Palia: How to Cook

Cooking in Palia is an essential skill to master. Not only does making food allow you to increase the value of ingredients, but it also produces items that grant a large amount of Focus. It’s an activity that multiple players can participate in and reap the rewards of at a single time. Here’s how to cook in Palia.

How to Cook in Palia

When you first begin the game, Auni will direct you to Reth, who will teach you how to cook. Reth can usually be found at Ormuu’s Horn, the tavern in Kilima Valley, during the day. He tends the counter on the left, which also has the register for the Cooking Guild shop.

Speaking with Reth starts your cooking quests. He’ll give you the plan to build a Campfire and the recipe for Grilled Mushrooms. To build the Campfire on your plot, you’ll need:

• Sapwood x5
• Stone x16
• Flint x2
• Plant Fiber x10

Once you have it built, you can start cooking food. Grilled Mushrooms requires three mushrooms. You can find Mountain Morels around your home area, as well as in the Kilima Valley. Grill them up and collect them once they’re done, then return to Reth to report your progress. A couple of mail deliveries later, you’ll get three more recipes from Reth that only require the Campfire to make.

• Grilled Fish
• Grilled Meat
• Grilled Oysters

Intermediate Cooking in Palia: Standard Stove and Prep Station

To get access to more advanced cooking equipment, you have to hit Cooking Level 2. When you do, you’ll get a letter from Reth asking you to visit him. If you’re like me, you’ve already been visiting him daily, but now he’ll grant you access to the Guild shop.

You need both pieces of equipment built to start making more complicated dishes. Here, you’ll be introduced to minigames while cooking. Interacting with the Stove allows you to select which recipe to make, as well as what equipment is needed. You can select recipes even if you don’t have all the ingredients, as the game assumes those you’re playing with will have the missing items. The recipe card will also show you what steps to take to finish the dish, as well as what equipment is required.

Cooking Minigames Explained

Once you click “Make” to start cooking, a timer will pop up above the stove. To correctly make a dish, you must finish all steps within the allotted time. More complex dishes have longer times, while simpler soups have shorter timers. Begin with the Prep Station, which has two minigames depending on the item that’s being readied.

• Chop Chop is for cutting up items like onions or mushrooms. You have to chop them properly by clicking the right mouse button (RMB) when the blue lines enter the white area.
• If you’re making Ramen or another dish that requires dough, the minigame is Rolly Polly. You still need to click RMB when the blue bar gets into the white area, but this time, it’s a vertical layout with a bar at the top and bottom.

After you’ve finished prepping the ingredients, add them to the Stove with RMB. Then click and hold the button to stir it. If you have more ingredients to add, repeat the process above until the dish is complete. Sometimes you’ll have to flip what you’re cooking (such as in the case of Steak Dinner). To do this, hold RMB until the blue circle enters the white area. Missing it can cause the meal to burn.

Advanced Cooking in Palia: Mixing Station and Standard Oven

The next cooking skill equipment you’ll unlock is the Mixing Station. You must reach Cooking Level 3 to get it. Using the Mixing Station is the same as mixing on the Stove, and you’ll need the following materials:

• Sapwood Plank x20
• Copper Bar x2
• Fabric x3

After the Mixing Station comes the Standard Oven, which is the last piece of equipment and unlocks at Cooking Level 4. It requires the following crafting materials:

• Stone Brick x15
• Ceramic x20
• Copper Bar x6

Interacting directly with the Oven will allow you to whip up a variety of baking recipes, like desserts. Otherwise, you’ll use the Oven much like the Prep Station to make part of a recipe, then add it to the pot on the Stove.

Each recipe has a Complexity Rating, which you can sort by when interacting with Stove or Oven. One spoon is the easiest to prepare, while five spoons is the hardest to prep. As dishes start to involve more steps, it’s beneficial to enlist your friends for aid. Leaving something too long can cause it to burn, or you may miss a step completely or run out of time. Having friends help ensures the dish is finished, and everyone gets XP toward their Cooking Skill experience and the prepared meal.

That’s how to cook in Palia. While you can eat raw food, the best way to keep your Focus, and your tummy, filled is by crafting up a delicious dish. For more walkthroughs, quest tips, or how to become friends with the NPCs, check out our growing Palia guides library.