Top 10 Best YouTube Cooking Channels 2022
Let's take a look at our favorite meal makers with the Top 10 Best YouTube Cooking Channels in 2022. It's an impressive list.
This article is more than 2 years old
These days, if you want to see a meal prepared, or find a new spin on your favorite dish, there are plenty of options. In fact, at this point, there’s almost no excuse for not getting gourmet food in your own kitchen if you work at it enough. Between recipe sites and cookbooks, there are limitless options for meal prep. And now we even have YouTube which provides endless hours of how-tos when it comes to time in the kitchen. That’s where we get the best YouTube cooking channels, needing a way to sift through all of the great content out there.
You might be wondering if we have the Food Network, why we would want to go to YouTube and find the best YouTube cooking channels? True, shows like those on the Food Network or even the ones such as Hell’s Kitchen or Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives are slickly produced and edited and offer viewers a lot of great information and fun. But there is something about watching the average Joe and Josephina on their YouTube channel that can be as equally compelling. And believe it or not, with the sophistication now seen with phone cameras and editing apps, some of the best YouTube cooking channels can look just as slick as those produced on network television.
But what goes into making the best YouTube cooking channels. It is, after all, just cooking. You will have to admit, though, that over the past 15 or so years, YouTube has changed drastically. No longer is it just some silly “show off your stupid cat tricks” videos (we have Tik Tok for that now). Over those 15 years, the website has turned from the painfully amateur to the very professional. On top of that, it has also turned into a place where six-figure earnings can be made, if not more.
It is simply the beauty of YouTube, how careers can be made. There have been plenty of careers started, not just with cooking, but with many other types of channels, especially over the past five or so years. As of 2017, YouTube had over 400 hours of content uploaded per minute on the website. On top of that, over one billion hours of content were being consumed each day.
Fast forward three years and YouTube was the second-most popular website on the planet. Their content upload rose to 500 hours per minute and their ad revenue was estimated at a robust $15 billion annually. With as many eyes as they were getting, making a career as a YouTube content provider was becoming a goal for many around the world.
With that in mind, one could easily see how cooking channels were becoming popular. Food can be such a connecting force. It is, after all, the tie that binds us all. We need food to survive and if someone can present a meal, tell us exactly how to cook it, give us instructions, ingredients, times, and so forth, then all the better.
Some of the best YouTube cooking channels do that and more. They show us the how and they do it with flair. It is all about keeping an audience engaged while also teaching them a thing or two about the cooked meal.
WHAT IS THE MOST-WATCHED COOKING VIDEO ON YOUTUBE?
There are millions upon millions of cooking videos on YouTube and as you would expect, they range from the most delicious savory concoctions to some of the worst and poorly made meals you’ll ever see. Some people have no shame.
But if you are wondering just what the most-watched cooking video on YouTube is, you may be surprised to find out the answer. The video actually comes from two children and the channel is called Vlad and Niki. It’s called Vlad and Niki Cooking Breakfast for Mama and has the youngsters “cooking” for their mom. It’s a fun video and yes, we say this in jest to show just how popular certain channels can get on YouTube if done right. This particular video has close to 358 million views.
In all seriousness, though, if you are curious as to the most-watched cooking video it is Foodie Incarnate’s Tastiest Paneer Tikka Sandwich In Town that leads the way with over 81 million views.
WHO IS THE MOST POPULAR FOOD REVIEWER ON YOUTUBE?
While we are on the topic of YouTube and food, not all the popular food channels are about creating dishes, but instead, eating those created dishes. There are food review channels that can be just as popular as the best YouTube cooking channels. Some of the popular food reviewers are The Report of the Week, KBDProductionsTV, Freezerburns, Wendy’s Eating Show, and Joey’s World Tour.
But the most popular food reviewer on YouTube is Daym Drops. He considers himself a Foodie with a goal of bringing viewers “true entertainment” while also giving his honest input on his intake. Daym Drops has over 1.64 million subscribers who have found his food reviews very tasty.
WHO IS THE BEST YOUTUBER CHEF?
The name won’t surprise you. He has meant more to the cooking world than just about any chef that has come before and those who are trying to catch up to him. Of course, we are talking about Hell’s Kitchen’s Gordon Ramsay. The world-renowned chef started his global Gordon Ramsay Restaurant group in 1997 and since that time has been awarded a total of 16 Michelin stars. On top of Hell’s Kitchen, Ramsay has been the star of other hit TV shows like Kitchen Nightmares, The F Word, MasterChef, MasterChef Junior, Hotel Hell, Gordon Behind Bars, and Gordon Ramsay’s 24 Hours to Hell and Back.
Gordon Ramsay has one of the best YouTube cooking channels and is considered to be the best YouTuber chef as well. Fans love his fiery personality along with the amazing way he can put a meal together. His immensely popular channel has over 19 million subscribers.
WHO IS THE BEST FOOD YOUTUBER?
If we are going by numbers alone, one of the most popular and best food YouTubers would be the channel called Tasty. With almost 21 million subscribers, Tasty describes itself as the channel of all things Tasty. They claim to be the world’s largest food network offering amazing recipes presented by world-class chefs and other talented individuals. They present top-of-the-line cookware and help bring food to food lovers across the globe.
Tasty offers an eclectic list of videos, with their highest viewed video being 8 Desserts in 1 Sheet Tray which has received almost 57 million views. To show how different their videos can range, their next highest video is one for the ages. It’s called I Made a Giant 30-Pound Burger and it looks every bit the weight.
TOP 10 BEST YOUTUBE COOKING CHANNELS
Our following list of the top 10 best YouTube cooking channels. You may be wondering just how we came to this conclusion. As you will see, our 10 best YouTube cooking channels are not necessarily numbers-driven. Some are extremely popular channels, while others are up and comers. Of course, everyone’s tastes are different so some of this will depend on style of food that most suits you. Make sure you chime in and let us know where we stand, but make sure you offer us some great choices of your own. Here we go.
JOSHUA WEISSMAN
For eight years, Joshua Weissman has been entertaining lovers of food. As he notes on his channel, he likes to “make entertaining, exciting, and inspirational videos about food and cooking.” It almost comes out like a word of warning when he also says that he is obsessed with bread, but that he also loves to eat anything that includes large quantities of butter.
Taking a look at Josh’s food video list, you can see that he isn’t lying. But giving it a closer look, you will also notice there are quite a few heart-healthy meals in there as well. The bottom line with Joshua and why he has one of the best YouTube cooking channels is that he is very engaging, and his recipes will keep you on your toes. With 6.4 million subscribers, he’s definitely doing something right.
KENJI LOPEZ
As one of the best YouTube cooking channels, Kenji Lopez does not disappoint. Along with being a YouTube food artist, Kenji Lopez is the author of three cookbooks. His latest one is titled The Wok: Recipes and Techniques, but he has also written the bestseller The Food Lab: Better Home Cooking Through Science and the bestselling children’s book, Every Night is Pizza Night.
Kenji Lopez gives his nearly 1.2 million subscribers a unique look at how he puts a recipe together. By look, we mean he straps his camera to his forehead so you can see just what he is thinking as a recipe comes together and it is also nice to see just how a chef moves through his kitchen, from his perspective.
NOT ANOTHER COOKING SHOW
When our chef first describes his cooking style as “Modern Grandma,” it’s not hard to understand why we chose Not Another Cooking Show as one of the best YouTube cooking channels. How can you not root for cooking with comedy? Granted, Not Another Cooking Show doesn’t have the big numbers, yet. The channel can *only* boast 861 thousand subscribers, but that number seems to be moving in a positive direction backed by the fact that it is sitting close to 70 million views.
It doesn’t take long into any video on the channel to understand why Not Another Cooking Show is a fast riser in this space.
FOOD 52
Before Food52 turned into one of the best YouTube cooking channels, they were a publication. In fact, they were so well known in print that they won the 2012 Publication of the Year by the James Beard Foundation. They turned that win into a popular YouTube channel and from that took home the 2013 and 2014 IACP Awards.
The main goal, besides great food, of the Food52 YouTube channel is thoughtful eating and hopefully healthy options. They bake, mix drinks, and have fun. You will get it all with Food52 and you will not be disappointed. It’s a comprehensive and stylish channel for sure.
PREPPY KITCHEN
Preppy Kitchen is getting dangerously close to 3 million subscribers as they are finding out why it is one of the best YouTube cooking channels out there. John Kanell uploads tasty cooking videos every Tuesday and Thursday, which is amazing in itself because along with being a cook after spending a decade teaching math and science, he is also a husband and father of twins.
But cooking is the passion he returned to and Preppy Kitchen is the result. John gives step-by-step instructions on things like cinnamon rolls, pizza dough, and mille-feuille. He describes himself as an avid baker and taking one look at his video list, you will see he isn’t joking around about that.
ALVIN ZHOU
Alvin Zhou’s cooking comes with a warning – “I like taking my time when cooking at home.” Trust him, he ain’t lying. But it is his attention to detail that has made him one of the best cooking channels on YouTube. Granted, Alvin Zhou does not have many videos to pull from, but he is popular with almost 1.4 million subscribers. He has only been uploading cooking videos for about a year, but with titles such as 50-Hour Prime Rib, 100-Hour Fudge Brownies, or 150-Hour Chocolate Cake, how can you not check it out? The time and care with each video makes him one of the best out there.
YEUNG MAN COOKING
Yeung Man, also known as Wil, comes straight out and tells you from jump street that he is neither vegan nor a professional cook. He claims to be some random guy who happened upon plant-based food and decided to share it, making him one of the best YouTube cooking channels you’ll come across.
Wil’s recipes are not complicated. They are, though, vegan. So whether you are already a vegan or are just vegan-curious, Wil is the cook for you. And he’s coming at it from a space of learning and exploring a new cuisine, something that will ring true for beginner cooks out there.
BABISH CULINARY UNIVERSE
Babish Culinary Universe is up there as one of the best YouTube cooking channels for the unique way he combines his cooking talents with his love for film. Not only does Babish create some amazing dishes, but he does it with flair and fun, and a twist. The dishes he creates are actual recreations. He takes dishes from some famous films and television shows and teaches his viewers how to make them.
If you ever wondered about the Crab Bisque from Seinfeld, wonder no more. How about the Kung Pao from Seinfeld? Apparently, Seinfeld has a number of tasty dishes. But if Seinfeld isn’t your food thing, then perhaps a seven-layer salad from How I Met Your Mother will suffice.
Babish Culinary Universe has hundreds of delicious foodie videos to peruse. But don’t take our word for it, check it out yourself. You can see the Babis Culinary Universe channel trailer below.
PRO HOME COOKS
Pro Home Cooks has been around for almost nine years but that isn’t why it is considered one of the best YouTube cooking channels. His 3.36 million subscribers would tell you it’s a good one not only because there are plenty of tasty recipes on this channel, but also because they show you snacks you can make at home that you’ll never have to purchase in grocery stores again. The channel offers recipes for marinades, condiments, and even which type of fire to cook on best – gas, electric, or induction. This is a must-watch for those who want to recreate some of the best brands at home.
LAURENT DAGENAIS
It’s pretty simple when it comes to this channel we consider to be one of the best YouTube cooking channels. “I’m literally always hungry.” Those words come from Laurent’s lips (fingers) to your ears (eyes). This cooking channel may also be one of the hidden gems that hopefully more people will soon find.
This cooking channel is rife with wonderful items such as grilled calamari with Israeli couscous and romesco sauce, razor clams, maple martinis, and snow crab club sandwiches. The edits are quick, so be prepared to move fast or hit that pause button often.
FINALLY
So, where did we get it wrong? Where did we get it right? Truthfully, we could have added at least 10 best YouTube cooking channels to our above list. But isn’t that the beauty of YouTube? Allowing for an infinite number of choices that can either make your taste buds happy or truly give them a challenge.
Maybe you will want to try out some of the above channels and their recipes. Maybe, though, you have a list of your 10 best YouTube cooking channels that you wish to share. And maybe, it is your cook channel you wish to share. If so, pass it along. Then we can pass it along. Happy cooking!
