No One Does It Like YouTubers
Whether you're looking to master the culinary arts, or simply eat with your eyes, here are twenty YouTube sensations that have taken the cooking world by storm. From in-depth tutorials to viral food reviews, these creators will keep you coming back for seconds.
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1. Babish Culinary Universe
Babish's claim to fame was his insightful tutorials bringing fictional foods to life, ranging from Remy's ratatouille to the acclaimed Krabby Patty. Since then his culinary universe has expanded to include Basics with Babish, which features classic cooking techniques, as well as Anime with Alvin, which dives into the animated staples.
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2. Joshua Wiseman
This restaurant-trained chef made his mark on YouTube with his But Better series, where he recreated classic commercial dishes, such as the McDonald's Big Mac or IHop's pancakes. Joshua empowered home cooks around the world with the tools to make their own affordable and tastier fast-food alternatives.
3. Nick DiGiovanni
Unlike a lot of YouTubers on this list, Nick got his start on the hit cooking show MasterChef, where he finished third on season 10. He has since amassed a massive following on his channel, where he tries unique dishes and collaborates with other food influencers.
4. Guga Foods
Best known for his inventive steak cooking tutorials, Guga shocked the world with his twist and turns. This includes soaking steaks in Worchester sauce for months, dry-aging venomous fish, and even cooking meat on a car engine. Either way, he's guaranteed to leave you entertained.
5. English Heritage
For history buffs and cooks alike, English Heritage hosts a show called the Victorian Way, in which the host, Mrs. Crocombe, takes on the role of a historically-accurate Victorian cook. Set in an actual English abbey, Mrs. Crocombe guides the viewer through recipes made exclusively with the ingredients and tools available at the time.
6. Best Ever Food Review Show
For the adventurous eaters out there, YouTube host Sonny leads a global expedition around the world trying the most extreme foods. From pufferfish to rats, he dares to go where few food YouTubers would. Even if the food isn't to your taste, you'll learn a lot about the fascinating cultures and communities that make them.
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7. Epicurious
Epicurious brands itself as a channel "for people who love to eat," and that's an accurate description considering the range of their content. You'll find tutorials with increasing levels of difficulty, starting at amateur cook and ending at food scientist, as well as fun home cook versus professional chef challenges.
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8. Gordon Ramsey
Although this famous Michelin-winning chef became a household name through his television shows, he also carved a space for himself on YouTube. His channel features technical food tutorials as well as meme-worthy food vlogs. And yes, in one of his videos, he does in fact find the lamb sauce.
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9. Honeysuckle
If you've ever found yourself too nervous to tackle viral food trends or try-out celebrity chef recipes, then Honeysuckle has you covered. Her channel offers a hands-on, comedic overview of food hacks that leave you questioning if they really work - for example, instead of making pancakes on a pan, have you considered using an air fryer?
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10. Uncle Roger
On his channel, Uncle Roger describes himself as "not a chef, I just complain." While this stands true, he's still garnered over nine million subscribers through his harsh but honest commentary, breaking down misleading recipes and offering up Asian cooking tips. He's even collaborated with Gordon Ramsey!
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11. Imamu Room
If you're a fan of Japanese cuisine or simply want to relax to some calming cooking videos, Imamu Room is the channel for you. Follow the silent host as she wakes up every morning and prepares a unique bento box for her husband's lunch. From the cute packaging to the unique ingredients, you're sure to leave with a few lunch ideas of your own.
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12. American Test Kitchen
If you'd prefer a technical and constructive breakdown of the cooking process, then American Test Kitchen offers insights into cooking classics. You can follow Dan as he highlights the five keys to perfect meatballs, or learn about pasta staples with Julia.
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13. Andy Cooks
Have you ever wondered what the difference is between a burger or a sandwich? What about properly reheating your favorite foods? Andy answers all of these questions and more, with a focus on kitchen hacks that are sure to elevate your culinary skills.
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14. Noah Perlo Fit
Known more for his YouTube Shorts than actual videos, Noah Perlo is just the man to follow if you're trying to get fit. His content highlights healthy alternatives, for instance - instead of a 3000 calorie Domino's pizza, follow his recipe to get the same quantity for only 300 calories.
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15. Cooking Tree
If you've ever seen a cake on Pinterest and thought, "there's no way I can make that," then Cooking Tree has the guides and recipes you need. This peaceful, ASMR-influenced channel features tutorials on colorful, creative, and simply out-of-this-world cakes.
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16. Tasting History with Max Miller
Another one for the history buffs, Tasting History takes real-life historical recipes and tries to create them in today's modern world. With Max, you'll learn how to make a variety of things, such as dog food from ancient Rome, as well as brownies from 1904.
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17. Future Canoe
Here's a channel that doesn't take itself too seriously. The setting has the feel of a real home kitchen without the gimmicks and production. Follow along as the host focuses on testing out other YouTube recipes, saving viewers the trouble of finding out if they're practical or just clickbait.
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18. How to Cook That
Similarly, How to Cook That also offers deep dives into viral and popular recipes. However, Ann Reardon takes on a food scientist's approach and breaks down the chemistry behind certain recipe failures and reactions. Her debunking series is a must-watch in an era of misinformation.
19. Brian Lagerstrom
Whether you're stumped on a potato side dish or need some help meal-prepping, Brian's channel includes guides, tutorials, and even shopping lists to help lighten the cooking load. Odds are if you're looking for a specific dish idea, Brian has just the recipe you need
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20. About to Eat
One of the most successful food shows on YouTube is Buzzfeed's Worth It, where hosts Andrew and Steven traveled the world comparing affordable and expensive food, each video reaching tens of millions of views. The show featured $1 sushi versus $133 sushi, or $11 steak versus $306 steak. While Worth It's glory days have passed, you can still find recent episodes on their new channel, About to Eat.
