So, what exactly is Gen Z cooking?

Sannidhya Bilwal, 23, from Delhi, who is pursuing a master’s in applied psychology, prefers cooking in bulk and storing food, though the protein accompaniment is always made fresh. “I cook whatever is convenient for me. I stay with my brother, so I prefer bulk cooking and store it in the refrigerator. I cook a protein alongside whatever I eat every day. I bulk cook rice and dal. For protein, I have frozen kebabs or fish which I prepare fresh,” he said.

Sannidhya Bilwal (Photos: Sannidhya Bilwal)

Calling cooking a “relaxing” activity, Sannidhya added that he cooks “almost every day”. “It is a chore, but for me, it is also relaxing. I can cook, collect my thoughts, and just enjoy the process. It takes me 20–30 minutes to cook a full-fledged meal where I use pressure cooking for convenience.”

Sidhant Raj Pradhan, 24, from Delhi, said he has a limited palate. “I really don’t like the idea of exploring different tastes, but just for the sake of doing it, I try something new once in a while. It’s been a 50-50 experience—not so bad, not so good,” admitted Sidhant, who cooks three to four times a week, mostly on weekends.

Sannidhya is fond of looking up recipes on YouTube. “I consume content from Nick DiGiovanni for snacks and Chef Ranveer Brar for Indian cuisine,” he said.

Dhruvi, 26, from Gurgaon, who works as a business assistant in an MNC, has made it a ritual to cook “thrice a week”. “I try to stick to that schedule no matter how busy things get. It is my little ritual to relax and do something just for myself,” said Dhruvi.

More than the cooking itself, she enjoys “the process of chopping vegetables as it’s oddly calming”. “I also like preparing aesthetically pleasing food like avocado toast, quinoa salad, or a nice pasta salad. There’s something so satisfying about making a plate that looks as good as it tastes,” shared Dhruvi, who usually spends about an hour in the kitchen. “I don’t like spending too long in the kitchen,” she added.

Dhruvi finds cooking therapeutic (Photos: Dhruvi)

She, too, loves recreating viral recipes. “Mostly from whatever’s trending on Instagram or from my favourite food bloggers. I love trying out new, viral recipes and giving them my own twist and flavours,” she said.

Anindya Sarkar, 23, from Kolkata, a master’s student, shared that Gen Z is cooking a mix of everything—from traditional Indian dishes like paneer masala and chicken curry to modern or fusion recipes. “We like experimenting with flavours, trying new ingredients, and often mixing homemade styles with quick, trendy recipes we see online,” said Anindya.

Anindya Sarkar (Photos: Anindya Sarkar)

Anindya, who often cooks soybean-based dishes, said he thoroughly enjoys the process. “It feels good to prepare something on my own and see how it turns out. I usually cook a few times a week, not every day. Mostly, I enjoy cooking, especially when I have enough time. But on busy or tired days, it can feel like a chore. Still, I like the feeling of eating something I made myself,” said Anindya, who credits his mother and roommate for teaching him “little tricks”.

Sudhanshu Thapa, 26, from Chennai, who works in IT, calls himself a big foodie.

Sudhanshu Thapa (Photos: Sudhanshu Thapa)

“I like exploring new recipes, but my go-to food is eggs—easy to make and economical as well. Since I have a bachelor’s degree in hospitality and hotel administration, I know how to cook decent food. I normally go for things that are easy to cook during weekdays—rice, dal, sabzi, roti—and sometimes, for a change, I make pasta or noodles. On weekends, I like to make something delicious like biryani or dal makhni,” said Sudhanshu, whose top three cuisine preferences are Indian, Oriental, and Middle Eastern.

Anoushka Chaudhary, 21, a master’s student from Rouen, France, said that she cooks “quite often these days, mostly out of necessity, but it has turned into something I really enjoy doing”.

Anoushka Chaudhary, 21, on cooking out of necessity (Photos: Anoushka Chaudhary)

“My staple ingredients are potatoes, chicken, and eggs—pretty simple—but I just mix and match them in various ways, depending on my mood. What started as something strictly for survival has slowly become a comforting ritual. When I’m alone in the kitchen, I always play my favourite playlist, and before I know it, I’m dancing around while chopping or stirring or tasting—it feels therapeutic,” said Anoushka.

According to her, cooking has become a way to “relax without any pressure”. “I usually prepare meals in advance every Sunday for the next three days; it takes four to five hours, but it saves me a lot of time and effort during the week. On regular days, I spend about an hour cooking, and I really look forward to it,” she said.