These are some of the basic things you must know before using any WoW cooking guide and trying to level up your cooking.

Cooking is a secondary profession. Meaning, you can have level up your cooking without hurting your primary profession.

Cooking food is needed so that players could heal and go back to fighting after combat. Plus, it can give you that buff effect (which gives you a boost) especially if you eat just before fighting. You can also entertain others with your cooking skill. Cooking can also earn you some gold.

What You Need In Cooking Food:

1. Fire. This is your heat source (obviously). Almost any fire will do. But make one if you can’t find one. It may be a Campfire, a Fireplace, a Brazier, or a Stove.
2. Ingredients. Most of the times, you will only need fish and meat. (By the way, the fishing skill will help you level your cooking faster if you do fishing and cooking simultaneously.)
3. Recipes. These are bought from cooking trainers who are ordinarily found in capital cities.

Alliance Cooking Trainers and Cities:

• In The Exodar, Mumman
• In Azuremyst Isle, Cookie McWeaksauce
• In Dun Morogh, Cook Ghilm
• In Redridge Mountains, Crystal Boughman
• In Ironforge, Daryl Riknussun
• In Dun Morogh, Gremlock Pilsnor
• In Stormwind, Stephen Ryback
• In Darnassus, Alegorn
• In Gilneas, Fielding Chesterhill
• In Ashenvale, Shandrina
• In Hellfire Peninsula, Gaston
• In Borean Tundra, Rollick MacKreel
• In Howling Fjord, Brom Brewbaster
• In Dalaran, Katherine Lee
• In Icecrown, Bethany Cromwell

Horde Cooking Trainers and Cities:

• In Ghostlands, Master Chef Mouldier
• In Silvermoon City, Quarelestra
• In Thunder Bluff, Aska Mistrunner
• In Undercity, Eunice Burch
• In Orgrimmar, Zamia
• In Orgrimmar, Zarbo Porkpatty
• In Orgrimmar, Arugi
• In Hellfire Peninsula, Baxter
• In Borean Tundra, Orn Tenderhoof
• In Howling Fjord, Thomas Kolichio
• In Dalaran, Awilo Lon’gomba
• In Icecrown, Bethany Cromwell

The Cooking Skill Levels:

1. Apprentice. Starts at level 1-75.
2. Journeyman. Starts at level 76-150. You need skill 50 to advance to this level.
3. Expert. Starts at level 151-225. The requirement is skill 125 to become an Expert.
4. Artisan. Starts at level 225-300. You must have skill 200 to advance to this.
5. Master (The Burning Crusade). Starts at level 300+. You need skill 275 to become a Master.
6. Grand Master (Wrath of the Lich King). Starts at level 375+. Required is skill 350 for becoming a Grand Master.
7. Illustrious Grand Master (Cataclysm). Starts at level 450+. The needed skill is 425 to advance to this level.

You must visit a cooking trainer to advance to the next skill level (after you have already achieved the required skill points).

OK, so the basics end here. More Cooking tips coming in this WoW Cooking Guide!