Not all of us have the natural talent to create beautiful meals without recipes or instructions. In fact, just last week I burnt rice, which I hadn’t previously thought was possible.
But luckily for me and people like me who need a bit more guidance when it comes to putting together a healthy, delicious dish for myself and friends, the internet offers nearly endless resources for learning more about how to cook well.
YouTube, in particular, has a distinct advantage over many of these resources, offering detailed visuals for each step of a given recipe. And as more and more creators add their own unique flavor to the way they present, you’re more likely to find a cooking channel that speaks very specifically to your tastes and even your sense of humor.
So let’s run through some of the most entertaining, most educational, and just plain useful cooking channels YouTube has to offer.
Binging with Babish
You may have seen some of Babish’s videos pop up on your YouTube homepage, even if you don’t usually go out of your way to find how-tos.
This talented gentleman has found a way to combine his deep love of cooking with his affection for pop culture and the (largely) fictional food that pops up in television and movies.
He’s tackled real-life versions of the Baby You Can Chive My Car Burger from Fox’s ‘Bob’s Burgers,’ as well as Rum Ham from ‘It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia.’
Babish rarely shows his face, opting instead to focus on the food and prep itself. And as a bonus, each video is presented in 4K.
The only disclaimer we’ll offer here is that Babish is true pro and tends to put together some complex dishes. This isn’t to say that his recipes are outside the realm of a casual home kitchen cook, but you may soon find yourself Googling prices for convection ovens and chef’s torches.
My Drunk Kitchen
Don’t let the channel’s name fool you: these are some killer recipes being offered here. And yes, many of them are simple enough to pull off even when inebriated.
Hannah Hart is the mind and the face behind this extremely popular YouTube channel. Based in San Francisco, Hart takes an incredibly playful approach to making tasty cuisine.
And while she often drinks during episodes, the tone always stays safe and fun. Episodes that include some of her close friends only up the entertainment level as the whole team tried their best to keep things from catching on fire.
Hart’s channel also offers supplemental vlogs that give some context for what she’s been up to in her own life, outside of the kitchen. And with literally hundreds of videos posted, there’s plenty to peruse before jumping into a specific recipe.
Just remember, always cook responsibly.
Everyday Food
Unlike the previous two channels we’ve mentioned, the Everyday Food channel is actually a team effort.
Several professional chefs and bakers all put their best efforts into showing you how to make scrumptious recipes that are also simple enough for beginners to take on.
Martha Stewart herself has a series of videos on the channel in which she goes through recipes with her own mother, keeping a family tradition of culinary arts alive and well.
Everyday Food is definitely a solid starting place for those looking to dip their toes into the warm waters of the culinary arts. From family meals to desserts to breakfast favorites, this channel offers a primer course on how to impress friends and family with your newfound kitchen skills.
Tasty
To put it simply, this channel is a monster, but a fuzzy, approachable monster who has some very useful information to share with you.
With more than 11 million channel subscribers and more than 2 billion (yes, billion with a B) total views and counting, Tasty prides itself on making itself accessible to cooks of all shapes, sizes, and skill levels.
The channel filters its recipes into broad, simple categories like Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, and Desserts.
This is your one-stop shop for finding the perfect recipe for a dinner party you’re throwing later today and haven’t actually prepared for at all up to this point.
We recommend checking out their compilation video of great vegan dessert recipes. With the help of Tasty, you’re only a few clicks away from making healthier sweets that are, well, just plain tasty.
You Suck At Cooking
This channel is likely to appeal to any of us who have a bit of a self-deprecating streak.
You Suck At Cooking has an incredibly direct approach to teaching folks how to up their food game. It does its best to keep things as simple as possible, all while maintaining a light-hearted feel.
Most of the videos are based on highly common meals that plenty of people tend to overlook or never bother to improve.
From there, it becomes an exercise in upgrading easy recipes, all for a result that doesn’t necessarily have to look great. Much more important is the taste, as well as the satisfaction of finally getting to a point where the channel’s title no longer applies to you.
Sam The Cooking Guy
Sam makes a concerted effort to execute a minimalist approach to classic recipes. Watching his work is like hanging out with a funny uncle who just happens to be showing you how to cook things.
To quote Sam himself, “My goal is to show you that cooking doesn’t have to be hard, it just has to be delicious.”
Sam also does a series of Q & A videos in which he opens the floor to anyone and everyone for questions about how to become kitchen pros, even if you don’t have all the fancy gadgets you’ve seen on TV.
