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Dec 04, 2023

How To Cook in Tears of the Kingdom

Lee StantonRead moreJune 8, 2023 Do you

Lee StantonRead moreJune 8, 2023

Do you have what it takes to become a master chef in the magical kingdom of Hyrule? Welcome to "Tears of The Kingdom" (TotK), the latest installment of the Legend of Zelda series, where cooking can be your secret weapon to fighting darkness and defeating Ganon – sort of.

Of course, you won't be beating Malice with your ladle. But with this guide, you’ll learn to create delicious dishes that provide restorative, defensive, and stat-boosting powers. You’ll turn the simple act of cooking into a strategic asset in conquering environmental obstacles.

As with many other mechanics in TotK, cooking as a side-activity and crafting mechanic was introduced in its award-winning predecessor. In "Breath of the Wild," this new mechanic was already a fresh twist on cooking found in some other games.

TotK lets you combine any ingredient for a different outcome rather than telling you what to make and the items you need. Ingredient types affect the type of meal.

For example, raw meat will produce a steak, but an egg will make an omelet. Meanwhile, ingredient properties give Link different status effects. A spicy pepper will raise his temperature and help with resistance to cold, but it may not be the ideal meal for desert regions.

If you fail to create a proper recipe because the ingredients don't mash well, you’ll get a "dubious meal" instead. This failed concoction restores half a heart of health (possibly less than eating each ingredient raw) and is otherwise useless.

Cooking in "Tears of the Kingdom" is simple but rewarding. Here's how you can start your culinary journey in the game:

You can find cooking pots all over the kingdom – in towns, stables, and even while exploring. If you have a Zonai Portable Pot on you (the game's brand-new feature), that works too.

To collect ingredients, hunt for game and fish, explore the wilderness for fruits, vegetables, mushrooms, and herbs, and don't forget to collect spices from all around you. Throw in some monster parts for good measure.

Use your imagination and think of which ingredients logically combine well and what effect they might grant. After they simmer for a bit, the meal will pop up, and you can use it to regenerate health immediately or hold onto it in your inventory.

In "Tears of the Kingdom," like in "Breath of the Wild," cooking isn't just about making food. You can also craft elixirs with a range of effects. Combine different monster parts and rare ingredients for potent alchemical mixtures. Even ingredients that can't produce meals can make outstanding potions.

These potions offer many benefits. They range from restoring health to providing stat boosts and even granting temporary environmental resistance (to heat, cold, shock, falling, and more). For example:

More advanced meals will increase heart points and help Link recover fast mid-battle. And preparing food in "Tears of the Kingdom" does more than heal. You can use cooking strategically to get an advantage over your enemies. A temporary boost to stamina or immunity to certain elements could be invaluable in battle.

That's especially true if you can get some effects to stack. For example, having a stamina boost and shock resistance at once could be good. Here are just some good combinations:

It's clear by now that different ingredient combinations can lead to some potent concoctions, but the true joy is discovering the game's creative possibilities.

Never be afraid of what might happen when you try something new. You may come away with a delightful recipe you would never have found otherwise. If it's something useful, you’ll learn more about each ingredient's properties and can plan to use it better. If it's another "dubious meal," try to pawn it off to a merchant – there must be someone out there who wants it.

Cooking in "Tears of the Kingdom" is an art form that transcends recipes. It's about analyzing the environment, learning the land, knowing when to use a particular recipe, and adapting to whatever is at your disposal. Here are a few tips that will make you a master chef in no time:

Cooking is more than a cute mini-game in "Tears of the Kingdom." It's an adventure in its own right. As you progress through the game, you’ll find that cooking can be the key to survival. Cooking certain dishes will enable you to adapt and overcome obstacles that, perhaps, would otherwise prove impossible. Not only that, but cooking is also a way to express yourself and make your time in the Kingdom feel immersive. And who doesn't love immersion?

Is cooking integral to your "Tears of the Kingdom" strategy? Do you have a favorite TotK meal? Hit the comment section below and tell us your thoughts.

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