Cooking is the art, science, and craft of preparing food by applying heat to make it more palatable, digestible, nutritious, or safe to eat

. It involves a variety of techniques such as grilling, baking, boiling, frying, sautéing, and steaming, among others. Cooking transforms raw ingredients-like meats, vegetables, and grains-through physical and chemical changes caused by heat, such as protein denaturation, caramelization of sugars, and softening of fibers

. Beyond just heating, cooking can include preparation steps that make food edible and enjoyable, sometimes involving combining ingredients and using specific methods to enhance flavor and texture

. It is a universal human activity with a history dating back at least 300,000 years, possibly up to 2 million years ago, and is practiced both domestically and professionally

. Additionally, cooking improves food safety by killing harmful bacteria, especially in raw meats, and can alter nutrient availability-some vitamins may be destroyed by heat, while others become more absorbable

. Overall, cooking is both a cultural practice and a scientific process that changes food to meet human dietary needs and preferences.