Cooking mechanics in **Peak** balance risk and reward—proper preparation boosts benefits, but repetition leads to disaster. Here’s how the stages work:
- Cooked (1st attempt): Restores 66% more hunger than raw food
- Well Done (2nd attempt): Loses all bonuses, reverting to raw effectiveness
- Burnt (3rd attempt): Damages your character with poison effects
No visual indicators exist, so **timing is critical** when using campfires or stoves. Listen for the single sizzle—not more.
Optimal Cooking Steps
- Interact with a heat source (campfire/stove)
- Hold E until the first audible sizzle
- Release immediately to lock in the cooked state
- Overcooking wastes resources and risks poisoning
Benefits of Cooking Correctly
Perfectly cooked meals maximize stamina recovery, keeping your green stamina bar active longer. Mistakes erase these advantages, with burnt items actively harming you.
TLDR
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Burnt food will poison you
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Works at any fire or stove
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Hold E only once, then stop
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Cooking three times = poison
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Cooking twice = no bonus
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Cooking once = bonus hunger