Cooking leveling guide
Cooking in Cata Classic runs from 450 to 525 with recipes bought for Chef’s Awards, which you earn with the daily cooking quest in your capital city. Where a step lists several dishes, pick the one whose fish or meat is cheapest. Counts are approximate: a recipe can turn green a few points earlier or later.
What to gather or buy
| Material | About |
|---|---|
 Striped Lurker,  Lavascale Catfish,  Monstrous Claw or  Snake Eye |
25 |
 Highland Guppy,  Blood Shrimp or  Giant Turtle Tongue |
35 |
 Algaefin Rockfish,  Crocolisk Tail,  Deepsea Sagefish or  Dragon Flank |
35 |
| Chef’s Award | 12 |
A few recipes also need a spice or a drink from the cooking vendor. Fish comes from Fishing in the Cataclysm zones, meat from their beasts.
Route
| Skill | Craft | Per craft |
|---|---|---|
| 450-475 |  Lightly Fried Lurker /  Lavascale Fillet /  Seasoned Crab /  Salted Eye |
Striped Lurker / Lavascale Catfish / Monstrous Claw / Snake Eye |
| 475-500 |  Pickled Guppy /  Hearty Seafood Soup /  Tender Baked Turtle |
Highland Guppy / Blood Shrimp / Giant Turtle Tongue |
| 500-525 |  Baked Rockfish /  Beer-Basted Crocolisk /  Delicious Sagefish Tail /  Grilled Dragon |
Algaefin Rockfish / Crocolisk Tail / Deepsea Sagefish / Dragon Flank |
Trainers and tips
- Illustrious Grand Master Cooking is taught by the cooking trainers in the capital cities.
- The daily cooking quest comes from Robby Flay in Stormwind City for the Alliance and Marogg in Orgrimmar for the Horde. You can do one each day, and each gives a Chef’s Award.
- Recipes cost 3 Chef’s Awards each at Bario Matalli in Stormwind City for the Alliance and Shazdar in Orgrimmar for the Horde.