The Sims 2 has many skills for your Sim to build, but one of the most important is the cooking skill. All Sims need to eat and cooking skills will help you make a larger variety of tastier meals. There are also careers which benefit from the skill.
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Being good at cooking also helps reduce the risk of fire when cooking, and can fulfill the fun needs of Sims with an interest in all things culinary. Here’s how to build it.
How To Level Up The Cooking Skill
The cooking skill can be leveled in four different ways. The easiest and fastest way is to read a book. You will also gain cooking skill every time you cook a meal, when you use the candy maker, and by watching the Yummy Channel on TV.
Studying
Cookery books are available from any bookshelf. To read them just click on the bookshelf and select Study > Cooking. Make sure to keep an eye on your Sim’s needs while doing this.
Studying is the fastest way to build cookery skills and children will gain the skill quicker than adults.
Watching Yummy TV
To watch Yummy TV, first turn on the TV. Once it’s on, you can click on the TV set and select Change To > Yummy TV. Your Sim can now watch Yummy TV and gain cooking skills. Both studying and watching TV will increase a Sim’s culinary interest.
Cooking A Meal
Every time you cook a meal you will also gain cooking skill. The higher skill required to cook a recipe, the more skill will be built by preparing it. Make sure to cook new recipes as often as possible.
Sims with a high culinary interest will enjoy all activities relating to cooking and building cooking skills.
Using The Candy Machine
If your Sim reaches level 6 in the culinary career, they will unlock the Schokolade 890 Chocolate Manufacturing Facility. This machine is large taking up a 2×3 space. However, it not only builds cooking skills as fast as studying, but you will also generate a small stream of income from automatically selling the candies.
All Recipes Sims Can Learn
Sims will automatically learn new recipes as they level their cooking skills. Here are all the recipes Sims can learn and make at home.
|
Food |
Skill Level |
When Available |
Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Bass With Squash |
0 |
Lunch, Dinner |
Requires A Largemouth Bass. Can Be Grilled |
|
Cereal |
0 |
Breakfast |
No Cooking Required |
|
Chips |
0 |
Any |
Snack |
|
Cookies |
0 |
Any |
Snack |
|
Cup ‘O’ Ramen |
0 |
Lunch, Dinner |
Requires Microwave. Single Meal Only. |
|
Gelatin |
0 |
Dessert |
Group Only. No Cooking Required |
|
Hot Dogs |
0 |
Any |
Group Only. Requires Grill |
|
Instant Meal |
0 |
Any |
No Cooking Required |
|
Juice |
0 |
Any |
Snack |
|
Lunch Meat Sandwich |
0 |
Lunch |
No Cooking Required |
|
Toaster Pastries |
0 |
Breakfast |
No Preparation Required |
|
TV Dinner |
0 |
Lunch, Dinner |
Single Meal Only. No Preparation Required |
|
Mac And Cheese |
0 |
Lunch, Dinner |
None |
|
Santa Cookies |
1 |
Dessert |
Can Only Make In Residential Or Community Lots |
|
Spaghetti |
1 |
Dinner |
None |
|
Blackened Catfish |
2 |
Lunch, Dinner |
Requires A Catfish. Can be Grilled |
|
Grilled Cheese |
2 |
Lunch |
Can Be Conjured At Any Time With Aspiration |
|
Chef Salad |
3 |
Lunch, Dinner |
No Cooking Required |
|
Hamburger |
3 |
Lunch, Dinner |
Can Prepare On Grill |
|
Pancakes |
3 |
Breakfast |
None |
|
Chilli Con Carne |
4 |
Lunch |
None |
|
Crepes Suzette |
4 |
Dessert |
Group Meal Only |
|
Omelette |
4 |
Lunch |
None |
|
Stuffed Rainbow Trout |
4 |
Lunch, Dinner |
Requires A Rainbow Trout. Can be Grilled |
|
Berry Pie |
5 |
Dessert |
Group Meal Only |
|
Pork Chops |
5 |
Dinner |
None |
|
Layer Cake |
6 |
Dessert |
Group Meal Only |
|
Salmon |
6 |
Dinner |
None |
|
Stuffed Golden Trout |
6 |
Lunch, Dinner |
Requires A Golden Trout. Can Be Grilled |
|
Turkey |
6 |
Dinner |
Group Meal Only |
|
Cheesecake |
7 |
Dessert |
Group Meal Only. Guarantees Twins In Pregnant Sims. |
|
Holiday Roast |
7 |
Dinner |
Requires A Cornucopia On The Lot |
|
Ribs |
7 |
Any |
Requires Grill |
|
Baked Alaska |
8 |
Dessert |
Group Meal Only |
|
Lobster Thermidor |
10 |
Dinner |
None |
All these recipes are learned as you level your cooking skill.
Other Recipes
There are also several restaurant-exclusive foods. These are Filet Mignon, Fried Chicken, Lime Seared Prawns, Nectarine Tartlette. You can only create and serve these if you own a restaurant.
The Food Stands from Vacation Worlds; Mountain Food Stand, Far East Food Stand, and Tropical Food Stands, also have their own dishes available.
Careers Which Require Cooking Skill
The career paths for artist, culinary, journalism, paranormal and science all require cooking skills. Sims can also own and run their own restaurant.
The culinary career requires the highest level of culinary skill. A restaurant will also be more successful the higher the skill level of the chef.
