Cooking has been a fan-favorite mechanic in every Monster Hunter game, something Capcom has iterated with every new entry.
Monster Hunter World added tantalizing visuals to every signature dish cooked by the Palico Chef, thus providing a mouth-watering level of immersion.
In Monster Hunter Wilds, Capcom has changed how and where you cook food.
If you have just reached the Windward Plains base camp and can’t find the Palico Chef and his minions, don’t worry, as you are not the only one.
Here’s how and where you can cook food in Monster Hunter Wilds.
How to cook in Monster Hunter Wilds
You can cook in Monster Hunter Wilds inside your tent at the base camp and pop-up camps.
Sadly, there’s no Palicos to serve you food this time around.
Instead, as a self-reliant hunter, you have to cook food for yourself, in and outside camp.
Thankfully, you can pick up rations needed to cook food by the ration Palico in the base camp.
The little furry guy will almost always have rations to give you, so don’t forget to check with him once in a while.
Once you have acquired the ration, head inside your tent and scroll right to the BBQ Menu.
Here, you will find the option to grill a meal.
You can choose between recommended meals, which won’t require much input from you.
Or you can create a custom meal by adding ration, additional ingredients, and special touches.
Ration ranges from meat and veggies to fish. They are pretty self-explanatory.
Additional ingredients are special items exclusive to certain tribes and factions in Monster Hunter Wilds.
For instance, my favorite, Kunafa Cheese, is native to the Kunafa Village you encounter in the Windward Plains.
Each additional ingredient provides special buffs that can be useful in different situations.
For instance, Kunafa Cheese provides the Defender Meal buff which decreases the damage you take.
Likewise, Mud Shrimp is an ingredient native to Oilwell Basin that can activate the Tumbler Meal buff, making you vulnerable to enemy attacks when evading.
You can also cook on the fly.
Simply open the Radial Menu and select the Portable BBQ Grill option.
However, be careful while cooking in the wild, as you are more prone to monster attacks.
Why should you cook in Monster Hunter Wilds?
If you are new to Monster Hunter, you might be wondering what’s all the fuss about cooking.
Sure, there are delicious cinematics to look at, and you get some passive buffs, but is it worth stopping by every now and then to make a meal for yourself?
Yes, it is because monster hunts in the latter half of the game are long-winded encounters that can take 30-40 minutes to complete if not more.
The best way to prepare for these hunts other than upgrading your gear is these stats-enhancing and buff-providing meals.
Grilling a meal can actually be more strategic than it initially might seem.
Depending on your playstyle and the monster you are hunting, you can leverage food to your benefit by gaining necessary buffs and becoming more effective in battle.
For instance, Veggies can provide elemental resistances, so it’s best to grill a meal with Veggies in it when you are hunting a monster that deals a ton of elemental damage, such as Rey Dau, which deals lethal Lightning damage.
Or when hunting during turbulent weather, which is more often than not in Monster Hunter Wilds.
Some monsters, like the Balahra, are fast and frantic, and to catch up to them, you would need better stamina.
Hence, in such a case, I would recommend activating the Black Belt Meal buff that reduces stamina depletion when evading and other maneuvering abilities. You get the idea.
Most main quests eventually lead to gigantic monster fights, so it’s best to be prepared by eating a meal every time before heading out.
