fish and the food they make will be popular since it’s used by all casters and healers. These recipes will be green for the last 5 points, so you may have to make some extra if you have bad luck with skill-ups.
Crafted Item | Material Needed | Recipe | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
Deepsea Sagefish x50 | |||
Deepsea Sagefish x50 | |||
Skewered Eel x50 | Fathom Eel x50 | ||
Baked Rockfish x50 | |||
Blackbelly Sushi x50 | |||
Basilisk “Liver” x50 | |||
Crocolisk Tail x50 | |||
Crocolisk Tail x50 | |||
Grilled Dragon x50 | Dragon Flank x50 |
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