Once Human Chef Guide: Creative Cooking, Ingredients, Effects, and Best Recipes

Once Human Version 2.0 added three classes: Beastmaster, Gardener, and Chef. Chef is the pick for players who want food to be more than a meter refill, since the class can create custom dishes, stack more buffs, and squeeze extra value out of ingredients.

Chef Class Basics in Once Human

Chef is more direct than Beastmaster or Gardener. Choose it if you want stronger cooking utility without managing pets or crop grafting.

Chef bonuses include:

• Glutton: Consume more food than normal and maintain up to two food effects and two drink effects at the same time.
• Ingredient Scent: Gain a chance to find bonus ingredients while gathering in wilderness settlements, including from fridges, beverage machines, and food crates.
• Culinary Perfection: Eating the same creative dish repeatedly improves its dish effects, ingredient effects, and durations. Dishes with different ingredients do not count as the same dish.

How Creative Cooking Works

Interact with any stove and open the Creative Cooking tab. From there, choose two to four ingredients to make a custom dish. If you have already discovered that recipe, the dish preview appears. If not, the preview stays blank until you cook it once.

After selecting ingredients, start cooking. Your character begins preparing the food, and you can speed up the process by pressing the interact button, which is F by default on PC.

Chef also gets the Gourmet Atlas, an in-game recipe log that tracks discovered dishes. It is useful when farming ingredients for repeated dishes, especially when you want to build Culinary Perfection bonuses.

Cooking Ingredients and Effects

Ingredient choice determines the final dish and its bonuses. Rabbit Meat supports Fast Gunner builds, while Goat Meat fits Burn weapons. Ingredient quality also matters. For example, Turtle Meat gives a Fortress Warfare damage bonus, while Fine Turtle Meat can affect stamina recovery speed and dish effect duration.

Meats

• Deer Meat: 2% DMG vs Targets affected by Bullseye
• Beast Meat: 2% Melee DMG
• Pork Meat: 2% Unstable Bomber DMG
• Rabbit Meat: 2% Attack while in Fast Gunner state
• Goat Meat: 2% Burn DMG
• Bear Meat: 2% Shrapnel DMG
• Raw Meat: N/A
• Crocodile Meat: N/A
• Snapping Turtle Meat: 2% Melee DMG
• Poultry Meat: 2% Bounce DMG
• Turtle Meat: 2% DMG while in Fortress Warfare state
• Beef: 2% Frost Vortex DMG
• Pristine Deer Meat: 3% Vulnerability on Bullseye, and adding crops may cause flatulence
• Pristine Beast Meat: 3% Melee DMG, and adding crops may cause flatulence
• Pristine Rabbit Meat: 3% Attack while in Fast Gunner state, and Buff stops if energy drops below 30%
• Pristine Pork Meat: 3% Unstable Bomber DMG and Buff stops if energy drops below 30%
• Pristine Goat Meat: 3% Burn DMG, and adding crops may cause flatulence
• Pristine Bear Meat: 3% Shrapnel DMG and Buff stops if energy drops below 30%
• Pristine Poultry: 3% Bounce DMG and Buff stops if energy drops below 30%
• Fine Turtle Meat: 3% DMG while in Fortress Warfare state and -10% Action Speed
• Pristine Beef: 3% Frost Vortex DMG, and adding crops may cause flatulence
• Marbled Beef: 3% Frost Vortex DMG, 10% Frost Vortex duration, and -100% effect on other meats used in combo

Fishes

• Sunfish: 5% Crit DMG vs Targets in deviated status and -50% Duration to non-fish ingredients
• Carp: 5% Crit DMG vs Targets in deviated status and -50% Duration to non-fish ingredients
• Bighead Carp: 5% Crit DMG vs Targets in deviated status and -50% Duration to non-fish ingredients
• Sucker Fish: 5% Crit DMG vs Targets in deviated status and -50% Duration to non-fish ingredients
• All Cichlids: 3% Melee DMG
• Tilapia: 5% Weakspot DMG vs Targets in deviated status and -50% Duration to non-fish ingredients
• Oscar Fish: 5% Weakspot DMG vs Targets in deviated status and -50% Duration to non-fish ingredients
• Arowana: 5% Weakspot DMG vs Targets in deviated status and -50% Duration to non-fish ingredients
• Angelfish: 5% Weakspot DMG vs Targets in deviated status and -50% Duration to non-fish ingredients
• Sea Bass: 5% Weakspot DMG vs Targets in deviated status and -50% Duration to non-fish ingredients
• Pompano: 5% Crit Dmg and -50% Duration to non-fish ingredients
• Barracuda: 5% Crit Dmg and -50% Duration to non-fish ingredients
• Koi Carp: 5% Crit DMG and -50% Duration to non-fish ingredients
• Northern Pike: 3% Crit DMG vs Burn affected - 5% and -50% Duration to non-fish ingredients
• Largemouth Black Bass: 3% Crit DMG vs Frost Vortex Affected -5 % and -50% Duration to non-fish ingredients
• Salmon: 3% Crit DMG vs Bulleye Marked - 5% and -50% Duration to non-fish ingredients
• Rainbow Trout: 3% Crit DMG vs Power Surge affected - 5% and -50% Duration to non-fish ingredients
• Longnose Gar: 3% Weakspot DMG vs Burn affected - 5% and -50% Duration to non-fish ingredients
• Mackerel: 3% Weakspot DMG vs Frost Vortex Affected -5 % and -50% Duration to non-fish ingredients
• Sardine: 3% Weakspot DMG vs Bulleye Marked - 5% and -50% Duration to non-fish ingredients
• Guppy: 3% Weakspot DMG vs Power Surge affected - 5% and -50% Duration to non-fish ingredients
• Shellfish: N/A

Crops

• Blueberry: Energy Depletion Rate -10%
• Orange: Energy Depletion Rate -10%
• Hawthorn: N/A
• Wheat: Plant gathering yield +20% if deviated, and non-crop ingredient effect duration -50% if deviated
• Pumpkin: HP Recovers slowly out of combat if deviated and non-crop ingredient effect duration -50% if deviated
• Mushroom: Sanity recovers slowly out of combat if deviated and non-crop ingredient effect duration -50% if deviated
• Beets: 10% Extra XP if deviated and non-crop ingredient effect duration -50% if deviated
• Calamus: Roll Speed 3% / 5 % if deviated and non-herb Ingredient effect duration -20% if deviated
• Potato: Mining/Logging speed 15% if deviated and non-crop ingredient effect duration -50% if deviated
• Corn: Gathering stamina cost -30% If deviated and non-crop ingredient effect duration -50% if deviated
• Cabbage: Logging and mining yield + 50% if deviated and non-crop ingredient effect duration -50% if deviated

Herbs

• Coneflower: Gliding horizontal Speed 3% / 5% if deviated and non-herb ingredient effect duration -20% if deviated
• Yellow Lotus: Stamina 3% / 4% if deviated and non-herb ingredient effect duration -20% if deviated
• Bellflower: 3% sprint speed / 5% if deviated and non-herb ingredient effect duration -20% if deviated
• Honeysuckle: Swim speed 3% / 5 % if deviated and non-herb ingredient effect duration -20% if deviated
• Sage: Movement speed 3% / 5% if deviated and non-herb ingredient effect duration -20% if deviated
• Grafted Crops: Positive effect of both non-deviated crops and
• Spikemato: 5 Cold resist / 10 if deviated and cures Hypothermia, and if Hypothermia occurs, ingredient effect ends
• Polar Pepper: 5 Cold resist / 10 if deviated and cures Hypothermia, and if Hypothermia occurs, ingredient effect ends
• Sunny Ginger: 5 Cold resist / 10 if deviated and cures Hypothermia, and if Hypothermia occurs, ingredient effect ends
• Ice Melon: 5 Heat Resist / 10 if deviated and cures Heatstroke, and if Heatstroke occurs, ingredient effect ends
• Snow Fungus: 5 Heat Resist / 10 if deviated and cures Heatstroke, and if Heatstroke occurs, ingredient effect ends
• Mint: 5 Heat Resist / 10 if deviated and cures Heatstroke, and if Heatstroke occurs, ingredient effect ends

Fruits

• Banana: 5 Max Stamina
• Grapes: Glide stamina cost -10%
• Apple: Gathering stamina cost -10%
• Coconut: Stamina recovery speed 5%
• Tomato: None / 10% extra deviation securement chance if deviated, and extra crops with effects may cause digestive discomfort
• Cucumber: None / Load Limit +30% if deviated, and extra crops with effects may cause digestive discomfort
• Morel: None / extra 20 minutes of full energy state if deviated and Dish Energy -50
• Onion: None / extra 20 minutes of full hydration state if deviated and Dish Hydration -50
• Saffron: 3% Max Stamina / 4 % if deviated and non-herb ingredient effect duration -20% if deviated
• Aloe Vera: 3% Max Stamina / 4 % if deviated and non-herb ingredient effect duration -20% if deviated
• Truffles: N/A
• Fantasy Truffles: N/A
• Seaweed: N/A
• Cactus: N/A

Eggs

• Crocodile Egg: Shock DMG 4%
• Turtle Egg: 3% Elemental DMG taken reduction
• Pelican Egg: Blast DMG 4%
• Bird Egg: Blaze DMG 4%
• Pristine Egg: Elemental damage 4%

Milks

• Goat Milk: Slow, out of combat sanity restoration, and -10% Dish durability
• Deer Milk: Slightly increases pollution resist and -10% Dish durability
• Milk: Slightly increases Max HP and -10% Dish durability
• Pristine Goat Milk: Slightly increases pollution resist and -50% Dish durability
• Pristine Deer Milk: Noticeably increases max HP and -50% Dish durability
• Pristine Cow Milk: Sanity gradually recovers and -50% Dish durability
• Stardust Goat Milk: Noticeably increases max HP and -90% Dish durability
• Stardust Deer Milk: Greatly increases pollution resist and -90% Dish durability
• Stardust Cow Milk: Sanity recovers quickly and -90% Dish durability
• Stardust Cheese: Boost the dish's effects by 50% and lose 1% sanity every 5 seconds for 30 minutes

Honeys

• Honey: Sanity gradually recovers
• Nectar Honey: Sanity recovers quickly

Spices

• Salt: Dish durability 20%
• Sugar: Extra 20% Dish energy recovery
• Masala: Dish durability 20%
• Peppercorn: Creative cooking success rate 10% / 20% if deviated, and -50% dish duration if deviated
• Rock Salt: Dish durability 100 % and 15% cooking success rate reduces hydration if used too much
• Stardust Salt: Dish doesn't decay and 20% cooking success rate, and lose 1% sanity every 5 seconds for 30 minutes

Nuts

• Peanut: Meat Bonus Effect +50%
• Pine Nut: Crop Bonus Effect +50%
• Acorn: Herb Bonus Effect + 50%
• Nut Jam: Extra 40% dish effect

Waters

• Sea Water: Dish durability reduced, sanity -10% (stackable)
• Polluted Water: Dehydration
• Dirty Water: Dish durability reduced, sanity -10% (stackable)
• Boiled Water: Hydration
• Purified Water: Hydration

Metals

• Aluminium: Canned (doesn't lose durability)
• Steel: Canned (doesn't lose durability)

Others

• Corn Oil: Dish durability 20%
• Cheese: Extra 30% dish Magnitude and Dish effect duration -30%
• Butter: Extra 30% dish Magnitude and Non-meat effect magnitude -50%
• Roe: 4% Frost Elemental DMG
• Caviar: Fish Bonus Effect +50%
• Ice Cube: Heat resist +5 and dish restores 10 sanity

Best Chef Recipes

There are over 200 creative cooking recipes as of Version 2.0. These are some of the strongest or most useful dishes to discover.

Ultraman

• Effects: Energy +100, Abnormal Territory for 1800 seconds, and DMG to normal enemies and Elites +6%
• Description: A huge egg cured in salt until hard. Extremely salty, but a long-lasting source of protein. Can also be used as a special replacement.
• Ingredients: Crocodile Egg, Bird Egg, Deviated Bird Egg, and Roe

Source of Deviation

• Effects: Energy +100, Sensory Overdrive for 1800 seconds, and continuously lose large amounts of sanity, but for every 20% sanity lost, Weapon/Status DMG +1% (up to 5%)
• Description: A bizarre dish made from highly contaminated deviated ingredients. Wildly energetic, with unpredictable effects. Beware!
• Ingredients: Deviated Cucumber, Deviated Saffron, Pristine Rabbit Meat, and Deviated Peppercorn

Supreme Wild Vegetable Platter

• Effects: Energy +100, Great One Conquest for 1800 seconds, and DMG against Great Ones +4%
• Description: A fantasy dish made from a mix of Deviated plants. Simply prepared to highlight their unusual flavors. Each ingredient is both a gift of nature and a sign of adventure.
• Ingredients: Deviated Scarlet Calamus, Deviated Saffron, Deviated Coneflower, and Deviated Sage

Supreme Meat Platter

• Effects: Energy +100 and Build Smash for 1800 seconds
• Description: A premium selection of beast meat, cooked with masterful technique. This post-apocalyptic delicacy delivers supreme enjoyment with every bite.
• Ingredients: Fine Turtle Meat, Pristine Crocodile Meat, Pristine Beast Meat, and Pristine Pork

Luxury All-Fish Feast

• Effects: Energy +80, Lucky Resonance for 1800 seconds, and all ingredient bonus effects +25%
• Description: A variety of rare and exotic fish from around the world, prepared in different styles for the ultimate dining experience.
• Ingredients: Sea Bass, Guppy, Longnose Gar, and Angelfish

Exquisite Wild Vegetable Roasted Meat Skewer

• Effects: Energy +80, Refreshing Aroma for 1,800 seconds, and crop ingredient bonus effects + 40%
• Description: Made with tender meat and fresh seasonal vegetables. Uniformly cut and precisely cooked. Crisp vegetables and juicy meat. A balanced choice.
• Ingredients: Pristine Pork, Fine Turtle Meat, Deviated Saffron, and Butter

Miracle Recovery Milk

• Effects: Hydration +80 and HP Recovery
• Description: A unique drink made from four types of milk, it can be consumed or poured on crops for special effects.
• Ingredients: Pristine Goat Milk, Pristine Deer Milk, Stardust Deer Milk, and Sea Water

Exquisite Mixed Vegetable Skewer

• Effects: Energy +80, Fragrant Symphony for 1800 seconds, and all ingredients' bonus effects +25%
• Description: A selection of wild mountain vegetables, beautifully skewered and perfectly grilled, showcasing the layered richness of vegetarian cuisine.
• Ingredients: Corn, Coneflower, Deviated Coneflower, and Pickled Cucumber

Aromatic Fruit and Roasted Meat

• Effects: Energy +80, Refreshing Platter, and crop ingredient bonus effects +50%, but other ingredient bonus effects -25%
• Description: Roasted veggies and meat with a rich secret sauce. Bold and flavorful.
• Ingredients: Pristine Beast Meat, Deviated Saffron, Crocodile Egg, and Butter

Exquisite Roasted Meat Skewer

• Effects: Energy +80, Fragrant Symphony for 1800 seconds, and all ingredients' bonus effects +25%
• Description: A selection of wild mountain vegetables, beautifully skewered and perfectly grilled, showcasing the layered richness of vegetarian cuisine.
• Ingredients: Pristine Poultry, Pristine Raw Meat, Cheese, and Butter