99 Cooking OSRS Guide for All Players

You know that moment when you’re deep in a boss fight, your health bar dipping low, and you fumble for that stack of sharks in your inventory? Yeah, I’ve been there more times than I can count. As someone who’s sunk over 4,000 hours into Old School RuneScape, hitting 99 Cooking felt like unlocking a superpower. It wasn’t just about the skill cape – though that thing is gorgeous draped over your armor – it was realizing I could finally eat without wasting half my food to burns. If you’re staring at your level 30 Cooking and wondering how to push to 99 without losing your mind or your gp, stick with me. This guide pulls from my own grinds, the tried and true wiki wisdom, and a bit of that OSRS community magic. We’ll break it down level by level, toss in some pro tips, and even chat about why this skill is way more fun than it sounds.

Let’s get real for a second. Cooking in OSRS isn’t some flashy combat skill where you get to swing a dragon scimmy. It’s chill, it’s AFK-able, and honestly, it’s one of the best ways to make bank while you binge a podcast. But don’t sleep on it – high level food like anglerfish can save your hide in raids or PvP. I remember my first Inferno run; without solid Cooking, I’d have been toast. Literally. So, grab your apron, and let’s fire up the range.

Picture this: You’re an Ironman, scraping by on whatever fish you snag from the sea. Or maybe you’re a main, flipping items on the Grand Exchange like a pro. Either way, 99 Cooking changes the game. First off, that skill cape? It lets you teleport to the Cooking Guild, which is a game-changer if you’re questing in the Varrock area. Plus, the emote is hilarious – you juggle invisible pots like a circus act.

But beyond the flex, it’s practical. High Cooking means reliable healing. No more chugging half-burnt lobsters mid-fight. And for money makers? Cooked sharks or karambwans sell hot. In my early days, I flipped cooked tuna for quick cash to fund my Rune armor dreams. It wasn’t glamorous, but it paid the bills.

Ever wonder if Cooking is worth the time? Short answer: Yes, especially if you’re aiming for quests like Recipe for Disaster. That quest demands 70 Cooking, and skipping it locks you out of some sweet rewards. As a vet, I’d say it’s my fourth 99 after Attack, Strength, and Defense – the “easy” one to knock out when you need a break from slayer tasks.

One more perk: It’s super AFK. You can cook while chatting in CCs or watching YouTube vids on OSRS lore. I did chunks of my grind during long commutes, phone propped up on the dashboard. Just don’t crash your ship over a burnt trout.

Essential Gear and Perks Before You Start

Before diving into the levels, let’s talk kit. You don’t need a full BiS setup like for Vorkath, but a few items make life easier.

Must Have Items

• Cooking Gauntlets: These bad boys from the Family Crest quest reduce burn rates by 2 levels on most fish. I got mine at level 40 and never looked back. They saved me thousands of gp in wasted raw supplies.
• Graceful Outfit: For those Hosidius cooks, the energy restore is clutch. Run energy drains fast when you’re banking every five minutes.
• Hosidius House Tab: If you’re in Great Kourend, this teleports you right to the kitchen. Pro tip: Get 100% favor there early.

Quests? Cook’s Assistant gets you to level 9 quick – just fetch an egg and bucket of milk. Gertrude’s Cat adds a bit more. For Ironmen, weave in Recipe for Disaster subquests; they hand out free XP.

What about urns? Cracked Cooking Urn fills at 20% of your cooks and gives 400 bonus XP when teleported. Stack those for the early grind. I filled three in an hour once, felt like cheating.

Oh, and ranges matter. The Hosidius clay ovens are top tier – lower burn chance than your grandma’s fireplace in Lumbridge.

Fastest Path to 99 Cooking Levels 1 to 30

Starting out? Keep it simple. You’re not whipping up gourmet angler yet.

From level 1, grab raw shrimps or sardines. Head to the Lumbridge castle range – it’s bank-adjacent, perfect for noobs. I remember my first session: 200 shrimps, half burnt, but that dinging level 5 felt epic.

Here’s a quick table for those beginner cooks:

XP rates? Around 20k per hour if you’re clicking fast. As a fresh account back in 2018, I fished these myself – dual training Fishing and Cooking. Felt productive, like eating my greens.

Question for you: Ever burnt a full inventory and rage-quit? Happens to the best of us. Just laugh it off and stock 20% more raw fish.

By 30, you’re ready for bigger bites. That level unlocks wine, but hold off – we’ll hit that later for speed.

Power Leveling Levels 30 to 68 Jug of Wine Madness

Ah, the infamous wine method. This is where the grind accelerates. Grapes and jugs of water, fermented into boozy goodness. Why? 200 XP per jug, and it’s F2P friendly.

I did this stretch over two weekends, Netflix in the background. Cost me about 2m gp back then, but prices fluctuate – check the GE now. From 30 to 68, you’ll need around 4,000 grapes accounting for fails. Post-68? Zero burns.

Steps:

1. Buy grapes and jugs.
2. Fill jugs with water at a fountain.
3. Use grapes on jugs.
4. Wait those three ticks – don’t click away!

XP? Up to 500k per hour if you’re efficient. I hit 400k once, hands cramping from mouse clicks. For AFK vibes, drop to 300k and scroll Reddit.

Pro Tip: Use the Myths’ Guild range if you have 46 Agility. Teleport there, cook, bank – rinse and repeat.

Ironmen, this sucks without farms. Fish trout and salmon instead; slower but self-sufficient. I ground 2k trout this way on my Iron, cursing every burn.

Short para time: Wine grind tests patience. But push through – 68 feels like freedom.

Mid Game Push Levels 68 to 93 Lobster and Beyond

Lobsters enter the chat at 68. 120 XP each, and with gauntlets, burns are rare after 74.

I switched here for variety. Fishing spots like Catherby or Fishing Guild, cook on the spot if you’re dualing skills. But for pure Cooking, Hosidius kitchen wins – 5% less burn chance.

Table for the haul:

Around 300k XP/hour. My personal story? During a 10-hour session, I leveled from 75 to 82 while theorycrafting my next Slayer setup. Productive multi-tasking.

What if you’re low on cash? Cook for profit early – swordfish flip well. Or try sweetcorn at 28; it’s meh XP but zero burn.

Ever tried 1-ticking? Nah, too intense for me. Stick to 4-tick for sanity.

This phase is long, but chunk it. One hour here, one there. Before you know it, 93 dings.

Endgame Glory Levels 93 to 99 Sharks Karambwans and Anglers

The home stretch. Sharks at 93? 210 XP, no burns with level. But karambwans? That’s the speed demon.

Karambwans give 190 XP, cookable at 30, but 1-tick ’em at 93 for 1m+ XP/hour. Rogues’ Den under the Toad and Chicken pub – bank right there, Emerald Benedict buys your burnt ones for full price. Genius.

My 99 moment: Level 96, cooking sharks in Hosidius. A clanmate logs in, “Grats on the impending cape!” I teared up a bit – silly, but real.

For profits, anglerfish at 82. 230 XP, heals based on level. Sell ’em for 2k each.

List of endgame options:

• Sharks: AFK king, 260k XP/hr.
• Karambwans: Speed runner, 800k+ XP/hr with practice.
• Anglerfish: Profitable, 200k XP/hr but +100k gp.

Ironmen tip: Dissect sacred eels for scales and XP. I got 20k/hr this way, Zulrah prep in one.

Question: Karambwan or shark? Depends – speed or chill? I went shark for my main, kara for alt.

Long para incoming: Hitting 93 felt monumental after wine hell, but the final push dragged. I burnt a karambwan batch at 94 – rookie mistake without gauntlets. Switched spots to Myths’ Guild, energy potions in tow. Hours blurred; clan banter kept me going. One mate shared his 99 story from 2013, pre-EoC days. Nostalgia hit hard. By dawn, level 99 popped. Fireworks in game, real tears on keyboard. That cape? Equipped it for a week straight. Now, it’s my go-to for PvM food.

F2P Folks 1-99 Without Membership Perks

Stuck in free worlds? No sweat. Shrimps to swordfish all the way.

• 1-30: Fish as above.
• 30-68: Wine jug rush.
• 68-99: Lobsters and swordfish on Al-Kharid range.

Slower, about 200k XP/hr max, but doable. I started F2P, hit 50 Cooking before bonding. Felt like climbing Everest in flip-flops.

Table for F2P grind:

Ironman Mode Survival Tips

Ironmen, you’re the real MVPs. No GE? Fish everything. Trout to 58, then lobsters from sand crabs. I spent weeks at Fishing Guild, rod in hand, dreaming of sharks.

Quests for XP lamps, bird houses for seeds – multi-skill smart. Sacred eels at 87 Fishing/Cooking for that end push.

My Iron 99? Took months, but stocked me for Tombs of Amascut.

Money Making While You Cook

Why lose gp when you can gain?

• Cooked Lobsters: Buy raw cheap, cook, sell. 100k/hr profit.
• Anglerfish Flips: High demand from raiders.
• Pizza Toppings: At 55, anchovy pizzas net 200k/hr.

I made 5m during my 80-90 stretch. Bought a party hat… kidding. Just some whip upgrades.

Strong advice: Track GE prices daily. Margins shift.

Common Mistakes and How to Dodge Them

Burnt food graveyard? We’ve all got one. Fix: Gauntlets early, Hosidius always.

Click fatigue? Take breaks. I set timers – 45 min cook, 10 min stretch.

Overbuying? Use calculators like OldSchool.tools. Saved me 500k once.

What about distractions? Mute notifications. One notification mid-1-tick? Poof, 20 burnt karas.

Wrapping Up Your 99 Journey

There you have it – your roadmap to 99 Cooking glory. From shrimp singes to shark feasts, it’s a ride worth taking. My first 99 cape hangs in my collection, a reminder that steady clicks beat burnout every time.

What’s your Cooking level now? Drop it in the comments; maybe share your worst burn story. If this helped, like and sub for more OSRS tales. Now go light that range – Gielinor needs its chefs.