The canteen is no longer a feature in Monster Hunter Wilds; now, you’ll be responsible for preparing your own meals. In previous iterations, hunters could simply order food from a counter run by Felynes, usually accompanied by a catchy tune and dance. You could customize your meals, with each ingredient affecting the bonuses you received. However, the cooking was handled by skilled chefs.
In Wilds, all the cooking falls on your shoulders. The Portable BBQ Grill, which was previously used exclusively for grilling monster steaks during hunts, has been upgraded significantly. You can now include various ingredients, and every choice you make will directly influence your stat bonuses. Figuring out the best ingredients to use is crucial—some stand out as the most beneficial. Let’s take a look at how to whip up the best meals in Monster Hunter Wilds.
How to Cook in Monster Hunter Wilds
Using the Portable BBQ Grill
To cook in Monster Hunter Wilds, you’ll need a Portable BBQ Grill. You gain access to it automatically, and it will always be in your toolbar. Press L1/LB and navigate through the menu with Square/X and Circle/B until you locate it. You can also add it to your quick-access item wheel for convenience. Once you’re ready, use the grill by pressing Square/X, and a cooking menu will appear.
Be sure to cook before each hunt, as the bonuses to your max HP and stamina are crucial for tackling the game’s tougher challenges. Remember, you can have only one set of meal effects active at a time. The cooking menu will let you know if one is already in effect, preventing any overlap.
You’ll choose three ingredients from three different categories: Rations, Additional Ingredients, and Finishing Touches. Rations are typically the main ingredients, and so far, I’ve only found three types: meat, fish, and vegetables. You can obtain more rations by visiting the Support Counter Felynes at Base Camp. Additional Ingredients may include side dishes or bonuses, such as adding cheese or a runny egg to a burger. Finishing Touches consist of various seasonings—like Wild Herbs, Truffles du Conga, or Eastern Honey in Monster Hunter Wilds.
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After selecting your ingredients, just relax and enjoy the cooking process. Unlike in World, there’s no mini-game involved, so timing is not a concern. However, beware of interruptions while cooking, as hostile creatures can invade your cooking space. Make sure to maintain a safe distance from any aggressive monsters before firing up the grill.
The Best Ingredients in Monster Hunter Wilds
Sharp Kunafa Cheese
This upgraded version of regular Kunafa Cheese provides the same effect—Defender Meal. Defender Meal offers a chance to reduce damage taken whenever you are hit. Thanks to its richer flavor, Sharp Kunafa Cheese has a much higher activation rate. You can acquire this ingredient by trading with Kilama in the Kunafa Windsong Village, located within the Plains region of Monster Hunter Wilds‘ map.
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Most of the top-tier ingredients require trading through the Item Trades feature. As you progress through the story and clear missions related to various villages throughout the Forbidden Lands in Monster Hunter Wilds, you’ll unlock new traders. Keep in mind that not every trader will always have the items you seek, and the items they request in return may be hard to come by. For example, Kilama will accept Great Windward Aloe (found during Succulent Emergences) and Thundering Fulgurite (found during Fulgurite Emergences) in exchange for her cheese.
Delishroom
Delishrooms are an enhanced version of Droolshrooms and significantly reduce your stamina consumption. They’re particularly beneficial for players using high-stamina weapons, like the Insect Glaive or the heavyweight Great Sword. You can acquire Delishrooms by trading with Musharpeye and other Wudwuds in the Scarlet Forest.
Airy Egg
Airy Eggs function similarly to Fluffy Eggs but provide an attack boost, which is much stronger than the one offered by Fluffy Eggs. To get these, Sekka in Suja will trade you some for Large Goldenscale Vases, which can be found during Remarkable Relic Emergences.
Specialty Sild Garlic
This ingredient is an enhanced version of Sild Garlic. It gives you an extra chance to avoid fainting during hunts, allowing you to survive one hit without losing rewards. Unlike regular Sild Garlic, Specialty Sild Garlic restores health instead of leaving you at 1 HP. Trade with Ren in Wyveria to get some; he will accept a Genesis Opal, which can be found throughout the area.
Best Finishing Touches
Finishing Touches differ slightly in that there aren’t upgraded versions with improved effects. Wild Herbs mitigate the severity of any status effects you may endure. You can find them through Yabran in Azuz or from Musharpeye and Gawdygog in the Forest. Occasionally, you might gather them alongside regular herbs. They aren’t necessary for every hunt but can be quite useful against monsters that can inflict status effects, like Jin Dahaad.
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For encounters requiring high damage output, use Eastern Honey to enhance your healing items. Ren will trade you some for a Fossilized Fire Opal, or you can obtain it by capturing Giant Vigorwasps or harvesting from honey gathering spots. Truffle du Conga, which you can trade from Rove in the Iceshard Cliffs or fish from Gastronome Tuna, can increase your chances of finding extra items while gathering—great for exploratory adventures.
While there are other cooking ingredients in Wilds, most aren’t as effective as their upgraded versions or only serve specific purposes during certain hunts. Nonetheless, all ingredients are worth collecting and experimenting with; there’s no such thing as a useless cooking ingredient in Monster Hunter Wilds, though some may be more advantageous than others.
