There are two types of people: those who eat to live and those who live to eat. Culinary enthusiasts spend their time obsessing over food and everything to do with the preparation of a delicious meal. Even for those individuals that simply enjoy watching cooking competitions and shows, we all have our favorite go-to sources to satisfy our passions.  

For me, I’ve been hooked on cooking since childhood. I grew up with my grandmother and she’d take me to market every day after school to buy ingredients required for the evening’s meal. Personally, I loved the fact we’d eat something new every day – and to be quite honest, that habit stuck with me, and I now cook fresh meals pretty much every day. So, the hunt for new recipes and ways of preparing delicious and fresh, food is always on my mind.  

As a result, I don’t think it is inaccurate to say that I have officially spent decades researching recipes, learning new cuisine types, and understanding different cooking techniques – all to complete my mission of being able to avoid eating leftovers, and to provide the best meals for myself (because even an ordinary girl like me sometimes deserves a high-end dinner).  

To date, the best resource I’ve found (and use daily!) is YouTube, and out of the hundreds of food channels I’ve discovered over the years, here are the ten that every dedicated foodie must subscribe to:  

10. Epicurious (4.89 million subscribers)  

This is the perfect YouTube food channel for individuals are the beginning of their love affair with food and cooking. Described as the channel “for people who love to eat”, Epicurious’ YouTube food channel is dedicated to educating foodies everywhere about different food preparation techniques and styles in a fun and engaging way. The Epicurious food channel focuses on demystifying the elitism that has been prevalent in the culinary world and building a bridge into everyone’s home to highlight how and what everyone is feeding themselves and their families.  

Want three different ways to prepare Enchiladas? French onion soup? The perfect ice cream sandwich? Then this food channel is for you! I mean, I’ve learned how to make things I didn’t even want to know how to make (anyone want poutine?), but for someone that loves to cook and will use any occasion to celebrate around food, being exposed to foods and recipes you would not have ordinarily thought of can only enhance the “wow!” factor of your meals.  

Epicurious’ YouTube food channel hosts videos on a few different themes, including instructional videos and fun, comparative level cooking videos that’ll provide a great reminder that anyone can indeed cook (shout out to Ratatouille!).  

9. Gordon Ramsay (20.1 million subscribers)  

One of the most recognizable celebrity chefs on the planet, it is little wonder that Chef Ramsay enjoys a solid following on his YouTube Food Channel. Let’s be honest, Chef Ramsay has been in the culinary game for a minute and his YouTube Food Channel pays homage to his decades-long career. I remember watching him on TV growing up and he was as feisty, as direct, and as entertaining as he is now. His mastery of British cuisine, and fusing non-traditional flavours into it, is fascinating to watch because he cooks with such a refined ease that he makes it look deceptively easy. I promise you, watching this man cook will have you planning next week’s menu faster than you can say, “We need groceries.”  

On Chef Ramsay’s YouTube Food Channel, you’ll find instructional videos, recipes from all over the world, as well as clips from Chef Ramsay’s older cooking shows. My favourite series on his channel is ‘Ramsay in 10’, where he prepares easy and delicious meals in ten minutes or less. Again, watching the fluid ease of his movements while he cooks, you’ll understand why he’s an inspiration to chefs the world over. He just makes it look so easy!  

8. Insider Food (4.7.4 million subscribers)  

People who are obsessed with food and cooking tend to also be obsessed with the history of different culinary traditions. This is where Insider Food’s YouTube food channel takes the win. Culinary enthusiasts can expect to access educational documentaries about culinary traditions and ingredients from all around the world on this food channel. From ordinary people comparing the taste of the same product from different countries around the world, to investigative journalism into various interesting and intricate food production processes, Insider Food’s YouTube Channel takes a serious look at the different parts of today’s global food industry.  

Want to explore the inner workings of a 400-year-old candy store in Japan? Or are you curious about how to feed thirty thousand people for free every day at a Temple in New Delhi? Well, these are just two examples of the full-length videos you can expect to enjoy from this food channel. The National Geographic for the culinary world, Insider Food’s YouTube channel will not only educate you about the global food system but will also help anyone passionate about the culinary world form ethical opinions about how they choose to participate with their food (do you only buy local produce, for instance).  

7. Food Network (2.36 million subscribers)  

This is the official YouTube channel for the incredible Food Network. Almost every celebrity chef you can think of is (or has been) affiliated with the Food Network in some way shape or form – whether it be via a cooking show or by competing in a competition.  

The Food Network’s YouTube food channel is a great source for video clips from a vast selection of Food Network shows and competitions. From Guy Fieri’s ‘Diners, Drive-ins and Dives’ to ‘Beat Bobby Flay’, this channel will provide the most entertaining food content edited from feature-length Food Network shows – and all their shows are pretty awesome, so this food channel is a slam dunk.  

6. NYT Cooking (622,000 subscribers)  

Admittedly, not the most popular YouTube food channel, but NYT Cooking’s food channel does provide a platform for home cooks to share recipes they’re trying out at home. For anyone just looking for inspiration, this food channel is it for you.  

A little less over-the-top and focussed than the other YouTube food channels in this list so far, but still legit food content.  

5. MasterChef Australia (139,000 subscribers)  

I follow this YouTube food account simply because it’s my favorite cooking competition in the world. I have never watched a cooking show host home cooks with such a high level of technique and understanding of flavors – and from the very moment the competition begins! By the time the finale comes along, the contestants are literally moving around like professionals. It’s incredible to watch.  

An additional benefit is that Michelin-starred chefs from all over the world make guest appearances to teach the contestants (and viewers) master classes on a variety of food topics, recipes, and techniques. Definitely a great food channel to subscribe to when you’re interested in current global culinary trends.  

4. BBC Good Food (417,000 subscribers)  

BBC Good Food is the food channel for the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) and is strictly dedicated to improving your culinary skills and recipe reviews. This is a particularly useful YouTube channel to subscribe to if you’re trying to teach children how to safely learn cooking skills, as there is a great series called, ‘Kids’ Kitchen’ that provides a guide for not only the child, but also for their parents.  

Personally, I follow the BBC Good Food YouTube food channel because it has the best selection on vegan recipe videos I’ve yet found online. So do make sure to check it out if veganism is your jam.  

3. Laura in the Kitchen (3.88 million subscribers)  

I’m new to this YouTube food channel, but I’m already a big fan. Created in 2010 to “help share the love of the kitchen with anyone willing to watch,” Laura in the Kitchen is a great channel for any foodie looking for creative, delicious, and healthy recipes for themselves and their families.  

The wonderful thing about this food channel is the amount of content available. You can sit and enjoy watching Laura cook for hours! Some of my favorite videos from this channel are the steak & Guinness pie, skillet lasagna, and cranberry and rosemary roasted chicken videos – and I’ve already added them (and others!) to my list of recipes to try out.  

2. Tasty (21.1 million subscribers)  

This YouTube food channel is youthful, fun, and educational in an accessible way. The food channel provides a platform for ordinary people to transform classic recipes using techniques and/ or ingredients they were familiar with growing up. Everyone featured is down-to-earth and bonded by a love of food.  

The thing I love most about Tasty’s YouTube food channel is that is very much structured as a community, which is reflected in their easy-going tone and style. There’s also an app that I would absolutely suggest downloading. I cannot even count the number of times it came in useful in a grocery store.  

1. Dianxi Xiaoge (10.2 million subscribers)  

This is hands down my favorite YouTube food channel. For me, there is no competition. I can literally lie in bed for hours and watch this woman go about her business in her village, preparing meals for her family. Warning: the content is extremely relaxing. I love it because the cooking videos are a great reminder of how much goes into provided nutritious meals for one’s family. It truly is a labor of lover and I find it so calming to just observe.