Cooking Guide

The very first thing I want to stress to the reader is, begin doing the daily Cooking quests in Org and/or Undercity as soon as you can! You will absolutely need the Epicurean Awards when you reach Illustrious Grand Master Cook (Cooking Level 450) if your toon hasn't reached Level 85 by then. If you are able to go to Panderia, skip to Section II. Otherwise, heed and read on. . .

SECTION I WoW Cooking Leveling Guide 1 - 525 if you are below Level 85

For Craft Faire purposes, and to save you money, we have only listed the minimum trainer provided recipes that you need to learn to level up during the Craft Faire. If you want to spend the gold to learn all the available recipes as you go, feel free to learn them. However, please notice that not only will we use certain selected trainer provided recipes, but recipes recommended in the WoW Professions Cooking Guide 1-525 for Players Below Level 85 will be provided by The Craft Faire Cooking Team.

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SECTION II WoW Cooking Leveling Guide 1 - 525 if you are Level 85 or higher

This is the guide that you can use as long as you can get to Sungshin Ironpaw at Halfhill Market. You do HAVE to be at least level 85 to do this but it makes the first 525 points so much easier, or to get there from where you are as long as it is a multiple of 5 (I will explain this a bit later in the guide). After the updates from Patch 5.4 Cooking has become way easier. It does cost GOLD but it is THE fastest way how to level your Cooking skill from 1 to 525. Mists of Pandaria altered the process of leveling cooking, you get to 525 very quickly, primarily using vendor-purchased ingredients as I said before BUT from 525 to 600 it is the same as it was before. You HAVE to be careful from 525 as it is VERY easy to make mistakes and that can cost a LOT of time and gold !

As I said you have to be at least 85 and I do recommend just to wait until you reach level 85. It's really easy to level cooking to 525 with this new method. It takes about 20 minutes, while with the older method it would take hours and even days because you still need to do daily quests to get the Epicurean Awards for the recipes from the trainers in Orgrimmar. Even if you are say 231, get to 235, which is a multiple of 5, then head to Halfhill and you can still use the new method as long as you are 85.

'Cooking leveling guide 1-525 Pandaria Style

Every recipe grants 5 skillups per craft up to 525 as long as they're orange. A few of the recipes require [Golden Carp], which can be fished from any water in Pandaria. Just learn fishing and fish in any water in Pandaria, you will catch one every single time. You will also need two [Wildfowl Breast], it's dropped by Glade Sprinters near Halfhill Market. Of course, if you are working with The Craft Faire, we provide the mats (except for the stuff you have to purchase from a vendor). Go to the Halfhill Market in Valley of the Four Winds and talk to Sungshin Ironpaw.

The recipes are very sequential and the ingredients are all at the same area so no issues there APART from the 42 Golden Carp that are required at selective points. They can be fished from any river pond or lake in Pandaria.

1. Learn a recipe.
2. Buy the ingredients from Sungshin Ironpaw.
3. Make the recipe until it turns yellow.
4. Learn new recipe.
5. Repeat this until you reach 520. Don't forget to learn the new ranks of cooking at 50, 125, 275, 350 and at 425! Learning the new ranks and the recipes will cost around 340 gold. As I mentioned there are parts where you need some [Golden Carp](42 in total). These parts are at: ▪ 61 - 91
6 x [Toasted Fish Jerky] - 6 Golden Carp ▪ 271 - 331
6 x [Golden Carp Consomme] - 12 Golden Carp and
6 x [Fish Cake] - 12 Golden Carp ▪ 421 - 451
6 x [Green Curry Fish] - 12 Golden Carp, 6 Rice

You can fish Golden Carp even with fishing skill 1 in any water in Pandaria.

525 - 600

This is where it gets interesting and you have to be VERY careful or it will cost you a lot of time, & / or, cash ! ! You MUST also go carefully through each Way in the order in this guide, It ensures you use the mats stated.

Talk to Sungshin Ironpaw again and accept the quest So You Want to Be a Chef.... Make 5 Sliced Peaches, and turn in the quest. Talk to her again, accept the quest Ready for Greatness, make 5 Rice Pudding, and turn in the quest. This gives you the opening to the Master Of the Ways achievement and the various Stat Foods that are grouped for a change !

OK On to the fun part. ! ! 6 new quests now open up, 1 for each Cooking specialization. As I said before do the Ways in the order in this guide only, guarantees both 600 and the Meta "Master of the Ways" with mats stated. 5 Ways are associated with 1 primary stat and one with getting drunk. My personal FAVE ! ! "HIC" !

So the 6 Ways are Agility - Way of the Wok
 Strength - Way of the Grill
 Stamina - Way of the Oven 
Intellect - Way of the Pot
 Spirit - Way of the Steamer
 Getting drunk - Way of the Brew

These specializations are not exclusive; you can learn all 6 on a single character. In fact for the Meta you have to learn all 6 ! !

You gain cooking skill in each Way separately. As to your overall skill it is always equal to your highest skill in any Way. At 575, all Ways get recipes for a 10man and a 25man Banquet, that will increase stats by 250. Note that the Banquets are not bound to the Way's stat; a Mage like me eating from a Banquet of the Steamer will still get 250 Intellect from it, yet the Way of the Steamer is associated with Spirit. This fact is solo cool ! !

At 600 you can learn the ultimate recipe of a Way, which allows you to create food that increases the Way's associated stat by 300. This again HAS to be done on ALL Ways for the Meta and title, Yes ! I said Master Of The Ways is a META achievement ! Each Way levels up via a similar method: First you need to Complete a quest to learn the cooking Way. All quests start from Sungshin Ironpaw, and require ingredients to be delivered to the Way's trainer. Each of the Sets are named below, with material totals as well.

Start with

Way of the Brew - No stat gain, just a THUMPING Headache and good memories ! !

Total Ingredients 525 - 600: 25 x [Ginseng]
65x [Jade Squash]
250x [Green Cabbage]
315x [Witchberries]
5 x [100 Year Soy Sauce]

Start by accepting the quest Way of the Brew, from Sungshin Ironpaw. Deliver 1 x [Ginseng] to Bobo Ironpaw. You can buy Ginseng from Sungshin Ironpaw. ▪ 525 - 550 - 
25 x [Ginseng Tea] - 25 x [Ginseng] ▪ 550 - 576
 - 13 x [Jade Witch Brew] - 65 x [Jade Squash] and 65 x [Witchberries] ▪ 576 - 600
 5 x [Banquet of the Brew] - 5 x 100 Year Soy Sauce, 250 x [Green Cabbage], 250 x [Witchberries]. You can also make [Great Banquet of the Brew] if you prefer the 25 man raid version, but you will need a bit more ingredients. It costs more too, so ONLY do it when you are raiding.

Way of the Grill - Strength

Total Ingredients 525 - 600: 30 x [Raw Tiger Steak]
65 x [Striped Melon]
13 x [Jade Lungfish] 
50 x [Redbelly Mandarin]
 50 x [Raw Crab Meat]
 250 x [White Turnip]
 5 x [100 Year Soy Sauce]

Now the Method - Same as before. Accept the quest Way of the Grill. Deliver 5 x [Raw Tiger Steak] to Kol Ironpaw. ▪ 525 - 550
 25 x [Charbroiled Tiger Steak] - 25 [Raw Tiger Steak] ▪ 550 - 576 
13 x [Eternal Blossom Fish] - 13 [Jade Lungfish], 65 [Striped Melon] ▪ 576 - 600
 5 x [Banquet of the Grill] - 5 [100 Year Soy Sauce], 50 [Raw Crab Meat], 50 [Redbelly Mandarin] and 250 [White Turnip] Same as with the others you can also make [Great Banquet of the Grill] if you prefer the 25 man raid version, but you will need a bit more ingredients.

Way of the Oven - Stamina

Total Ingredients 525 - 600: 30 x [Wildfowl Breast]
76 x [Krasarang Paddlefish]
250 x [Mogu Pumpkin]
50 x [Raw Turtle Meat]
5 x [100 Year Soy Sauce]

Accept the quest Way of the Oven. Deliver 5 x [Wildfowl Breast] to Jian Ironpaw. ▪ 525 - 550
 25 x [Wildfowl Roast] - 25 x [Wildfowl Breast] ▪ 550 - 576 
13 x [Twin Fish Platter] - 26 x [Krasarang Paddlefish] ▪ 576 - 600 
5 x [Banquet of the Oven] - 5 x [100 Year Soy Sauce], 50 x [Krasarang Paddlefish], 250 x [Mogu Pumpkin], 50 x [Raw Turtle Meat] You can also make [Great Banquet of the Oven] if you prefer the 25 man raid version, but you will need a bit more ingredients.

Way of the Pot - Intellect

Total Ingredients 525 - 600: 30 x [Jade Lungfish]
13 x [Raw Turtle Meat]
315 x [Juicycrunch Carrot]
50 x [Mushan Ribs]
50 x [Reef Octopus]
5 x [100 Year Soy Sauce]

Accept the quest Way of the Pot from Sungshin Ironpaw. Deliver 5 [Jade Lungfish] to Mei Mei Ironpaw ▪ 525 - 550
 25 x [Swirling Mist Soup] - Jade Lungfish ▪ 550 - 576
 13 x [Braised Turtle] - 13 x [Raw Turtle Meat], 65 x [Juicycrunch Carrot] ▪ 576 - 600 
5 x [Banquet of the Pot] - 5 x [100 Year Soy Sauce], 250 x [Juicycrunch Carrot], 50 x [Mushan Ribs], 50 x [Reef Octopus] Same as with the others you can also make [Great Banquet of the Pot] if you prefer the 25 man raid version, but you will need a bit more ingredients.

Way of the Steamer - Spirit

Total Ingredients 525 - 600: 30 x [Giant Mantis Shrimp]
 63 x [Emperor Salmon] 
65 x [Scallions]
 250 x [Jade Squash]
 50 x [Wildfowl Breast] 
5 x [100 Year Soy Sauce]

Accept the quest Way of the Steamer from Sungshin Ironpaw. Deliver 5x [Giant Mantis Shrimp] to Yan Ironpaw. ▪ 525 - 550 
25 x [Shrimp Dumplings] - 25 x [Giant Mantis Shrimp] ▪ 550 - 576
 13 x [Fire Spirit Salmon] - 13 x [Emperor Salmon], 65 [Scallions] ▪ 576 - 600
 5 x [Banquet of the Steamer] - 5 x [100 Year Soy Sauce], 50 x [Emperor Salmon], 250 x [Jade Squash], 50 x [Wildfowl Breast] Same as with the others you can also make [Great Banquet of the Steamer] if you prefer the 25 man raid version, but you will need a bit more ingredients.

Way of the Wok - Agility

Total Ingredients 525 - 600: 55 x [Juicycrunch Carrot]
13 x [Reef Octopus]
13 x [Wildfowl Breast]
50 x [Raw Crocolisk Belly]
50 x [Giant Mantis Shrimp]
250 x [Red Blossom Leek]
5 x [100 Year Soy Sauce]

Accept the quest Way of the Wok from Sungshin Ironpaw. Deliver 5 x [Juicycrunch Carrot] to Anthea Ironpaw. ▪ 525 - 550
25 x [Sauteed Carrots] - 50 [Juicycrunch Carrot] ▪ 550 - 576
13 x [Valley Stir Fry] - [Reef Octopus], 13 [Wildfowl Breast]. 576 - 600
5 x [Banquet of the Wok] - 5 [100 Year Soy Sauce]
, 50 [Giant Mantis Shrimp], 50 [Raw Crocolisk Belly], 250 [Red Blossom Leek] Same as with the others you can also make [Great Banquet of the Wok] if you prefer the 25 man raid version, but you will need a bit more ingredients.