cooking

Cooking is the action of using heat to prepare food. The most common sources of heat are stoves, ovens, and microwaves, but cooking can also be done over a flame. Cooking can make food hot, change its texture, and kill bacteria that might be living in it. Some people see cooking as a chore, while others see it as an art.

Example: The school teaches the secrets of French cooking.

The present participle of cook.

Example: An old woman was cooking food over an open fire.