There is something therapeutic about watching someone cook a meal. Maybe it’s the same feeling that comes from eating someone else’s food. It tastes just a little bit better. It is comforting — like being home. Maybe that is why the shows featured on the Food Network are so popular.
And maybe that is why cooking channels and videos are sprouting up all over the internet. Creators everywhere are putting their own spin on this delicious trend. With platforms such as YouTube, Instagram and TikTok, it is easy to star in your own cooking show. And with some helpful tips, you can get started in no time.
In order to create a cooking video that not only entertains but informs your audience, there are a few things one should know.
Be engaging
On any show on the Food Network, the chef will always tell a story before and during the course of cooking a meal. This is the engagement factor one must have to attract viewership and keep people watching. A good cooking video should be personal as well as entertaining. Tell a story in the beginning or share a memory of the meal that is being prepared that day.
For instance, you could relate how, as a child, your mom used to make grilled cheese sandwiches after every baseball game. Adding a personal touch to your video gives those who are watching a taste of who you are as a person. They’ll want to continue learning more about you in your future cooking videos.
Be informative
The most important part of any instructional video is to be clear and specific. When going over the instructions for your meal, speak slowly and explain the process clearly step by step. People who watch your videos may or may not have the time or skills to cook, so you should be patient.
The most important part of any instructional video is to be clear and specific.
It’s also a good idea to include a link to the full recipe so that your audience can have easy access, especially for complex recipes where you may leave out details due to time constraints.
Be creative
Some of the best cooking videos use creative techniques in order to gather views and hook in audiences. The platform Tik Tok has utilized the cooking hashtag and turned it into a popular trend. One of its users, @jessiesayhey, has turned her channel into a must-see cooking show. During her short videos, she entertains while getting food on the table. With Tik Tok’s short video format, “you need to catch the attention of the short attention span, so adding humor and references to popular culture draws them in.” When Jessie goes through her step by step process, she adds in flavor to her language, making every step a little more creative.
Another creative tip is creating a scene for your video. While shooting a video, both the food and the chef must be visually appealing. With most cooking shows, the chef utilizes their surroundings. Have props around your cooking stage. If you are baking a Christmas pie, throw some Christmas decorations around your table. Or, if you are baking a pumpkin pie, showcase a pumpkin on the side of your workspace. Add some color to the scene to create a comforting ambiance for the audience.
Consider your audience
People come to watch cooking videos to learn something new. So when deciding on meals to cook, try to be different and showcase meals one might not know about. Make your audience excited about cooking. Make sure that the meals you want to teach match the skill level of your target audience so that they can easily follow along at home. This goes for ingredients as well. Make sure that the ingredients for your meals are common and easy to gather up. Or if they aren’t, make suggestions as to where they can be purchased.
Showing the final result up front entices your audience to keep watching. 
Make sure your video clearly shows the cooking process.
Add the necessary ingredients
The above tips will be useful in your future cooking channel, but you’ll also want to mix together the following ingredients to make a good cooking video. First on the list is a photo or video clip of the meal that is being prepared. This gives the audience a reason to stick around. You’ll also need to include a list of ingredients needed in order to make the meal. Finally, the most important thing a cooking video should have is a step by step explanation of the cooking process that goes into making the meal. This process can either be sound bites or text sprinkled throughout the video.
Be different
You can watch a hundred cooking videos on a hundred different cooking channels to successfully become a staple in the cooking world, but you don’t want to just copy someone’s work. You as a creator must find something that makes you unique and go with it. Like a meal, gather the ingredients of what makes those cooking channels successful and mix it into dish that fits well with your personality. Then, garnish with a lemon twist. Aim to make something different that will make you stand out from the rest.
Now that you know the main ingredients that go into a good cooking video, it is time to start creating. Go into your kitchen, gather up your supplies and start cooking. Just don’t forget to turn on that camera.