OSRS 1–99 Cooking Training Guide

Why Train Cooking?

Cooking is one of the fastest and most relaxed skills to max in Old School RuneScape. It unlocks key quest requirements, enables high-level food for PvM and Slayer, and offers several profitable or AFK-friendly training methods.

At-a-Glance: Best Cooking Paths

• Fastest Overall (No Tick Manipulation): Jugs of Wine

• Fastest Possible: 1-tick Karambwans

• AFK Training: Cooking fish

• Profitable Methods: Tuna, monkfish, sharks, pies

• Ironman Friendly: Wines, pizzas, fish cooking

Early Levels (1–35): Cooking Fish

Cooking fish is the standard early progression. XP rates scale quickly and already approach 100k XP/hour at mid-level fish.

Best Cooking Locations

• Hosidius Range: Reduced burn rate with easy Kourend Diary

• Rogues’ Den Fire: Bank and fire next to each other

• Myths’ Guild / Mor Ul Rek: Close bank-to-range access

Cooking fish allows long AFK intervals, as a full inventory can be cooked in one action.

Fastest Standard Method: Jugs of Wine (35–99)

Making jugs of wine is the fastest non–tick manipulation method in the game.

XP & Cost

• ~300k XP/hour at unlock

• 450k+ XP/hour at higher levels

• ~30 hours total to reach 99

• Low overall GP loss

How It Works

• Combine grapes with jugs of water

• Bank and repeat

• XP is granted once wines ferment

At lower levels, letting wines ferment periodically helps reduce failure rates.

Fastest Method Overall: 1-Tick Karambwans

This is the fastest Cooking method in OSRS but requires constant attention and precise timing.

• 100k+ XP/hour at level 1

• 450k+ XP/hour at level 30

• Up to ~950k XP/hour at 99

• ~14 hours total to 99

This method involves cooking one karambwan every game tick. A metronome or rhythm plugin greatly improves consistency.

AFK & Profitable Fish Cooking

Cooking fish remains one of the most relaxed ways to train Cooking, with many options becoming profitable at higher levels.

Notable Fish

• Tuna: Profitable after burn-free level

• Monkfish: High profit, moderate XP

• Sharks: Solid XP and profit

Cooking gauntlets significantly reduce burn rates and are highly recommended for long-term training.

Bake Pie Spell (65+ Magic)

Baking pies using the Lunar spellbook provides some of the highest Cooking XP rates outside of tick manipulation.

• 300k+ XP/hour with fish pies

• Up to ~490k XP/hour with summer pies

• Decent AFK intervals

Passive Cooking XP

Cooking XP can also be gained passively while training other skills.

• Barbarian Fishing: Cutting fish grants Cooking XP

• Long-term benefit: Over 1M Cooking XP alongside Fishing

Ironman Cooking Tips

For Ironman accounts, Cooking progression is tied closely to food access.

• Early cooking through fish and meat pies

• Pizza-making provides strong XP without GE reliance

• Wines are extremely cost-efficient using shop supplies

Free-to-Play Cooking

Free-to-play Cooking remains efficient through wines, pies, stews, and cooked fish. With proper planning, it’s possible to reach 99 with minimal or even positive GP.

Common Mistakes / Avoid These

• Ignoring Cooking gauntlets

• Choosing profit methods when XP is the goal

• Using tick methods inconsistently

• Overbuying supplies without checking burn rates

FAQ

What is the fastest Cooking method?

1-tick karambwans offer the highest XP rates but require constant focus.

Is Cooking profitable?

Yes. Several fish and pie methods generate significant GP at higher levels.

Is Cooking AFK?

Most fish-based methods allow long AFK intervals.

Are wines worth it?

Absolutely. They are extremely fast and inexpensive.

Is Cooking easy to max?

Yes. Cooking is considered one of the fastest and simplest 99s.

Efficiency Note

Many players mix AFK fish cooking with fast wine sessions to reach 99 efficiently. When time is limited, some rely on trusted convenience services like ArgenGaming to streamline progression while maintaining safe and balanced gameplay.