Complete Beginner's Guide

Start your cooking journey with confidence

Welcome to Cooking!

Everyone starts somewhere. If you can read and follow directions, you can cook. This guide walks you through your first steps, from setting up your kitchen to preparing your first successful meals. Take it slow, be patient with yourself, and remember—every expert was once a beginner.

Your 30-Day Cooking Roadmap

Week 1: Kitchen Setup & Safety

Before cooking, get your kitchen ready and learn basic safety:

  • Acquire essential tools: chef's knife, cutting board, pot, pan
  • Stock basic pantry items: oil, salt, pepper, rice, pasta
  • Learn knife safety and proper hand placement
  • Practice washing and storing food safely
  • Understand your stove settings and heat control

Week 2: Basic Techniques

Master fundamental cooking methods one at a time:

  • Boiling: Cook pasta perfectly with salted water
  • Scrambling: Make fluffy scrambled eggs
  • Sautéing: Cook vegetables with oil in a pan
  • Seasoning: Understand when and how to add salt
  • Tasting: Learn to adjust flavors as you cook

Week 3: Simple Complete Meals

Combine techniques to make full dishes:

  • Pasta with simple tomato sauce
  • Grilled cheese sandwich and soup
  • Stir-fried vegetables with rice
  • Baked chicken with roasted vegetables
  • Basic salad with homemade dressing

Week 4: Building Confidence

Experiment and develop your personal style:

  • Try one new recipe from our collection
  • Modify a recipe with your preferred ingredients
  • Cook without constantly checking recipes
  • Start meal planning for next week
  • Share a meal with family or friends

Your First 5 Recipes

Start with these foolproof recipes designed specifically for beginners

🥚

Perfect Scrambled Eggs

The easiest way to start cooking. Teaches heat control and timing. Takes 5 minutes, hard to mess up.

🍝

Basic Pasta with Butter

Learn to boil water, cook pasta, and create a simple sauce. Foundation for countless pasta dishes.

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Grilled Cheese

Practice pan temperature control. Golden, crispy bread with melted cheese—simple but satisfying.

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Basic Fried Rice

Use leftover rice to make a complete meal. Teaches stir-frying and combining ingredients.

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Baked Chicken Breasts

Simplest way to cook chicken. Season, bake, done. Teaches using a meat thermometer for safety.