Cooking is a secondary profession in WoW Classic that lets players prepare food for health, mana, and useful buffs. Unlike primary professions, Cooking can be learned by any class without taking up a profession slot. It pairs well with Fishing, as many recipes use fish, but meat and other ingredients can also be used.
This guide covers:
- The best leveling path (1-300) using fish or meat
- Trainer locations for each skill tier
- Must-have endgame recipes for raiding
- Faction-exclusive dishes and fun consumables
Whether you cook for stats, gold, or roleplay, Cooking is a valuable skill in WoW Classic.
WoW Classic Cooking Explained
Cooking is a useful secondary profession that lets players turn raw ingredients into food for healing, mana, and combat buffs. Unlike primary professions, any class can learn Cooking without sacrificing a profession slot.
- At higher levels, Cooks can prepare dishes that give powerful stat boosts for raiding and PvP. Key foods include Nightfin Soup (+8 mana per 5 seconds), Tender Wolf Steak (+12 Stamina & Spirit), and Grilled Squid (+10 Agility). Hunters especially benefit, as their pets gain more happiness from cooked food.
- Beyond stats, Cooking also offers fun and unique items. Savory Deviate Delight turns you into a pirate or ninja, while Dragonbreath Chili lets you breathe fire at enemies. Some recipes are faction-exclusive, like Crispy Bat Wings (Horde) and Westfall Stew (Alliance).
- Fishing is the easiest way to level Cooking, as fish are plentiful and recipes are cheap. But meat-based dishes, like Roast Raptor or Thistle Tea (for Rogues), are also great for leveling.
With its mix of practical buffs, gold-making potential, and entertaining effects, Cooking is a valuable skill for any player in WoW Classic.
Best Professions to Pair with Cooking
- Cooking in WoW Classic works best when paired with Fishing, since most high-level recipes need fish. This combo lets you gather your own ingredients easily instead of relying on drops or the Auction House.
- Another solid choice is Herbalism, as some cooking recipes require spices and herbs. But since these are usually cheap to buy, many players skip Herbalism and just grab what they need from vendors or other players.
The real benefit of Cooking comes from raid buffs—dishes like Nightfin Soup and Tender Wolf Steak give key stat boosts that make a difference in endgame content. Plus, Hunters need it to keep their pets happy.
Unlike Tailoring, Cooking doesn’t compete for a profession slot, so there’s no reason not to learn it. Whether you fish for ingredients or buy them, it’s an easy way to save gold on food while getting useful bonuses.
Best Classes for WoW Classic Cooking
Cooking is essential for all classes, but especially valuable for Hunters (to feed pets) and raiders (for stat-boosting food). Some of the most powerful dishes include:
- Nightfin Soup (+8 mana/5 sec);
- Tender Wolf Steak (+12 Stamina/Spirit);
- Grilled Squid (+10 Agility).
The best part? Cooking pairs perfectly with Fishing – you can catch your own ingredients instead of buying them. And since it’s a secondary profession, it doesn’t take up a valuable profession slot.
Summing up, whether you’re feeding your pet, prepping for raids, or just saving gold on food, Cooking is a must-have skill in WoW Classic.
Shopping List for 1-300 Cooking Leveling
Leveling Cooking from 1 to 300 requires large amounts of fish, meat, and spices. Since not every cook gives a skill-up, these estimates account for yellow and green recipe attempts. Always prioritize orange recipes first to save materials.
While gathering materials, visit cooking vendors in major cities to buy all available recipes. Some key recipes like Recipe: Mightfish Steak from Feralas vendors have limited stock and random respawn times. These can also be bought on the Auction House, but prices are often inflated.
Pro tip: Keep 20-30 extra of each fish type as backup for failed skill-ups. If you’re also leveling Fishing, catch about 15% more than listed to account for cooking failures.
Estimated Cooking Materials Needed (1-300):
| Fish | Quantity |
| Raw Brilliant Smallfish | 50 |
| Raw Longjaw Mud Snapper | 50 |
| Raw Bristle Whisker Catfish | 120 |
| Raw Mithril Head Trout | 60 |
| Raw Spotted Yellowtail | 70 |
| Large Raw Mightfish | 25 |
By preparing these materials in advance, you can power through Cooking levels without wasting time or gold on last-minute Auction House purchases.
The Fastest 1-300 Vanilla Cooking
The fastest way to level Cooking is by focusing on fish recipes. This method is efficient and cost-effective, especially when paired with Fishing. You’ll be cooking large batches of food that can either be used or sold on the Auction House.
Start with Brilliant Smallfish (1-50), then move to Longjaw Mud Snapper (50-100). At higher levels, Bristle Whisker Catfish (100-175) and Spotted Yellowtail (225-275) give the best skill-ups.
If you’re leveling Fishing too, this method is perfect – you’ll gather all ingredients yourself. Even if buying materials, fish are usually cheaper than meat recipes.
| Skill Range | Recipe | Fish Needed | Quantity | Recipe Vendor Locations |
| 1-50 | Brilliant Smallfish | Raw Brilliant Smallfish | 50 | All starting zones & major cities (both factions) |
| 50-100 | Longjaw Mud Snapper | Raw Longjaw Mud Snapper | 50 | Alliance: Elwynn Forest, Loch Modan, Ironforge, Teldrassil Horde: Mulgore, Thunder Bluff, Silverpine Forest, Undercity |
| 100-175 | Bristle Whisker Catfish | Raw Bristle Whisker Catfish | 120 | Alliance: The Barrens, Hillsbrad, Stormwind City Horde: Thunder Bluff, Undercity, Hillsbrad Foothills |
| 175-225 | Mithril Head Trout | Raw Mithril Head Trout | 60 | Alliance: Stranglethorn Vale, Darkshore, Wetlands, Hillsbrad, Ironforge Horde: Stranglethorn Vale, Ashenvale, Orgrimmar, Undercity, Desolace |
| 225-275 | Spotted Yellowtail | Raw Spotted Yellowtail | 70 | Steamwheedle Port, Tanaris (/way 66.6 22.0) (both factions) |
| 275-300 | Mightfish Steak | Large Raw Mightfish | 25 | Feralas: – Vivianna (Feathermoon Stronghold /way 31.2 43.4) – Sheendra Tallgrass (Camp Mojache /way 74.6 42.8) |
By following this path, you’ll reach Cooking 300 quickly while creating useful food for leveling, raiding, or selling for profit.
Apprentice & Journeyman Cooking Trainers (1-150 Skill)
Alliance Trainers:
- Darnassus – Alegorn /way 50, 36
- Dun Morogh – Cook Ghilm /way 75, 52
- Dun Morogh – Gremlock Pilsnor /way 54, 50
- Elwynn Forest (Goldshire) – Tomas /way 44, 66
- Ironforge – Daryl Riknussun /way 60, 36
- Redridge Mountains – Crystal Boughman /way 22, 40
- Stormwind City – Stephen Ryback /way 77, 53
- Teldrassil (Dolanaar) – Zarrin /way 57, 61
Horde Trainers:
- Mulgore – Pyall Silentstride /way 45, 57
- Orgrimmar – Zamja /way 57, 53
- Stranglethorn Vale – Mudduk /way 37, 49
- Thunder Bluff – Aska Mistrunner /way 51, 52
- The Undercity – Eunice Burch /way 62, 44
- Arathi Highlands – Slagg /way 69, 34
Expert Cooking Trainers (150-225 Skill, Level 20 Required)
Artisan Cooking Trainers (225-300 Skill, Level 35 Required)
- Alliance: Daryl Riknussun (Ironforge /way 60, 36) – “I Know A Guy…” quest
- Horde: Zamja (Orgrimmar /way 57, 53) – “To Gadgetzan You Go!” qyest
Artisan Quest Requirements:
- Be level 35+
- Have 225 Cooking skill
- Gather:
- 12x Giant Egg (Tanaris firebirds)
- 10x Zesty Clam Meat (Tanaris coast fishing)
- 20x Alterac Swiss (vendor item)
Complete at Dirge Quikcleave in Gadgetzan Inn to learn Artisan Cooking (300) and receive 20x Clamlette Surprise.
WoW Classic Best Spots for Fishing
1-75: Starting Zones
You’ll fish up various low-level fish here. You’ll get some fish escaping early on, but using a Shiny Bauble can help increase your catch rate.
- Raw Brilliant Smallfish (inland)
- Raw Slitherskin Mackerel (coastal)
Note: Tirisfal Glades isn’t ideal, as you’ll catch many Sickly Looking Fish, which are unusable and unsellable. Undead players should head to Durotar instead.
75-150: Major Faction Cities
These locations offer a safe fishing environment with a variety of fish, useful for early Cooking recipes.
Since these cities are safe from random mob aggro, it’s a good spot for fishing without interruptions.
150-225: Stranglethorn Vale or Dustwallow Marsh
Better for Horde:
- Savage Coast (near Grom’gol Base Camp) – Fish off two small islands south and east of Grom’gol, far enough to avoid Alliance guards.
Fish to catch:- Raw Rockscale Cod
- Raw Spotted Yellowtail
- Oily Blackmouth
- Firefin Snapper
Better for Alliance:
- Dustwallow Marsh (inland) or coastal north of Theramore Isle – A quiet, safe place to fish, even for Horde players, with neutral turtles along the coast.
Fish to catch:- Raw Bristle Whisker Catfish
- Raw Mithril Head Trout
- Raw Rockscale Cod
- Raw Spotted Yellowtail
- Oily Blackmouth
- Firefin Snapper
225-300: Tanaris
Though Tanaris is a desert, it’s an excellent fishing location. Steamwheedle Port is a quiet fishing spot with lots of good fish.
- Fish to catch:
- Raw Spotted Yellowtail
- Firefin Snapper
- Raw Glossy Mightfish
Raw Summer Bass (or Winter Squid depending on the season)
You can stay here all the way to 300, or consider moving to Feralas or Winterspring around 275 for additional safe fishing spots.
Best Gold-Making Cooking Recipes in WoW Classic
| Recipe | Why It Sells | Best For | Materials Needed | Avg. Price (Varies by Server) |
| Nightfin Soup | Raid BiS for casters (+8 MP5) | Endgame Mages/Priests | Nightfin Snapper (fished) | 50s – 1.5g per stack (10) |
| Grilled Squid | Raid BiS for melee (+10 Agility) | Hunters/Rogues | Winter Squid (fished in Winterspring) | 1-2g per stack (10) |
| Tender Wolf Steak | Raid BiS (+12 Stamina/Spirit) | Tanks/Healers | Tender Wolf Meat (dropped in Felwood) | 1-2g per stack (10) |
| Spotted Yellowtail | Decent pre-raid food (+8 Spirit) | Healers (Druids/Priests) | Spotted Yellowtail (fished in STV) | 30s – 1g per stack (10) |
| Savory Deviate Delight | Fun transformation (Pirate/Ninja) | RP/Novelty buyers | Deviate Fish (Barrens fishing) | 50s – 1.5g each (high demand) |
| Dirge’s Kickin’ Chimaerok Chops | Best Stamina food (+25) | Warriors/Tanks (AQ/Naxx) | Chimaerok Tenderloin (rare drop) | 5-10g per food (very rare) |
Best Farming Methods
- Fishing-Based Recipes (Best Profit)
- Nightfin Soup & Grilled Squid sell consistently to raiders.
- Farm Winter Squid at night in Winterspring or Nightfin Snapper in Feralas/Tanaris.
- Meat Recipes (Good for Extra Gold)
- Tender Wolf Meat (Felwood wolves) → Tender Wolf Steak.
- Raptor Flesh (STV/Un’Goro) → Roast Raptor (decent demand).
- Novelty Items (High Markup)
- Savory Deviate Delight sells for 50s-1.5g EACH due to fun effects.
- Farm Deviate Fish in Barrens Oasis (Wailing Caverns entrance).
- Raid Consumables (Big Gold in Bulk)
- Mightfish Steak (Feralas/Azshara fishing) → Used in DM buff runs.
- Spotted Yellowtail (Tanaris/STV) → Budget healer food.
WoW Classic Cooking Recipes Overview
| Recipe | Effect/Notes | Requires |
| Beer Basted Boar Ribs | Stamina + 2 and Spirit + 2 for 15 min. | Crag Boar Rib, Rhapsody Malt |
| Blood Sausage | Stamina + 4 and Spirit + 4 for 15 min. | Bear Meat, Boar Intestines, Spider Ichor |
| Clam Chowder | Restores 552 health over 24 sec. | Clam Meat, Ice Cold Milk, Mild Spices |
| Crocolisk Gumbo | Stamina + 6 and Spirit + 6 for 15 min. | Tender Crocolisk Meat, Hot Spices |
| Cooked Crab Claw | Restores 294 health and 294 mana over 21 sec. | Crawler Claw, Mild Spices |
| Fillet of Frenzy | Stamina + 4 and Spirit + 4 for 15 min. | Soft Frenzy Flesh, Mild Spices |
| Gooey Spider Cake | Stamina + 6 and Spirit + 6 for 15 min. | Gooey Spider Leg (2), Hot Spices |
| Goretusk Liver Pie | Stamina + 4 and Spirit + 4 for 15 min. | Goretusk Liver, Mild Spices |
| Loch Frenzy Delight | Restores 243.6 health over 21 sec. | Raw Loch Frenzy, Mild Spices |
| Murloc Fin Soup | Stamina + 6 and Spirit + 6 for 15 min. | Murloc Fin (2), Hot Spices |
| Redridge Goulash | Stamina + 6 and Spirit + 6 for 15 min. | Crisp Spider Meat, Tough Condor Meat |
| Seasoned Wolf Kabob | Stamina + 6 and Spirit + 6 for 15 min. | Lean Wolf Flank (2), Stormwind Seasoning Herbs |
| Westfall Stew | Restores 552 health over 24 sec. | Stringy Vulture Meat, Murloc Eye, Goretusk Snout |
| Crispy Bat Wing | Stamina + 2 and Spirit + 2 for 15 min. | Meaty Bat Wing, Mild Spices |
| Crispy Lizard Tail | Stamina + 6 and Spirit + 6 for 15 min. | Thunder Lizard Tail, Hot Spices |
| Heavy Crocolisk Stew | Stamina + 8 and Spirit + 8 for 15 min. | Tender Crocolisk Meat (2), Soothing Spices |
| Roasted Kodo Meat | Stamina + 2 and Spirit + 2 for 15 min. | Kodo Meat, Mild Spices |
| Scorpid Surprise | Heals 294 damage over 21 sec, assuming you don’t bite down on a poison sac. | Scorpid Stinger |
| Strider Stew | Stamina + 4 and Spirit + 4 for 15 min. | Strider Meat, Shiny Red Apple |
| Savory Deviate Delight | Transform into a Pirate or Ninja, 60 min | Deviate Fish, Mild Spices |
| Dragonbreath Chili | Proc Deals Cone of 60 Fire Damage, 10 min | Mystery Meat, Small Flame Sac, Hot Spices |
| Thistle Tea | Restore 100 Energy | Swiftthistle, Refreshing Spring Water |
| Egg Nog | Special holiday recipe from Winter Veil | Small Egg, Ice Cold Milk, Holiday Spirits, Holiday Spices |
| Runn Tum Tuber Surprise | Intellect +10, 10 min | Runn Tum Tuber, Soothing Spices |
| Nightfin Soup | +8 Mana per 5, 10 min | Raw Nightfin Snapper, Refreshing Spring Water |
| Tender Wolf Steak | Stamina +12 and Spirit +12, 15 min | Tender Wolf Meat,Soothing Spices |
| Monster Omelet | Stamina +12 and Spirit +12, 15 min | Giant Egg, Soothing Spices (2) |
| Spiced Chili Crab | Stamina +12 and Spirit +12, 15 min | Tender Crab Meat, Hot Spices (2) |
| Dirge’s Kickin’ Chimaerok Chops | Stamina +25, 15 min | Hot Spices, Goblin Rocket Fuel, Deeprock Salt, Chimaerok Tenderloin |
| Smoked Desert Dumplings | Strength +20, 15 min | Sandworm Meat, Soothing Spices |
| Grilled Squid | Agility +10, 10 min | Winter Squid, Soothing Spices |
| Thistle Tea | Restore 100 Energy | Swiftthistle, Refreshing Spring Water |
| Dragonbreath Chili | Proc Deals Cone of 60 Fire Damage, 10 min | Mystery Meat, Small Flame Sac, Hot Spices |
