How to get the most XP from cooking
This is a list of the best dishes to cook in order to get the most XP possible within a certain amount of time. Let's say you want to dedicate 30 minutes to cooking, just find the 0 mins - 30 mins section and choose which dish to cook, or if you can spare one hour of your time for cooking, go to the 30 mins - 1 hour section.
The dishes that have a star to the right are the ones that I consider the best ones to cook from each section. You may see that some starred dishes don't give as much XP as the others in the same section, but they have the best XP-amount of times to cook relation.
Note that I've included the dishes that are unlocked to me. I never used Cash to unlock any dishes. I'm level 76. I will update this list as I level up, or if someone sends me info about other dishes.
0 mins - 30 mins
In 30 minutes, cooking the Hamburger will give you 1800 XP
Keep in mind that to get that XP in 30 minutes you will have to cook this dish 180 times.
In 30 minutes, cooking the Pizza will give you 540 XP
You will have to cook this dish 6 times to get that XP.
30 mins - 1 hour or less
You will only be able to cook one Shrimp Scampi in less than an hour thus getting 244 XP
You will get 290 XP from the Fiddlehead Carbonara.
Cooking Pizza for an hour, if you have the patience to sit in front of your comp and check it every 5 minutes, will give you 1,080 XP
2 hours
The Stuffed Eggplant is the best option from the 2 hs dishes, getting 384 XP per dish.
Another good option is the Chinese Veg Noodle, giving you 348 XP
If you have nerves of steel, constantly cooking Pizza every 5 minutes for 2 hours will give you 2,160 XP
Even if this gives you the most XP, it's not the best option, unless, like I said, you have nerves of steel, the patience of a saint, or make a friend/family member cook the dishes.
3 hours
The Chocolate Souffle is the dish that will give you more XP (437 XP) from the 3 hours dishes.
If you can check your Cafe every hour, the Fiddlehead Carbonara is the best option. You get a total of 870 XP in 3 hours.
4 hours
You get 462 XP from Salmon and Corn Cakes.
Set your alarm clock and check your Cafe every 2 hours and you will get 768 XP from the Stuffed Eggplant.
Choosing this as the best one because it's not so hard to be at home for 4 hours and have 5 minutes free every 2 hours to cook the dishes again.
6 hours
The Garlic Butter Lobster will give you 794 XP in 6 hours.
For the ones that can check Cafeland every 1 hour during a 6 hours time period, this is a good option. You get 1,740 XP by cooking the Fiddlehead Carbonara 6 times.
If you can check your stoves every 2 hours, you will get a total of 1,152 XP by cooking the Stuffed Eggplant 3 times.
8 hours
From the 8 hours dishes, the Panzanella is the one that will give you more XP (934 XP).
10 hours
The Grilled Steak gives you a nice 1,050 XP in 10 hours.
12 hours - 13 hours
The Macaroons are the best option from the 12-13 hours range, giving you 1,034 XP
15 hours - 16 hours
The Penne Arrabbiata is the best option from the 15-16 hours dishes. It gives you 1,110 XP
17 hours - 18 hours
From the 17-18 hours range, the Tonkotsu Ramen is the best dish to cook, giving you 1,252 XP. The next dish, the Tamale, will give you 1,304 XP but it takes another hour to finish cooking. I don't think the difference in XP justifies waiting one more hour.
20 hours
From the 20 hours dishes, the Gorgonzola Cheesecake with Pear is the one that gives more XP (1,110 XP) but you get the same XP from the Penne Arrabbiata in the 15 hours - 16 hours section.
21 hours - 23 hours
Personally, I prefer not getting a little more XP and not having to wait an extra hour, so the Stuffed Artichoke is, for me, the best option from this range, giving you 1,525 XP
If you don't mind waiting another hour, the Chicken Almond Pilaf gives you 1,654 XP
1 day
The Strawberry Jelly will give you 1,718 XP from the 1 day dishes.
2 days
For those with a lot of patience and a lot of stoves, the Rainbow Jellies will give you 2,651 XP in 2 days.
Or cook the Strawberry Jelly twice and get 3,436 XP
And that's all I have unlocked in my Cookbook so far!