We live in the era of information. With a few clicks, you can access tomes of knowledge that even the wisest sages couldn’t have compiled just a hundred years ago. With all of this information readily available, people are picking up knowledge and hobbies that they never could have before with ease. One of the most hotly pursued new-age pastimes is cooking. From international culinary curiosities to baking cakes in the shape of...just about anything you could think of, cooking channels abound. And that’s where YouTube comes in.
YouTube cooking channels are more plentiful than mispronunciations of the words ouija board. There are cooking shows for beginners, intermediate, and advanced chefs, and even dedicated channels for couch potatoes that don’t actually want to do a stitch of cooking but love to watch the dishes artfully created before their eyes.
Finding the best YouTube cooking channel for you is a bit of a challenge. Good news is it's a wonderful and fun challenge (like when your best friend challenges you to eat the WHOLE pint of Ben & Jerry's Chocolate Fudge Brownie in one sitting) - challenge accepted! Here's how to do it:
The best way to find a YouTube cooking channel that you’ll love to cozy up to is to get on YouTube and start watching. It won’t take you long to see if you like the flavor, tone, and style of a cooking show. So, you can watch the first minute or two of a channel, and click away if it’s not your cup of tea.
More good news, there’s no exclusivity when it comes to cooking channels. That’s right. Monday night you can spend with your favorite cake decorating channel (shout out to How to Cake That); Wednesday nights can be dedicated to more hands-on recipes like Caitlin Shoemaker’s channel; and the weekends can be reserved for your guilty pleasure, an ASMR cooking channel that puts you into zen mode.
Of course, if you already know what type of cooking is your speed, you’re several steps ahead of the game. If you hate the idea of foreign-sounding cooking processes, avoid any advanced-style cooking channels. Meanwhile, if you love watching things get debunked, look for YouTube cooking channels that demystify cooking and recipes. Here are a few niches on the network along with YouTube cooking channels you’re going to love:
A Rising Star: How Do You Make a Cooking Channel on YouTube?
Fancy yourself a bit of a chef? Think you’ve got what it takes to go viral? Maybe it’s time for you to launch your own cooking channel and become a cooking YouTuber. If you’ve toyed with the idea before, then now is the time to make that dream a reality. Here’s an initial checklist to help you get started opening your own YouTube cooking channel:
You've got your YouTube cooking channel online, your schedule in place, and your equipment set up. You're ready to roll. But the views are trickling in painfully slow. What can you do to boost those visitors' numbers? For one thing, realize that all beginnings are rough. Rome wasn't built in a day after all. So, don't expect to be an overnight success.
More than that, though, you can take a lesson from rising YouTube cooking channel stars like Laura Vitale and Skyy John (the Tipsy Bartender). Vitale keeps it real, offering easy-to-follow recipes that are relatable and delicious. Meanwhile, John gives you everything you’ll need to learn all the cocktail creations your friends can fire at you.
These pros all agree that what makes a successful YouTube cooking channel is mostly to do with the chef’s personality. People look for personality, viewers want to be actively engaged (and often entertained) by their cooking compadres. In the words of Alyssa from Simply Quinoa, “People are following you for YOU, so be yourself and give them content that will help them in their everyday life.” Got it? Be yourself. Here are a few more expert tips to make your viewers numbers skyrocket:
Full disclosure, choosing the best YouTube cooking channels was extremely challenging, and in all honesty, isn't an entirely truthful statement. After all, if you don’t eat a vegan diet, then a YouTube cooking channel based on vegan eats won’t be the best for you. Since eating, food, and cooking are very personal tastes, it really isn’t accurate to say that these are the “best” YouTube cooking channels. Rather, let’s just say that these channels are all awesome, and the audiences that they speak to absolutely love them!
As mentioned, there are plenty of other great YouTube cooking channels. So, feel free to browse the web. And why not? They’re all free, and we’ve got plenty of time on our hands to experiment with some new cooking challenges. In the meantime, here’s the lowdown on some of the top-rated YouTube cooking channels out there today.
Andrew Rea is the host and chef of Binging With Babish, one of the most popular YouTube cooking channels out there. From original recipes, general cooking tips, and guided procedures to duplicating popular dishes from movies and shows (Twin Peaks pancakes and coffee, a full Harry Potter dish special, and mouth-watering shawarma from The Avengers), Binging With Babish will deliver everything you’re looking for in a cooking series.
Bon Appetit is a hilarious, fascinating, and educational cooking channel on YouTube. There are different series for fans to love, including one that pairs a celeb with expert chefs, challenging them to keep up, a gourmet junk food transformation series, and an interesting series that focuses on an in-depth explanation for some basic or complex cooking techniques.
Tasty is a bit of a cheat. The official Buzzfeed cooking channel, of course, it's going to be insanely popular! But Tasty holds its own with wildly entertaining series from I Draw, You Cook (chefs attempt to recreate dishes from kids' drawings) to Edible History (self-explanatory). The chefs are full of personality, and the dishes are flavorful and fun to make. It's a win-win, no matter what you're trying to make.
The Brothers Green Eats (yes, they’re really brothers) is the ideal YouTube cooking channel for real people. That’s because these guys started the channel using regular ingredients in a regular kitchen with regular appliances. Since the launch, the channel has gone through several changes, but BGE (now called Pro Home Cooks) still uses the back-to-the-basics style to help everyday people learn how to cook delicious and amazing meals. The instructions are great, and series like Find It, Try It, Make It are sure to give you a laugh.
Kenji Lopez Alt is an award-winning chef, restaurant owner, and author. So, it is safe to say he knows a thing or two about cooking well. Lopez-Alt offers POV (point of view) videos that are easy to follow for beginners, tips and tricks videos for real pointers from this industry expert, and an entire series called Food Lab Basics. It's truly a godsend for anyone who wants to up their cooking game, and, with the talented Kenji at the helm, will be a benefit to anyone regardless of their skill level.
People love Laura Vitale for her down to earth cooking style that is complimented nicely with her bubbly personality. Vitale provides delectable dish tutorials along with some real-life tips and tricks for regular people to use in their everyday cooking endeavours. The Laura in the Kitchen YouTube cooking channel has terrific instructionals, and the food always comes out looking amazing, making it a great option if you want to impress family and friends without knocking yourself out.
You Suck at Cooking has got to be the most entertaining YouTube cooking channel out there. You won't learn to make filet mignon or the perfect souffle. But Randi Siegel will have you in stitches with his slapstick humor and witty comments. Plus, You Suck at Cooking actually has some surprisingly helpful cooking tips and tricks that you can use to make scrumptious meals, from bacon jalapeno poppers to buffalo cauliflower wings with blue cheese dip.
Peaceful Cuisine is a totally different type of YouTube cooking channel. Using ASMR videoing to create a soothing atmosphere for you to learn and explore the wonderful world of cooking, Ryoya Takashima will lull you with his artistic cooking videos. You can learn some interesting techniques or just get lost in the relaxing music as you marvel at these dishes, which are true works of art. And what's more, Peaceful Cuisine is geared towards vegans, with all vegan-friendly recipes given for every dish.
ChefSteps is a fabulous YouTube cooking channel for anyone who wants to really learn how to cook like a pro. Talented chefs take you step-by-step through complicated cooking techniques and recipes, teaching you exactly how to do them in understandable language. The team is having fun and keeps things light and humorous even while tackling the tougher tasks like removing air from liquid and pickling with sous vide. ChefSteps is also great for learning the science behind ingredients, recipes, and techniques.
Hailing from Dublin (with the great accent to prove it), Donal Skehan is a fabulous chef. He makes scrumptious meals that look amazing, are plated beautifully, and cover the spectrum of cultures, cooking styles, and flavors. But what really sets Skehan apart from other YouTube cooking channels is the fact that his recipes are actually doable. Unlike other cooking shows, Skehan explains his techniques well, uses ingredients that you can find, and creates dishes that are family-friendly. So, you can really make and serve these meals.
