NPC cooking headcanons

afin: a really good cook; often thought about what Euclyta would want to eat when he found her, so he made sure he had the skills to cook literally everything. likes vegetables.

zeno: Doesn't cook much, but likes to barbecue and has some killer dry rub recipes. Only cooks burgers two ways: "some pink" or "no pink."

gettumhult: literally does not care & lives off ARKS rations

echo: makes delicious, home-style food but is terrible at presentation and very sensitive about it. Also hates doing the dishes.

melrandia: An above-average cook. Loves hard sugar candies but is self-conscious about it since she sees it as childish.

matoi: An average cook who occasionally veers into "not good" territory due to spacing out. uses too many bowls/utensils while cooking.

persona: likes to give and receive cute bento boxes

quna: terrible at cooking, as she's never had to cook for herself nor does she care to learn. fond of raw seafood dishes, especially chirashi. like many performers with a rigorous schedule, has a tremendous appetite that shocks people who don't know her well

casra: his cooking is barely acceptable; it's not an activity he finds interesting, and he only does the bare minimum to make food edible. the only exception is coffee, which he is exceptionally good at brewing. likes bittersweet foods, poor tolerance for anything greasy or heavy; won't eat red meat.

luther: Approaches cooking in the same way he approaches experimentation: with a flagrant disregard for acceptable mores. his dishes are either delicious executions of a fascinating culinary concept OR crimes against the very nature of the universe itself. there is no in between.

huey: lowkey disaster in the kitchen but likes bbq. cooks burgers to perfection but frequently forgets to season beforehand. with hosted some huge summer bashes during the ARKS reorganization which are now the stuff of legend.

klariskrays III: burns everything & thinks powdered sugar & frosting can salvage anything. her cookies are the stuff of nightmares.

sarah: doesn't particularly like cooking but because she hates doing things poorly is quite good at it. likes sweets, but pretends she doesn't.

maria: doesn't cook. doesn't care. anyone who makes the mistake of asking for her assistance in the kitchen receives a wordless, minutes-long glare.

regius: he learned to make delicious, warming, hearty soups while taking care of Alma during her frequent illnesses. doesn't let many ppl know this. post-ep. 6, sometimes he cooks, not to eat, but to reminisce with her.

xion: understands the phenomenon of cooking but has no interest in learning it herself. luther once made her an offering of swedish fish, which she did not appreciate or accept

xiao: his calculation abilities means he COULD become the greatest culinary artist in the history of the universe, but he prefers to use his vast powers to make food that looks delicious but tastes, in the words of one perplexed ARKS, "incomprehensible."

azanami: an above average cook whose dishes can look a bit basic, but are delicious and filling. makes an especially delicious katsu curry rice; refuses to share the recipe.

io: oracle's most okayest cook, but for some reason people remember it as being much better than it actually is it's because she's cute and tsun, ofc

pietro: i think it's canon he cooks well but also consider: pietro, unparalleled sugar glass artist. largely a secret b/c his pets keep eating his creations, which he finds wildly charming

risa: doesn't cook, but loves the hunt. somewhat fascinated by Franca's approach to cooking literally everything that lives, and fulfills every one of her client orders each week.

hariette: has never learned to cook (she's royalty!) but knows proper dining etiquette for every Omegan nation. has a highly refined palate for taste and can identify individual spices/ingredients in a dish. fond of berry tarts.

varuna: bakes as hobby, as the patience and attention to detail it requires gives him a sense of calm and control that is otherwise lacking in his life. does this in TOTAL SECRECY, which has given rise to a rumor of a ghost in Cuento Castle: if you're awake at 2am you may smell the most amazing sfogliatella baking...but there is no evidence of them in the morning.

elmir: no interest in cooking or even eating for pleasure, but loves tropical fruits b/c they're hard to come by in Weyland; he enjoys eating it in front of his starving populace for lols. hates gamey meat b/c it serves as the backbone of Weyland cuisine and seeing people take joy in basically anything upsets him.

alis: enjoys cooking over an open fire over more refined cooking from the palace, but doesn't get a chance to indulge in it much.

lutz: doesn't know how to cook but has a finely developed palate for wines and liquors. prior to his corruption was a delightful dinner guest but

melfonseana: roasts meat to perfection. can identify edible wild plants. likes sage.

margareta: can eat the spiciest foods without issue. loves all sweets, but almond cookies are her favorite. dislikes meat

hitsugi: a good cook, but doesn't really enjoy it as it's something she learned after her parents died. often feels her cooking lacks in comparison. dislikes complicated recipes.

kohri: absolute disaster--frequently forgets what she's doing, makes up substitutions as she goes along, etc. BUT she's good at making food look cute/decorative. loves shaved ice

enga: decent cook, though not as good as Hitsugi; likes baking (esp. cookies) but is extremely embarrassed at the thought of others knowing this. prefers european desserts over japanese desserts.

adam: prefaces every meal with a 10 minute long history of the food laid out and the reasoning behind his personal twists on traditional recipes. all his food tastes the same: bland.

hagith: knows the purpose and use of every kitchen utensil imaginable. capable of making good food but often tries to do too much at once & the end result suffers. likes tea brewing and also knows how to host a traditional tea ceremony.

bethor: no longer allowed near a kitchen after a dinner party "incident" left several guests critically injured. loves pickles.