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Multiple times throughout Final Fantasy 14's grand adventure, major characters will memorably inquire as to what's next on the Warrior of Light's agenda. In a fleeting moment of passing peace, the protagonist's loved ones are basically pressing the issue — you really need to take a break, get some fresh air, and enjoy life.

Related:Final Fantasy 14: Endwalker Sightseeing Log Guide

Why not take up cooking? Training to become a Culinarian can be as delightful for the Warrior and those around them as it can be for us real-world sorts. The road to 90 isn't easy, but once you've reached the top, your Free Company friends will line up for the best foodstuff and your coffers will fill to bursting from personal sales.

Unlocking Culinarian and Leveling to 20

FF14 Culinarian Guide 2

Getting Started

As is the case with most Disciple of the Hand classes, unlocking the Culinarian class is quite simple. All you need to do is visit the Culinarian's Guild in Limsa Lominsa. There is but a single requirement: you must have a Disciple of War or Disciple of Magic job at level ten or higher.

If you're starting off your journey in Limsa Lominsa, you might well bump into the guild before you can qualify for it. But truly, it does not take long to hit level ten in a combat role. A couple of hours of playing the game at a normal, friendly pace is all you'll need. If, on the other hand, you chose Ul'dah or Gridania, it's highly unlikely you'll even reach Limsa Lominsa before hitting job level ten, making the requirement seem downright nonexistent.

Leveling to 20

Starting out as a lowly level one Culinarian, it may feel like 20 is a distant dream. We promise it's not so bad. Follow our guidelines, and you'll get there in a handful of play sessions at most.

Quest Name

Quest Item

Level

Ingredients

My First Skillet

Maple Syrup

1

  • 1x Maple Sap
  • 1x Fire Shard

A Treat of Trout

Grilled Trout

5

  • 1x Princess Trout
  • 1x Table Salt
  • 1x Fire Shard
  • 1x Water Shard

Dodo It Yourself

2x Grilled Dodo

10

  • 1x Dodo Tenderloin
  • 1x Table Salt
  • 1x Garlean Garlic
  • 1x Fire Shard
  • 1x Water Shard

On a Skewer Tip

Meat Miq'abob

15

  • 1x Dodo Tenderloin
  • 1x Paprika
  • 1x Ruby Tomato
  • 1x Table Salt
  • 1x Fire Shard
  • 1x Water Shard

Releasing a Burden

Dried Plums

20

  • 1x Pixie Plums
  • 2x Fire Shard
  • 2x Water Shard

Above, you'll find a quick reference table for the first five quests you'll receive during your training with the Culinarian's Guild. Completing each Culinarian quest as soon as it becomes available is highly advised. You'll get great rewards to keep you going on your cooking journey with minimal gil-spending; what's not to love?

Easy Recipes

Beyond guild quests, you should take full advantage of the Culinarian's Guild's NPC supplier as well as your own wanderings through the realm. Grinding to 20 can be a cinch with a little investment in key ingredients that offer sweet returns. Each time you craft a recipe, you gain experience, after all!

Crafting Recipe

Ingredients

Table Salt

  • 1x Rock Salt
  • 1x Distilled Water
  • 1x Fire Shard

Maple Syrup

  • 1x Maple Sap
  • 1x Fire Shard

Sweet Cream

  • 1x Buffalo Milk
  • 1x Fire Shard

Smooth Butter

  • 2x Buffalo Milk
  • 1x Fire Shard

Tomato Sauce

  • 1x Ruby Tomato
  • 1x Wild Onion
  • 1x Garlean Garlic

Best Early-Game Gear

Consider decking yourself out accordingly for some prime boosts that'll ease your Culinarian workload. We focus on armor sets because merchants who sell these will also sell tools and accessories of similar quality.

Many other armor sets exist in between our recommendations. However, you'll be able to get by just fine upgrading at our suggested pace.

Gear

Optimal Level Range

Acquisition

Amateur Doublet Set

10-15

Purchasable from Iron Thunder in Limsa Lominsa

  • (X: 8.1, Y: 13.6)

Cotton Kurta Set

18-26

Purchasable from Iron Thunder in Limsa Lominsa

  • (X: 8.1, Y: 13.6)

Take It or Leve It?

Like all jobs, Culinarians have access to a variety of leves — sidequests involving specific performances per the job description. In your case, more often than not this means cooking requested dishes and bringing them to patrons the realm over.

While leves do become available this early on, we don't suggest engaging in them unless you just want to get a feel for the system. The time expenditure isn't really worth the payoff just yet.

Related: Final Fantasy 14: The Aery Dungeon Guide

Cooking with Fire: Leveling to 40

FF14 Culinarian Guide 1

Quest Name

Quest Item

Level

Ingredients

Winning Friends with Aldgoat

Aldgoat Steak

25

  • 1x Aldgoat Chuck
  • 1x Table Salt
  • 1x Garlean Garlic
  • 2x Fire Shard
  • 2x Water Shard

The Chefsbane Cometh

Smoked Raptor

30

  • 1x Raptor Shank
  • 1x Olive Oil
  • 1x Sun Lemon
  • 1x Table Salt
  • 1x Black Pepper
  • 3x Fire Shard
  • 3x Water Shard

Of Cooks and Books

Ratatouille

35

  • 1x Wizard Eggplant
  • 1x Ramhorn Zucchini
  • 1x Ruby Tomato
  • 1x Laurel
  • 1x Lavender Oil
  • 1x Garlean Garlic
  • 4x Fire Shard
  • 4x Water Shard

Diplomacy of the Skillet

Blood Currant Tart, Pastry Fish, Chamomile Tea

40

(Blood Currant Tart)

  • 1x Pie Dough
  • 1x Blood Currant
  • 1x Smooth Butter
  • 1x Maple Sugar
  • 1x Natron
  • 1x Gelatin
  • 4x Fire Shard
  • 3x Water Shard

(Pastry Fish)

  • 1x Pie Dough
  • 1x Raisins
  • 1x Desert Saffron
  • 1x Table Salt
  • 1x Almonds
  • 1x Mirror Apple
  • 5x Fire Shard
  • 4x Water Shard

(Chamomile Tea)

  • 1x Chamomile
  • 1x Honey
  • 1x Mineral Water
  • 2x Fire Shard
  • 2x Water Shard

From 21 to 40, you'll want to start spending time with leves. There are no real rules involved in choosing which ones to do — you can pick and choose which ones sound the easiest. Many leves are repeatable, so feel free to dive in for hours if the mood takes you.

Leves are available in multiple leveling groups in Limsa Lominsa. Additionally, there are specialized ranges in several locations. You'll find level 20 leves at Quarrymill, level 25 leves at Quarrymill, level 30 leves at Costa del Sol, level 35 leves at the Observatorium (in Coerthas), and level 40 leves at Whitebrim (also in Coerthas).

Easy Recipes

Crafting Recipe

Ingredients

Chamomile Tea

  • 1x Chamomile
  • 1x Honey
  • 1x Mineral Water
  • 2x Fire Shard
  • 2x Water Shard

Cornmeal

  • 3x Millioncorn
  • 3x Fire Shard

Acorn Cookies

  • 1x Rye Flour
  • 1x Table Salt
  • 1x Iron Acorn
  • 1x Mineral Water
  • 4x Fire Shard
  • 3x Water Shard

Best 21-40 Gear

Gear

Optimal Level Range

Acquisition

Cotton Kurta Set

18-26

Purchasable from Iron Thunder in Limsa Lominsa

  • (X: 8.1, Y: 13.6)

Velveteen Coatee Set

26-38

Purchasable from Iron Thunder in Limsa Lominsa

  • (X: 8.1, Y: 13.6)

Linen Coatee Set

38-43

Purchasable from Iron Thunder in Limsa Lominsa

  • (X: 8.1, Y: 13.6)

Grand Company, Grand Cutlery

Once you've joined a Grand Company, which you'll need to do during the level 20 main story quest 'A Hero in the Making', you will have access to Supply and Provision Missions.

From this point forward, always assume that there's room in your daily grind to partake in Supply and Provision Missions. These are open to all non-combat classes. As a crafting class, Culinarians can provide Grand Companies with all the nourishment they could ever need, and not only are the rewards worth it; you'll also level very swiftly.

Truly, you can't go wrong with these. Turn in high-quality meals for even greater payouts.

One Dish Feeds Another

Speaking of Supply and Provision Rewards, nab Company-issue Engineering Manuals with the Grand Company points you'll be earning. Have one active during your level 20 through 39 phase, and you'll increase the amount of experience gained per task by a whopping 150 percent. This effect is halved from 40 onward, though there's no sense throwing them away; you can still tack them on for a bit more bonus.

The Gordon Ramsay Phase: Leveling to 60

The Brume district of Ishgard seen at Night with flaming braziers lighting the street

Quest Name

Quest Item

Level

Ingredients

A Taste of Home

Dzemael Gratin

45

  • 1x Popoto
  • 1x Garlean Garlic
  • 1x Black Pepper
  • 1x Nutmeg
  • 1x Sweet Cream
  • 1x Eft Tail
  • 5x Fire Shard
  • 5x Water Shard

Revenge of the Chefsbane

Eft Steak, Beef Stew, Trapper's Quiche, Crowned Pie

50

(Eft Steak)

  • 1x Eft Tail
  • 1x Black Pepper
  • 1x Garlean Garlic
  • 1x Sour Red
  • 1x Cider Vinegar
  • 1x Laurel
  • 6x Fire Shard
  • 6x Water Shard

(Beef Stew)

  • 1x Sunset Wheat Flour
  • 1x Buffalo Sirloin
  • 1x Black Pepper
  • 1x Wild Onion
  • 1x Sour Red
  • 1x Mineral Water
  • 6x Fire Shard
  • 6x Water Shard

(Trapper's Quiche)

  • 1x Eft Tail
  • 1x Apkallu Egg
  • 1x Pie Dough
  • 1x Cream Cheese
  • 1x Nutmeg
  • 1x Midland Basil
  • 6x Fire Shard
  • 6x Water Shard

(Crowned Pie)

  • 1x Pie Dough
  • 1x Mirror Apple
  • 1x Maple Sugar
  • 1x Cinnamon
  • 1x Almonds
  • 1x Tiny Crown
  • 6x Fire Shard
  • 6x Water Shard

Wait on Me

N/A

50

  • N/A

A Spoonful Less Sugar

Ishgardian Tea, Sohm Al Tart

53

(Ishgardian Tea)

  • 3x Coerthan Tea Leaves
  • 2x Yak Milk
  • 1x Maple Sugar
  • 4x Fire Crystal
  • 3x Water Crystal

(Sohm Al Tart)

  • 3x Dark Chestnut
  • 1x Maple Sugar
  • 1x Sweet Cream
  • 2x Highland Flour
  • 4x Fire Crystal
  • 3x Water Crystal

Looking for Some Hot Stuff

Beet Soup, Kaiser Roll, Grilled Sweetfish

55

(Beet Soup)

  • 2x Magma Beet
  • 2x Loaghlan Chump
  • 2x Pearl Sprouts
  • 2x Mist Dill
  • 1x Sour Cream
  • 1x Abalathian Rock Salt
  • 4x Fire Crystal
  • 3x Water Crystal

(Kaiser Roll)

  • 2x Sesame Seeds
  • 3x Highland Flour
  • 1x Yak Milk
  • 4x Fire Crystal
  • 3x Water Crystal

(Grilled Sweetfish)

  • 1x Sweetfish
  • 2x Volcanic Rock Salt
  • 4x Fire Crystal
  • 3x Water Crystal

Love Meat Tender

Cockatrice Meatballs

58

  • 3x Cockatrice Thigh
  • 2x Cyclops Onion
  • 1x Flatbread
  • 1x Tomato Sauce
  • 1x Abalathian Table Salt
  • 5x Fire Crystal
  • 5x Water Crystal

The Spirit of Hospitality

Morel Salad, Deep-fried Okeanis, Marron Glace

60

(Morel Salad)

  • 2x Morel
  • 2x Emerald Beans
  • 1x La Noscean Lettuce
  • 1x Young Cieldalaes Spinach
  • 1x Olive Oil
  • 1x Sesame Seeds
  • 6x Fire Crystal
  • 5x Water Crystal

(Deep-fried Okeanis)

  • 3x Okeanis Tail
  • 1x Highland Flour
  • 1x Olive Oil
  • 1x Dalamud Popoto
  • 1x Abalathian Rock Salt
  • 6x Fire Crystal
  • 5x Water Crystal

(Marron Glace)

  • 3x Dark Chestnut
  • 1x Birch Syrup
  • 1x Cooking Sherry
  • 5x Fire Crystal
  • 5x Water Crystal

Flavors of the Far East

N/A

60

N/A

We don't label this the Gordon Ramsay phase lightly. Particularly from around 50 to 55, many players express frustration with the glacial pace they've abruptly bumped up against. To avoid that sensation, you'll want to power through with the following tips.

Go all-in with leves. You'll find most of these in Foundation, which makes sense since this is the point at which the main story shifts focus to Ishgard. Grinding here can net you a few levels in a couple of hours, but doing so in conjunction with Supply and Provision Missions will cut that by a third or more. Purchase Company-issue Engineering Manual Two for another 150 percent boost to level 50.

From 51 onward, there's still hope for further boosts! Evidently, however, Grand Companies cannot hope to compete with Rowena's vast commercial domain. Commercial Engineering Manuals will give you that beloved 150 percent hike until level 69, which is very nice, indeed.

Easily Craftable Recipes

Crafting Recipe

Ingredients

Mugwort Carp

  • 1x Velodyna Carp
  • 1x Table Salt
  • 1x Mugwort
  • 4x Fire Shard
  • 4x Water Shard

Knight's Bread

  • 1x Rye Flour
  • 1x Mineral Water
  • 1x Honey
  • 1x Midland Basil
  • 1x Chicken Egg
  • 4x Fire Crystal
  • 4x Water Crystal

Best 41-60 Gear

Gear

Optimal Level Range

Acquisition

Linen Coatee Set

38-43

Purchasable from Iron Thunder in Limsa Lominsa

  • (X: 8.1, Y: 13.6)

Woolen Gown Set

43-50

Purchasable from Iron Thunder in Limsa Lominsa

  • (X: 8.1, Y: 13.6)

Culinarian's Set

50-60

Exchange with Rowena's Representatives for White Scrips in Mor Dhona

  • (X: 22.7, Y: 6.7)

Welcome to Starbucks

Here's a quirky trick we virtually guarantee you won't find elsewhere on the net. If you're the sort of player who enjoys a game of dress-up, your glamour options are probably bursting with fine attire. Why not cook a bunch of breakfasts up, alongside a lovely assortment of coffees and teas? Bizarrely charming baristas have been known to frequent starter cities, advertis9ing themselves as roaming coffee chains. In-game payment is typically "whatever you like," which means some players will toss you ten gil, sure. But others, enchanted with your tomfoolery, will more than make up for it.

Just don't tell Gordon about this.

Related:Final Fantasy 14: Beginner's Guide To Gathering

Stormbringers: Leveling to 80

the crystarium in norvrandt

Quest Name

Quest Item

Level

Ingredients

Rice to the Occasion

Doman Rice Balls

63

  • Rice Ball Ingredients
  • 3x Fire Crystal
  • 1x Water Crystal

A Broth from the Brine

Doman Udon Broth

65

  • (Broth Ingredients
  • 2x Fire Crystal
  • 1x Water Crystal

Teach a Man to Make Fish

Nigiri-sushi

68

  • 1x Sushi Ingredients

The Way to a Father's Heart

Doman Sukiyaki

70

  • 2x Fire Crystal
  • 1x Water Crystal

The Crystalline Mean

N/A

70

  • 1x Sukiyaki Ingredients
  • 2x Fire Crystal
  • 1x Water Crystal

From 60 to 70, you'll want to keep a small stack of those Commercial Engineering Manuals handy and move forward more or less the same exact way you have done so from the get-go. There's nothing especially exotic about the way Stormblood presents itself in this regard, and as a blessing, Kugane's gear seems to track quite a bit better with the tasks ahead of you than Ishgard's did. Not only that, but you won't be cooking up extravagant four-course meals any longer. Thank goodness.

The Crystalline Mean

And here's when things get interesting. In Shadowbringers, crafting job quests were condensed into five NPCs at the Crystarium, each of whom shares multiple classes within their questlines.

In other words, once you've hit level 70, the whole world will begin to feel a little smaller. Visit Bethric, the character who is in charge of not just Culinarians but Alchemists as well. The first quest from Bethric is entitled 'Friends of a Feather'.

The Crystalline Mean storylines are honestly pretty fun, Bethric's included. Best of all, you'll level quite rapidly just by crafting the desired dishes. Since you can hand in several at a time, thus increasing Bethric's disposition toward you, you really don't need to bother much with leves. (That said, Culinarian leves are right nearby should you fancy the diversion.)

Easily Craftable Recipes

Crafting Recipe

Ingredients

Gyr Abanian Flour

  • 5x Gyr Abanian Wheat
  • 7x Fire Shard

Cottonseed Oil

  • 2x Ruby Cotton Boll
  • 7x Fire Shard

Best 61-80 Gear

At this point, you'll be receiving great gear from your quests at the tail end of each expansion's content. As a rule, the next step is always to grind for scrip-based gear in the expansion's main settlement(s). Here are some other options to get you through until you reach those benchmarks.

Gear

Optimal Level Range

Acquisition

Galleykeep's Set

60-69

Grinmax Trade Gear Keep Augmentation

Ala Mhigan Set

70-74

Craft with Weaver or purchase on marketboard (typically fairly cheap).

Pixie Cotton Set

74-80

Purchase from Doddard at the Crystarium

  • (X: 8.6, 11.4)

Handsaint's Set

80-86

Exchange for Crafter's Scrips at the Crystarium, Eulmore, and Mor Dhona. This was, until recently, the game's ultimate crafting set.

Studium Deliveries: Leveling to 90

FF14 Culinarian Guide 3

Ah, the home stretch. You're so close to 90 that you can practically taste victory on your lips. Or is that all the gil you're about to make selling your services to the marketboard? Or the notoriety, perhaps, of being your Free Company's foremost provider of premium foodstuffs? Whatever your aspirations, they're about to come true.

As of this writing, Endwalker offers a single, concise path to 90: Studium Deliveries. These are Endwalker's version of Shadowbringers' crafting questlines, and they follow the same rules to a tee. You find the corresponding NPC and cook up a storm, helping them with their story shenanigans and gaining a great deal of respect (and more importantly, experience points) in the process.

Your target — er, tutor — is Debroye in Old Sharlayan. Note that you'll need to advance Endwalker's main scenario quests a few levels before you can gain access to her questline. Similar to Bethric, Debroye is also the woman of the hour for Alchemists as well, so if you're interested in leveling multiple Disciples of the Hand, you'll be spending quite some time with her.

Easily Craftable Recipes

Right now, the simplest and most straightforward crafting recipe also happens to sync with your first Studium Delivery request. Stick with this one and we'll update when savvier fare comes along.

Crafting Recipe

Ingredients

Panaloaf Sweetener

  • 4x Garden Beet Sugar
  • 1x Lime Basil
  • 1x Light Gerbera
  • 7x Fire Crystal
  • 7x Water Crystal

Further Reading

We'll be keeping this guide updated throughout Endwalker's patch cycle. If particularly prime Culinarian-leveling opportunities should happen to arise, count on us to bring them to your attention posthaste.

Now go, young chef, and sharpen your knife to a world of fame and glory!

Next:Final Fantasy 14: Beginner's Guide To Crafting