What is cooking?

For some, the basic recipe will help to hold over hunger and is the best that can be done. For others, food is more than just a meal, it’s an art form. Something that is to be enjoyed - Jim Catanich.

The act of preparing food for human consumption is known as cooking. The cooking process involves using a variety of methods and tools to prepare a set of ingredients so that they are digestible and have flavour. The process uses a form of scientific method and so the quantities of different ingredients and the conditions in which the food is prepared influence the resulting product. Heat is often applied to food during the process.

Cooking covers both the necessity to eat and the desire for variety in what is eaten. A combination of taste, sight and nutrition requirements come together in subtle ways to make each meal different. Each culture has developed its own methods and techniques for preparing their food, creating unique and rich recipes that have now been shared throughout the world. However, the obsession with the art of cooking is one thing all cultures share.