In New World: Aeternum, survival isn't just about slaying monsters or conquering territories—it's also about keeping your character well-fed and prepared. Cooking is one of the most valuable crafting professions in the game, offering players the ability to create meals that restore health, provide buffs, and give a competitive edge in combat. For new players, however, leveling Cooking can feel daunting due to the New World Gold variety of ingredients, recipes, and mechanics involved. This guide breaks down everything you need to know to efficiently level your Cooking skill from 0 to 200 in Aeternum.

Understanding Cooking in New World

Cooking in New World is a crafting trade skill that allows players to turn raw ingredients into consumables, such as meals and potions. These items are crucial for surviving in dangerous zones, improving combat efficiency, and supporting both solo and group activities. Unlike combat skills that level through use, Cooking levels up primarily by successfully crafting dishes. The higher your Cooking level, the more advanced recipes you can unlock.

Key points to remember about Cooking:

Skill Cap: Cooking can be leveled from 0 to 200.

Progression: Each recipe has a skill requirement; crafting recipes at or below your level yields more experience, while attempting high-level recipes may fail.

Consumables: Meals created through Cooking provide health regeneration, stat boosts, or temporary buffs, making them essential for PvE and PvP encounters.

Choosing Your Path: Focused Cooking or Generalist

Before diving into the mechanics, it's important to decide your leveling approach:

Focused Cooking: Specializing in a specific category (e.g., meat dishes or desserts) allows you to efficiently gather the required ingredients and maximize experience gains.

Generalist Cooking: Trying to level all-around requires a broader range of ingredients but provides flexibility when crafting for different purposes.

For beginners, focusing on one path is often the most efficient way to progress. Meat-based dishes and simple stews tend to be cheap and abundant early in the game, making them ideal for early-level Cooking.

Essential Ingredients for Beginners

Leveling Cooking in New World requires a steady supply of ingredients. Early on, focus on gathering common resources that are easy to find and plentiful:

Meat: Comes from hunting wildlife. Deer, boars, and wolves are reliable early sources.

Vegetables: Gathered from farming nodes or purchased from trading posts. Common examples include corn, carrots, and potatoes.

Fish: Catchable from rivers and lakes, fish are excellent for simple recipes and health-boosting meals.

Herbs and Spices: Wild herbs like mint or oregano enhance dish quality.

Tip: Always gather more than you need. High-demand ingredients like meat and fish are often used in multiple recipes and are sold easily on the trading post.

Best Recipes for Leveling Cooking

To maximize experience gains, crafting simple, low-cost recipes repeatedly is the most efficient method. Here's a beginner-friendly list of recipes suitable for each early Cooking tier:

Levels 1-50:

Roasted Meat - Simple, requires only raw meat and wood. Provides moderate health regeneration.

Steamed Vegetables - Cheap, easy to craft, and uses abundant vegetables.

Levels 50-100:

Meat Stew - Requires meat, potatoes, and carrots. Provides better buffs and higher Cooking experience.

Grilled Fish - Simple fish-based dish. Offers consistent experience for Fishing-focused players.

Levels 100-150:

Herb-Crusted Fish - Combines fish and herbs for stat boosts. Ideal for combat prep.

Vegetable Medley - Uses multiple vegetables to create higher-quality meals.

Levels 150-200:

Gourmet Stew - A high-tier recipe combining meat, vegetables, and rare herbs. Yields substantial experience.

Seafood Platter - Excellent for players who fish regularly and want high-tier buff foods.

Focus on crafting recipes you can sustain with available ingredients. Buying expensive components from the trading post can slow progress, so prioritize self-gathered resources.

Cooking Stations and Bonuses

Cooking in New World requires access to a Cooking Station, which is found in settlements across Aeternum. Beginners should prioritize leveling up in cheap New World Coins settlements that have:

Tier 2 or Tier 3 Cooking Stations: Higher-tier stations reduce resource consumption and increase the chance of crafting higher-quality meals.

Town Buffs: Some settlements have bonuses that increase crafting speed or reduce materials used.

Tip: Always use the highest-tier cooking station available to maximize efficiency. Crafting at higher-tier stations can also improve the quality of your meals, which increases their selling potential and buffs.