OSRS 1-99 Cooking Guide: Fastest Methods for 2025
Cooking in Old School RuneScape (OSRS) is one of the easiest and most rewarding skills to train. Whether you’re aiming for the coveted Cooking Cape at level 99 or just want to whip up some tasty in-game meals, this guide will walk you through the fastest, most efficient methods to level up. Updated for 2025, we’ll cover everything from beginner tips to advanced techniques, ensuring you can master Cooking with minimal hassle. Let’s fire up the range and get started!
Cooking might not seem as glamorous as combat skills, but it’s a cornerstone of OSRS gameplay. It’s fast, relatively cheap, and offers practical benefits like preparing food for healing or profit. Plus, it’s an excellent skill to train semi-AFK while you focus on other tasks—perfect for multitasking players.
Benefits of High Cooking Levels
- Quest Requirements: Cooking is essential for quests like Recipe for Disaster and Tai Bwo Wannai Trio.
- Food for Combat: Higher levels let you cook better food, crucial for PvM and bossing.
- Profit Potential: Cooking certain items can net you decent gold.
- Achievement Diaries: Tasks like the Elite Kourend & Kebos Diary require high Cooking.
Is Cooking Worth It?
Absolutely! Cooking is one of the fastest 99s in OSRS, often achievable in under 20 hours with the right methods. It’s also a common first cape for many players due to its simplicity and low entry barriers.
Getting Started: Levels 1-30
The early levels of Cooking are a breeze, especially with a few quick quests and low-level foods. Here’s how to kick things off efficiently.
Level 1-4: Cook’s Assistant Quest
Start with the Cook’s Assistant quest in Lumbridge. It takes about 5 minutes and rewards 300 Cooking XP, boosting you from level 1 to 4 instantly. You’ll need a bucket of milk, an egg, and a pot of flour—all easily obtainable nearby.
Level 4-15: Shrimp and Herring
Next, cook shrimp (40 XP each) or sardines until level 5, then switch to herring (50 XP each) until level 15. Fish these yourself near Lumbridge or buy them from the Grand Exchange (GE). Use the range in Lumbridge Castle’s kitchen for a reduced burn rate.
Best Early Training Spot
The Cook-O-Matic 100 range in Lumbridge Castle is ideal for free-to-play (F2P) players. It’s close to a bank upstairs, though you’ll need to climb ladders. For members, consider Burthorpe’s Rogue’s Den for its everlasting fire right next to a bank.
Fastest Path to 99: Levels 30-99
For the quickest route to 99, we’ll focus on high-XP methods that prioritize speed over cost. These are perfect for players with some gold to spend.
Level 30-68: Jugs of Wine
From level 30, making jugs of wine is the go-to method. Combine grapes and jugs of water (both from the GE) to create wine, earning 200 XP per jug. You’ll need about 6,217 jugs to hit level 68, costing around 3.5M GP. This method is semi-AFK and offers around 300K-400K XP per hour.
Level 68-99: More Jugs of Wine or Karambwans
Stick with jugs of wine to 99 for simplicity (another 6,217 jugs, totaling 12,434 from level 30), or switch to karambwans at level 65+ for faster XP. Cooking karambwans gives 190 XP each, but with the 1-tick method, you can hit up to 1M XP per hour. This requires completing Tai Bwo Wannai Trio to unlock raw karambwans and practicing the 1-tick technique (hold 2, then spam-click raw karambwans on a fire).
Best Spot: Rogue’s Den or Hosidius Kitchen
For wines, any bank works since it’s a make-all process. For karambwans, use the Rogue’s Den fire in Burthorpe (next to a bank) or the Hosidius Kitchen (requires 100% Hosidius favor) for a 5-10% burn reduction, boosting efficiency.
Profitable Cooking Methods
If you’d rather make money while training, cooking fish is your best bet. These methods are slower but turn a profit, ideal for ironmen or budget-conscious players.
Level 25-40: Salmon
Cook salmon (90 XP each) until level 40. Fish them at Barbarian Village or buy from the GE. They sell for a small profit, and burns decrease as you level up.
Level 40-65: Lobsters
Lobsters (120 XP each) are iconic for mid-level cooking. They’re profitable and widely used, offering around 150K-200K XP per hour. Use Cooking Gauntlets (from Family Crest) to reduce burns after level 50.
Level 65-83: Monkfish
Switch to monkfish (150 XP each) after completing Swan Song. They heal 16 HP and fetch a decent price, making them a solid choice for profit and XP (around 200K XP/hour).
Level 83-99: Sharks
Sharks (210 XP each) are the pinnacle of profitable cooking. With Cooking Gauntlets and the Hosidius Kitchen, you’ll rarely burn them past level 94, netting consistent profits and 250K-300K XP per hour.
| Food | Level | XP Each | Approx. Profit (GE) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Salmon | 25 | 90 | 50-100 GP |
| Lobsters | 40 | 120 | 100-150 GP |
| Monkfish | 62 | 150 | 200-300 GP |
| Sharks | 80 | 210 | 300-400 GP |
Tips and Tricks for Efficient Cooking
Maximize your Cooking grind with these pro tips, designed to save time and boost gains.
Use Cooking Gauntlets
Unlock Cooking Gauntlets via the Family Crest quest. They reduce burn rates for lobsters, swordfish, monkfish, sharks, and anglerfish, making high-level cooking more efficient and profitable.
Leverage Hosidius Kitchen
Gain 100% Hosidius favor to access the Hosidius Kitchen. Its range cuts burn rates by 5% (10% with Elite Kourend Diary), making it the best P2P cooking spot. The bank is just steps away, perfect for AFK training.
1-Tick Karambwan Method
For the ultimate XP grind, master 1-tick cooking with karambwans. At the Rogue’s Den fire, hold 2 and rapidly use raw karambwans on the fire, then click the bank chest. It’s click-intensive but delivers unmatched XP rates.
RuneLite Plugins
Use RuneLite’s Idle Notifier and Logout Timer to stay on track during AFK sessions. Get audio alerts if you stop cooking, ensuring you don’t waste time.
Banking Efficiency
Minimize banking time by using spots like Rogue’s Den (0 ticks to bank) or Hosidius Kitchen (close proximity). Every second saved adds up over thousands of cooks!
Final Thoughts: Whether you’re chasing the fastest 99 with jugs of wine and 1-tick karambwans or prefer a profitable fish-cooking journey, this OSRS 1-99 Cooking Guide has you covered. Cooking is a chill, rewarding skill that’s perfect for newbies and veterans alike. Grab your ingredients, hit the range, and enjoy the grind to 99 in 2025!