While learning to cook with a famous chef is probably the best way to go, its possible to learn about cooking by teaching yourself. New technologies and the internet is changing the way we learn, even in the kitchen.
Even basic cooking is an art, and you’ll need to familiarise yourself with the important culinary techniques and know more about each ingredient you use if you want to start following an easy recipe.1
If you’re one of the many people trying to teach yourself how to cook, there are plenty of resources to help you. In addition to the cookbooks and recipe books for beginners filling the shelves of bookshops, cookery videos are popping up on the internet across many cooking-related websites. They can be a useful tool for anyone wanting to improve their cooking.
In fact, having a visual aid alongside the recipe can make learning both simple and complicated cooking techniques much easier. To help you learn a bit more, here are a few cooking videos for you to try before letting your friends try your homemade cooking.
Don’t forget that cooking can be a lot of fun! Whether you're baking, following a recipe for a vegetable stir fry, or just trying to be healthier when you eat, you need to enjoy yourself. 2
If you're sick of jacket potatoes, instant soups or noodles, or just want to work on your culinary skills, these are the online videos you should be watching.
Are you ready to fire up the oven and learn how to cook for yourself, your friends, and your family?
Key Takeaways
- Visual methods of learning help beginner cooks grasp cooking techniques more easily than written recipes.
- YouTube channels like Made With Lau, Binging with Babish (Basics), and Village Cooking Channel provide beginenr cooks with solid foundational skills in cooking.
- Developing essential cooking skills like learning to handle the knife properly along with core cooking methods like boiling, sautéing, baking, and grilling is more important than knowing complex dishes.
- Knowing time-saving strategies like meal prep, one-pot cooking, and using appliances like rice cookers or pressure cookers makes home cooking simpler.
🧂 What kind of ingredient challenge do you like?
Top Online Platforms for Cooking Videos
YouTube Channels
YouTube has become one of the best places to find recipe inspiration and learn new skills in the kitchen, even if you are a beginner cook. Right from professional chefs to talented home cooks, you can easily find someone who matches your cooking interests.
Let’s take a look at some of the popular food channels on this platform.
Made With Lau
Made With Lau is an American TV channel dedicated to making Cantonese cuisine accessible to home cooks across the world. The channel features authentic recipes that showcase Mr Lau's experience of over 50 years in cooking Chinese food as a professional chef.
Founded in 2020 by Mr Lau’s son, Randy Lau, the channel was created to honour his father’s lifelong dedication to Cantonese cooking and to pass on these teachings to future generations.
When I started Made With Lau, I was doing it for my kids, so that one day, they might deeply understand what it means to be Cantonese and to learn how to cook the incredible food that my dad made for us every single day.
Randy Lau
Apart from YouTube content, the Lau family also conducts masterclasses on Chinese cooking that equip students with foundational skills to learn Cantonese cooking from scratch.
Binging with Babish
Binging with Babish, hosted by Andrew Douglas Rea, who goes by the pseudonym Babish, is one of YouTube’s most entertaining cooking channels. The channel recreates food from TV and movies, blending entertainment with culinary education.
Started in August of 2006 and hosted by "Babish," this YouTube series is today one of the most popular cooking channels on the platform, with over 10.5 million subscribers and a staggering 3.08 billion views. New episodes are released every week, keeping audiences hooked.
Dishes are taken from popular TV shows and movies and are recreated in a fun manner with easy-to-follow instructions.
Babish also runs a series titled Basics with Babish that focuses on the fundamental skills that beginner cooks should know.
Village Cooking Channel
Village Cooking Channel is an Indian channel that showcases traditional Indian village cooking, emphasising communal cooking methods. It is a Tamil language channel started in 2018 and run by grandfather M. Periyathambi and his grandchildren.
- The channel celebrates traditional village food and age-old cooking methods.
- Cooking is done outdoors, amidst the countryside.
- Food is made in large quantities and served to the villagers after cooking serves it to the villagers around.
- With over 30 million subscribers, this channel is hugely popular and admired for its authenticity and deep connection to its roots.
📺 What kind of cooking channels do you enjoy the most?
Social Media Platforms
For those with even shorter attention spans, social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok are becoming sources of inspiration. These platforms, with their strong focus on visual content, have changed the way users interact with food. In fact, the Sun reported that 72 per cent of 18–27-year-olds are nowadays planning their meals based on what they see online. TikTok is leading the charge at 84 per cent, with Instagram following closely behind at 75 per cent.
This visual culture is changing behaviour.
[Gen Z] They’re discovering recipes through influencers, finding products in real time, and buying them directly on the same platform. For brands, that means the moment of inspiration is also the moment of purchase.
Steve Ricketts, chief commerce officer at Publicis Media to The Sun
Instagram, with its aesthetic presentations and stunning visual imagery, has created a new form of culinary artistry, giving influencers and chefs a stage to showcase their creations. TikTok has accelerated this trend even further with its short and engaging videos that make cooking feel fast and accessible and encourage users to experiment with recipes they might never have tried before.
- Short-form cooking videos
- Photo carousels that break down cooking steps
- Cooking in real-time
- Behind-the-content scenes
TikTok
- 20 -60 seconds quick recipes
- Time-saving hacks
- Viral food challenges
- Step-by-step visuals
Essential Cooking Techniques for Beginners
Learning Basic Cutting Skills
Proper knife cutting techniques are one of the fundamental cooking steps, as they determine the outcome of your dish. There are several cutting methods that you need to know:
- Julienne: It is a technique where vegetables are cut into narrow and elongated strips
- Chiffonade: It is a cutting technique where leafy greens are cut into thin ribbons, perfect for salads or garnishes
- Brunoises: In this method, vegetables are cut into uniform cubes and are used for quick cooking or for garnishes
Learning these methods helps you cook faster and more safely.
Learning Different Cooking Methods
Baking
Baking is a cooking method that uses dry heat to cook food in an oven. Unlike roasting, which is used for hard cuts of meat, baking is suited for foods that start as liquid and solidify during the cooking process.
Success in baking depends on maintaining the right temperature, as even minor temperature fluctuations can significantly affect the taste and texture of the final dish.
Equally important is choosing the right bakeware since different cookware will influence how heat is transmitted.
Boiling
Boiling is a simple cooking method where food is submerged in water and heated until it reaches its boiling point (around 100°C), forming bubbles that distribute heat evenly. Foods like rice, eggs, pasta, and potatoes are ideal for boiling.
Sauteing
Sauteing is a cooking technique where the food is cooked in a small amount of oil, making it a healthier cooking method.3 Since the cooking time is short, sauteing helps ingredients retain their nutrients and natural flavours properly. This technique is most commonly used for cooking vegetables as they cook quickly in a short frame of time.
Grilling
Grilling is a cooking method where food is cooked over an open flame to achieve a charred look. The direct heat chars the exterior while locking in the juices, creating a strong flavour.
Since grilling uses direct heat, it is ideal for thin cuts of meat, vegetables, and seafood. Marinating beforehand gives the food a tasty taste, and the grill marks on the food give it a nice look. But remember, your food can get overcooked very quickly as you are cooking on direct heat.
| Cooking Method | Description | Best For | Tips |
|---|---|---|---|
| Baking | Uses dry heat in an oven | Bread, cakes, casseroles | Preheat oven and use proper bakeware |
| Boiling | Cooking food in boiling water at high heat | Pasta, rice, potatoes, eggs | Salt the water, use plenty of water, and simmer after it starts boiling |
| Grilling | Cooking over direct heat | Steaks, chicken, fish, vegetables | Preheat the grill, clean the grates, and rest meat before slicing |
| Sauteing | Cooking in a small amount of oil over medium-high heat | Vegetables, thin meats, seafood | Use a hot pan, cut food evenly, and cook in small batches |
How to Cook Common Ingredients Like Rice and Pasta
Rice
- Choose your cooking method: Rice can be cooked using several methods, such as the classic stove pot, microwave or the rice cooker. Each cooking method requires a different water-to-rice ratio, so knowing in advance helps you adjust accordingly.
- Rinse the rice: Whichever method you choose to cook rice, you must first wash the rice thoroughly. This removes excess starch that creates a sticky texture, as well as removes any impurities that may be present on rice grains.
- Maintain proportions: For most types of rice, the recommended ratio is 1 part rice to 2 parts water. However, for the microwave or the rice cooker option, the water-to-rice proportion is going to be different.
- Simmer, not boil: Bring water to a boil, add the rice and then reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook for at least 15–20 minutes until the water is fully absorbed.
- Rest and fluff: Once done, let the rice rest for 5 minutes, and then fluff with a fork to separate grains.
Pasta
- Use plenty of water: Take a large pot of water and boil it. Ample boiling water prevents the pasta from sticking to each other.
- Salt generously: Don’t forget to add salt to the water. As the pasta boils, it absorbs some of the salt.
- Stir frequently: Stir every few minutes to ensure the pasta does not stick to each other.
- Cook until pasta is al dente: Test the pasta until it is al dente, i.e. it should be firm to the bite.
- Reserve pasta water: For best results, keep a cup of starchy pasta water to add to your sauces.
Meat
- Choose the correct cut of meat: Every cut of meat is suited better to a particular cooking method. So, choose sauteing, frying, grilling, or broiling based on the cut to bring out its best flavour.
- Bring meat to room temperature: Bringing meat to room temperature will reduce cooking time. Thin cuts of meat, however, can be cooked straight from the refrigerator.
- Season before cooking: Before you begin cooking the meat, season it properly. Use spices and herbs of your choice, or marinade the meat in a slew of juices and sauces to bring out the complex flavour of the meat.
- Let it rest: After cooking is done, rest the meat before slicing. This allows the juices to redistribute, resulting in a flavourful dish.
| Food | Time | Temperature |
|---|---|---|
| White rice | 15 minutes | Low simmer |
| Brown rice | 40-45 minutes | Low simmer |
| Pasta | 10-12 minutes | Rolling boil |
| Chicken breast | 20-25 minutes (oven) | 200°C |
Best Cooking Hacks for Beginners
Now that you have watched some awesome videos and are eager to step into the kitchen, we are here to make your task easier. Cooking at home should be an enjoyable process, yet many people struggle with it.
Below, we have compiled some time-saving cooking hacks that are easy to implement and perfect for beginner cooks.
Time Saving Tips
Meal Prep
Meal prep is organising ingredients ahead of time to streamline the cooking process. This includes chopping vegetables, measuring spices, and marinating meat in advance, helping you eliminate last-minute stress and setting yourself up for culinary success.
Make One-Pot Meals
Ease your cooking load by making one-pot meals. Instead of using multiple pots, you use a single pot to cook an entire dish. One-pot dishes reduce prep time and also involve less cleanup, making them ideal for busy days.
Right from a hearty chicken stew to a risotto to the comforting claypot chicken rice, these flavourful meals are a blessing for cooks.
Some dishes that minimise cleanup and simplify cooking are:
- Japanese Gyudon
- Pad Thai
- Fried Rice
- One-pot Mee Sua
- Chicken Curry / Curry Laksa
Use Time Saving Appliances
While cooking food is a necessity, it does not mean you have to slave for hours in the kitchen. Today, there are a host of products that make life easy and help you prepare food in a jiffy. Do make sure to make the most of these time-saving kitchen appliances:
- Hand blender – Quickly blends and purees food directly in a bowl, saving time.
- Food processor – Has versatile blades that help with blending, kneading, chopping and slicing.
- Microwave – Perfect for reheating food or quickly preparing dishes.
- Pressure cooker – Cooks food much faster than cooking in a pan, while saving time and electricity/gas.
- Rice cooker – Say goodbye to burnt rice. Put in the rice, press a button, and your fluffy rice is ready.
Keep Things Organised
A well-organised kitchen makes the cooking process smoother and less stressful. It will save your time, allowing you to immediately start cooking rather than spending time searching for items.
It also means:
- You can find what you need quickly
- Your food stays fresh for longer times
- You can keep track of what you have
- You can plan your meals more effectively
- You become more productive
Use Flavour Enhancers
Seasoning
Seasoning your food as you are cooking is essential to bringing out its true flavour. If you wait to season the food until the end, it will make it bland and uninteresting. By seasoning throughout the cooking process, it will infuse specific flavours that will elevate the dish to a whole new level.
It is for this reason that we add salt to boiling pasta, season vegetables while sauteing, and marinate meat before cooking.
Add fresh herbs
Similarly, fresh herbs can be added to enhance the flavour of your dishes. Herbs like basil, parsley, and cilantro add flavour and brightness to your dishes, while also enhancing their visual appeal.
Dried herbs are equally effective and add a more concentrated flavour. They are thus best suited for dishes that cook for longer times.
Tip: Add fresh herbs at the end of the cooking process or as a garnish, while add dried herbs earlier in the cooking process to allow the flavours to develop fully.
Engaging with the Cooking Community
Join Online Forums and Groups
Joining cooking communities, such as online forums and groups, is an excellent way to learn new cooking techniques and improve your skills in the kitchen. Online food blog communities are a gathering of food lovers worldwide who share cooking ideas and recipes with one another. Talking and interacting with them inspires you to try out new cuisines and challenge yourself in the kitchen.
For instance, cooking subreddits are fantastic resources for anyone learning how to cook. They offer practical, real-world recipes and give you honest feedback on your culinary adventures that helps you improve faster.
For inspiration, you can check out the following:
- r/Cooking and r/CookingForBeginners for beginner cooks
- r/AskCulinary to learn from the experts
- r/AskBaking for baking tips
- r/BudgetFood for budget-friendly meals
- r/InstantPot for appliance-focused cooking
Interactive Platforms
Join Live Cooking Classes
Online cooking classes teach practical cooking skills to cooks through real-time, hands-on participation. Live cooking classes are beneficial as you don’t watch prerecorded cooking videos; participants learn directly from professional chefs and cook step by step, with professional guidance throughout.
- Class length can also be customized based on skill level, topic, and learning goals.
- You will also get to learn about new techniques and cooking methods.
- Many cooking classes also focus on healthy cooking, motivating you to prepare delicious and nutritious meals at home.
Participate in Q&A Sessions
Q&A sessions offer beginner cooks an interactive way to learn from experienced chefs. These sessions serve as welcoming spaces where beginner cooks can engage with the cooking community and ask questions about kitchen tasks that might seem easy for an experienced person but are important enough for a beginner cook.
These sessions are without judgement, and people feel free to ask about any doubts they have, such as the measurement of ingredients, adjusting flavours, handling unfamiliar tools or even properly chopping vegetables.
Through open discussion, beginners get their queries resolved, learn essential cooking techniques and gain practical tips from more experienced cooks. It also builds their confidence, and they feel that making mistakes is a normal part of learning to cook.
Benefits of Joining Online Cooking Forums
Here are some key benefits of joining an online cooking forum.
- You get to explore different cuisines and try your hand at it. As these forums have members from all over the world, interacting with them allows you to try out new cuisines and broaden your understanding of other cultures.
- You get to learn from experienced cooks, food bloggers and home cooks who share their expertise.
- Your fellow members act as a support system and encourage you when you fail and inspire you to excel in cooking.
- You can clear your doubts and get answers from people with real cooking experience.
- You also get to participate in games and contests where you show your cooking skills. In the process, you learn new recipes, show your culinary skills and gain the confidence to work in the kitchen.
References
- Study on Cooking techniques and nutritional quality of food. Available at https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1878450X21000809. Accessed on January 23, 2026
- Study on healthy food and dietary patterns. Available at https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12827757/. Accessed on January 26, 2026
- Effect of cooking method on vegetables. Available at https://erepository.uonbi.ac.ke/bitstream/handle/11295/88812/Tumwet_Effect%20of%20different%20cooking%20methods%20on%20the%20nutritional%20value%20of%20some%20African%20indigenous%20leafy%20vegetables%20in%20Kenya.pdf?sequence=1. Accessed on January 26, 2026
Summarise with AI:
Enjoyed this article? Leave a rating!
Loading...
