OSRS 1-99 Cooking Guide Fastest and Most Profitable Methods

OSRS 1-99 Cooking Guide Fastest and Most Profitable Methods

Cooking in Old School RuneScape (OSRS) is one of the easiest and most rewarding skills to master. Whether you’re aiming for the coveted Cooking Cape or just want to whip up some tasty dishes for your adventures, this comprehensive guide will walk you through the fastest and most profitable methods to reach level 99. From beginner-friendly quests to advanced techniques like 1-tick Karambwan cooking, we’ve got you covered. Let’s fire up the range and get started!

Cooking is a fan-favorite skill because it’s fast, relatively cheap, and can be trained semi-AFK. It’s also essential for self-sufficiency, especially for Ironman accounts, as it allows you to prepare healing food for PvM or quests. Plus, high Cooking levels unlock Achievement Diary tasks and make you a culinary legend in Gielinor. Here’s why you should prioritize it:

  • Quick to 99: Cooking is one of the fastest skills to max out, often achievable in under 20 hours with efficient methods.
  • Profitable Potential: Certain methods, like cooking sharks or anglerfish, can net you millions in profit.
  • Quest and Diary Requirements: Cooking is needed for quests like Recipe for Disaster and diaries like the Varrock Elite Diary (level 95).

Key Benefits of High Cooking Levels

A high Cooking level isn’t just about bragging rights. It enables you to cook powerful foods like anglerfish, which heal up to 22 hitpoints, and reduces burn rates, saving you resources. It’s also a low-effort skill, perfect for multitasking—think Netflix and chill while you cook lobsters!

Essential Cooking Quests for Early Levels

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Before diving into raw fish and ranges, knock out a few quests to skip the tedious early levels. These quests provide quick experience and set you up for success.

Cook’s Assistant

This beginner-friendly quest takes about 5 minutes and rewards 300 Cooking XP, boosting you from level 1 to 4. All you need is a bucket of milk, an egg, and a pot of flour—easy peasy.

Gertrude’s Cat

Complete this quest for 1,525 Cooking XP, which rockets you from level 4 to 12. It involves a bit of running around Varrock, but it’s worth it for the XP jump.

Recipe for Disaster: Goblin Generals

This subquest grants 1,000 Cooking XP, pushing you to level 16. It’s a short task requiring basic ingredients like bread and fish. Completing it early saves you from burning too many shrimps!

Family Crest (Optional)

While it doesn’t give direct Cooking XP, Family Crest unlocks Cooking Gauntlets. These gloves reduce burn rates for fish like lobsters and sharks, making them essential for efficient training. Grab them as soon as you can!

Best Cooking Locations in OSRS

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Where you cook matters as much as what you cook. The right spot minimizes banking time and burn rates, maximizing your XP per hour. Here are the top locations:

Hosidius Kitchen

The Hosidius Kitchen is the best cooking spot in OSRS, requiring 100% Hosidius favor. Its ranges offer a 5% increased success rate (10% with Elite Kourend & Kebos Diary), and it’s super close to a bank chest. Use this for most of your training.

Rogues’ Den

Located in Burthorpe, Rogues’ Den has an everlasting fire right next to a banker. It’s ideal for AFK training or 1-tick methods, especially if you haven’t unlocked Hosidius yet.

Lumbridge Castle (F2P)

For free-to-play players, the Lumbridge Castle range is your go-to after completing Cook’s Assistant. It has a lower burn rate than standard ranges and is decently close to a bank.

Location Bank Proximity Burn Rate Reduction Best For
Hosidius Kitchen Very Close 5-10% P2P, High Levels
Rogues’ Den Next to Bank None AFK, 1-Tick
Lumbridge Castle Moderate Lower than Standard F2P

Fastest Cooking Methods to 99

If speed is your goal, these methods will get you to 99 in no time. Note that the fastest routes often cost money, so check Grand Exchange prices before diving in.

Levels 1-30: Early Fish and Quests

Start with the quests mentioned above to hit level 16 quickly. Then, cook low-level fish to reach level 30:

  • Levels 1-15: Cook shrimp or sardines (40 XP each). You’ll need about 112 sardines for level 15.
  • Levels 15-20: Switch to trout (70 XP each). Around 78 trouts get you to level 20.
  • Levels 20-30: Cook salmon (90 XP each). You’ll need about 182 salmons.

These fish are cheap, and burn rates are manageable at low levels. Use Lumbridge for F2P or Rogues’ Den for P2P.

Levels 30-99: 1-Tick Karambwan

The 1-tick Karambwan method is the fastest way to 99, offering up to 950,000 XP/hour. It’s click-intensive and requires practice, but it’s unbeatable for speed.

  • Requirements: Complete Tai Bwo Wannai Trio quest, level 30 Cooking.
  • Method: Hold down the “1” key and rapidly use raw Karambwan on a range or fire (Rogues’ Den is best). This skips the cooking interface, doubling your speed.
  • Cost: Expect to lose 1-2 million GP, as Karambwan aren’t profitable.

From level 30, you’ll need about 68,000 Karambwan to hit 99. Burn rates are high early on, so buy extra (around 80,000). At level 90+, you can push 900k-1M XP/hour with perfect ticks.

Levels 35-99: Jugs of Wine

Making jugs of wine is a close second for speed, yielding 400,000-500,000 XP/hour. It’s less click-intensive than Karambwan but still requires attention.

  • Requirements: Level 35 Cooking, grapes, and jugs of water.
  • Method: Use grapes on jugs of water at a bank (no range needed). After a 12-second fermentation, each jug grants 200 XP.
  • Cost: From level 35 to 99, you’ll need about 66,000 grapes and jugs, costing around 3.5 million GP.

Below level 68, you risk making bad wine (0 XP), so consider starting at 68 for efficiency. This method is great for semi-AFK training.

Profitable Cooking Methods

If you’d rather make money while training, cooking high-level fish is the way to go. These methods are slower but can fund your other skills.

Levels 40-65: Lobsters

Lobsters are iconic for mid-level cooking, offering 120 XP each and decent profits.

  • XP Rate: Around 150,000-200,000 XP/hour.
  • Profit: Expect 50-100 GP profit per lobster, depending on market prices.
  • Tip: Use Cooking Gauntlets and Hosidius Kitchen to stop burning at level 68.

You’ll need about 39,510 lobsters from level 40 to 65. This is a chill, AFK-friendly method.

Levels 65-83: Monkfish

Monkfish give 150 XP each and are often profitable, especially with gauntlets.

  • XP Rate: 180,000-220,000 XP/hour.
  • Profit: Around 100-150 GP per monkfish.
  • Tip: Stop burning at level 90 with gauntlets and Hosidius (86 with Elite Diary).

From level 65 to 83, cook about 36,000 monkfish. Check GE prices to ensure profitability.

Levels 83-99: Sharks and Anglerfish

For the final stretch, sharks and anglerfish are your best bets for profit and decent XP.

  • Sharks (Level 83+): 210 XP each, 250,000-280,000 XP/hour. Profitable at 150-200 GP per shark. Need ~52,612 from level 80 to 99.
  • Anglerfish (Level 87+): 230 XP each, 290,000-315,000 XP/hour. Higher profit (200-300 GP each) but more expensive. Need ~25,387 from level 93 to 99.

Use Hosidius Kitchen and Cooking Gauntlets (stop burning sharks at 94, anglerfish at 98). Sharks are more AFK, while anglerfish are faster but costlier.

Sample Training Path for Profit

Here’s a balanced path combining profit and decent speed:

  1. 1-30: Quests + low-level fish (shrimp, trout, salmon).
  2. 30-40: Salmon or pizzas for variety (143 XP each).
  3. 40-65: Lobsters.
  4. 65-83: Monkfish.
  5. 83-99: Sharks or anglerfish.

This path nets you 7-10 million GP while keeping XP rates respectable.

Tips for Efficient Cooking

Maximize your gains with these pro tips:

  • Get Cooking Gauntlets: Essential for reducing burns on high-level fish.
  • Use Hosidius: The 5-10% success boost saves resources and boosts XP.
  • Check GE Prices: Fish prices fluctuate, so buy low and sell high.
  • AFK Smartly: Cooking is low-effort, so pair it with other tasks like questing on an alt.
  • Consider 2-Tick Cooking: For advanced players, dropping items while cooking can speed up XP by 30-40%.

With this guide, you’re ready to conquer Cooking in OSRS. Whether you’re 1-ticking Karambwan for speed or cooking sharks for profit, you’ll be rocking the Cooking Cape in no time. Happy cooking, and may your fish never burn!