LEVEL UNLOCKS: 6 UNLOCKS: cooking hobby TIME LIMIT: none
This is the first quest in the game, quests unlock new content and main quests have to be completed in order. This quest unlocks from level 6 and shows us how the cooking hobby works, once completed you will be able to earn LP quickly by completing the hobby
How long does this quest take to complete?
Stuck? Click here to view the Frequently Asked Questions about this Quest
Please note times may vary depending on the star rating an item has.
- Watch SimChef on TV- 1 minute 30 seconds [inspired: 1 min 8 secs]
- Buy a stove (kitchen section, after fridges costs S350)
- Cook Bacon and Eggs on a stove- 5 minutes
you will find an item for the cooking hobby collection when you click on the bubble above your sims head once they have finished cooking
- Grab a plate of Bacon and Eggs- 5 minutes (select the option on the plate) [inspired: 4 min 45 secs]
- Clean up: Wash the dishes- 3 seconds (click on dish, select clean up)
- Search a bookcase- 2 minutes [inspired: 1 min 52 sec] (1 star bookcase already in first house)
- Buy a toaster (kitchen section, after coffee machines, 1 star costs S750)
- Cook cheese and tomato on toast- 1 minute
if you use the same sim to cook both times you will reach level two in the cooking hobby
- Have 2 sims in the same house: Invite a sim over (click on the whistle next to a sim who isn’t busy on the simtracker)
- Call to meal (click on plate of cheese and toast)
- Daydream on a couch- 1 minute 48 seconds [inspired: 1 min 42 secs]
QUEST IS COMPLETE!
You can now complete the Cooking Hobby! The cooking hobby is a great way to earn LPs- read this post for more details!
Chopping Boards- complete the cooking hobby for the first time to unlock them!
Watch my step by step video of this quest here(some steps have changed slightly since making this video):
The next quest is Money Grows On Trees which unlocks the simoleon sprout
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS QUEST
please read before asking
I can’t start this quest yet, why?
You need to complete the tutorial and reach level 6 before you can start this quest
Can I complete this quest even though I have passed level 5?
Yes, you just need to complete the tutorial then this quest will start automatically
I don’t get the option to watch SimChef on tv, why?
You will not get the option until you get the goal when the quest starts
Why can’t I buy a toaster?
You need to place a toaster on a counter or table, it won’t let you buy it if you try to put it on the floor
I can’t make cheese on toast, why?
You need to have a stove and a toaster in your house to be able to make cheese on toast
Why do blue footprints appear when I try to use an item?
Blue footprints appear when your sim cannot access an item you want them to use, you need to either rotate the item or move an item that has been placed in front of it so they can use it
How do I invite a sim over?
Click on the whistle next to a sim who isn’t busy on the simtracker, this post explains more about the simtracker
Where can I find the chopping boards?
You need to complete the cooking hobby for the first time to unlock the chopping boards, they can then be found in the kitchen section of buy mode
I don’t like this quest! Can I just skip it?
No, you have to complete this quest before you can move onto the next one
Some times are slightly different on my game, why is this?
Times may vary depending on the star rating of the item you are using, as the higher star rating an item has the quicker you will complete a goal
Some times are really off/ different goals show for me, why is this?
This will be because the quest has been updated recently, I try my best to keep these posts up to date but it is difficult as I cannot redo every quest each time the game is updated. If you notice any changes please let me know so I can update the post
The next quest is Money Grows On Trees which unlocks the simoleon sprout
Last updated April 2025
FIND THIS POST HELPFUL?
THE SIMS FREEPLAY
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The Girl Who Games 
I’m working on the cooking hobby and have been asked to make quiche for the grouch. Here is my issue, I have to hey to level 4 cooking before I can do that and need to purchase a chopping board before I can get to lv 4. I read your blog and it says to finish the cooking hobby to get the chopping boards but I canto be up levels to complete this hobby. Any suggestions?
You don’t need the chopping board to make a quiche, you need a 2 star stove
I tried it. But its not working.
are you level 4 cooking? Get to level 4, have a 2 star stove and you should be able to make a quiche, no chopping board is needed.
I’m having trouble on this grab the plate whe I cook the bacon and eggs I tap the plate but there isn’t a opption for a clean plate wash dishes how do I get to wash the dishes and pass this part to finish tho level ????
If you want to grab a plate why do you want to wash dishes?
There is a grab a plate option on the plate of food you have just cooked
I have problem in finding toaster in home store.There is no toaster after coffee machine
Have you looked at the picture in the post to see what the toasters look like?
Thank you soo much for these blogs!!! Ur the best. 🙂
You’re welcome! 😀
Can you stop the plates of food you cooked from going onto the floor?
P.s I’m one of your neighbours check me out my names Sarah
Yes you need to have space on your work surfaces
Okay! 🙂
After you complete the hobby once what do you win? I haven’t completed it yet but I’m curious 😄
it says in this post, chopping boards.
How do I cook burgers
Click on a stove and select burgers, make sure you use the sim who has been making the other things or they won’t be unlocked yet
I am having so much trouble with this. My sim is at level 2 cooking like the quest says and when I click on the stove only bacon and eggs comes up. Any suggestions?? I have clicked that numerous times hoping burgers will come up but it doesn’t.
Do you have a toaster at that house? You need one to cook burgers 🙂
Ty! I got a toaster for that house and it worked like a charm 🙂
good 🙂
I did that too but how do you get to level two cooking and I have a quest in que that I really want to do but how do I do it?
just cook until your sim reaches level 2.
you need to complete the quest you are on right now before you can do quests in your queue
I completed the cooking hobby and finished everything, said I get the cutting boards but I can’t find them?
They are in the kitchen section, they should be on of the first things
the only thing new is what looks like a school lunch plate with a drink. No chopping boards 😦
Yes those are the chopping boards
Thanks so much — they looked weird!
Yeah they do! They don’t look like chopping boards!
I cant see simchef on TV why 😦
Have you got this goal yet?
I am past the level for this can I still do it????
If you have updated to the cooking update you will get this quest once the quest you are on right now is completed
Hello. I love your blog about Sims Freeplay, and since I just playing, this blog help me a lot. Also, to point out, while this quest is relative easy and quick, I’ve found out that once you’ve finished the collection for the first time, the next time you finish the collection you’ll get 5 LP!!!
Yep, doing cooking and gathering the collection over and over again is not only help you get some simmoleons, but also LP at the same time since very helpful aswell. Might be bit tedious to gather them, but do put several stoves, and do 1 minute cooking only all the times, and in short times you’ll get a lot of LP in the fastest way.
Hope that helpful.
I know I’ve made over 50Lps just by doing that! 🙂
So I only unlocked one chopping board. Is that normal? The next time around it just went straight to winning life points.
You unlock both of them the first time but you may need to be on a certain level to unlock the second one
Ohh ok….I’m on level 24 or 25 I think?? Idk I’m still on the swimming quest
This post shows you what the chopping boards look like incase you have just missed it: https://thegirlwhogames.wordpress.com/2014/09/07/the-sims-freeplay-hobbies-cooking/
I’m currently at level 32, but it’s been close to two years since I’ve regularly played Sims Freeplay. Now that I’m back at it again, I have a bunch of quests in the que! Currently I have to complete the ‘Money Grows on Trees’ quest, however, I’m unable to complete it since the task requires me to ‘make a hot snack in the microwave’ with the watermelon I just grew. I purchased a microwave, but I cannot cook anything since I must first complete the ‘Bread Winner’ challenge, which is currently in the que! Lol So I have no idea what to do 😦 At this point I cannot complete any tasks that require me to cook so I have no idea how I’ll be able to advance to the next quest unless I’m able to do so. Any suggestions?
Yeah the makers have made a bit of a mistake on this, they have removed all options from a microwave apart from cooking and seem to have forget about the goal in this quest, I will let them know about this and hopefully they will add it back or change the goal
Ahh, I see! Well, I guess in the meantime I’ll continue to complete random tasks here and there until the situation is resolved (hopefully sometime soon) -_- lol! Thank you! I love your blog btw, keep it up 🙂
Yeah hopefully it will be soon, a member of EA told me they would look into it 🙂
Thank you! I’m glad you like it!
I don’t think this was addressed yet cuz I can’t cook anything even though i purchased the stove . And both quests i need to complete require cooking so how am I supposed to do this
if you haven’t done this quest yet you can’t cook, you need to complete previous quests before you can unlock this one.
You’re the best! They fixed it 🙂 Just today as I was playing a random pop-up said the ‘task was completed’ (I almost couldn’t believe it, lol) so now I’m able to move on to the next tasks and complete this quest, finally! Thank you again 😀
Yay! 😀 the problem was they changed it but some people didn’t get that change in their updated version 🙂 you’re welcome!
Hi I am having the same kind of problem. I stopped playing for a year. I’m on the stitching quest, and it is telling me to cook pizza, but I can’t because I haven’t done breadwinner yet. Think you can get them to fix that too? I basically can’t do quests till they do.
You will need to contact EA to get them to fix this issue on your game
I am having the same problem with my game….The Bread Winner Quest will not let me unlock even though I have already passed level 7, I am currently on level 30 and it is a lot of quest that haven’t been completed before my current level….what should I do…..I see that I am currently on this Teen Idol quest now…Do I have to complete this first before I get to cooking quest? I see that the Bread Winner quest is next in my que!
This isn’t a problem, you need to complete the teen idol quest first, if bread winner is next in your queue that means it will be next after the teen idol quest.
I have a question I can’t find the answer to. One of my plates of food is on the floor with a black circle/shadow under it. If I clean it up or grab a plate, nothing happens. I cannot get rid of this stack of plates. Do you know how I can get it to go away? Thank you!
The plate has a black circle around it because you have loads of plates stacked up in that one pile, that is why it doesn’t look like you are doing anything when you clean up, you are doing it but there is just several more underneath 🙂
I have tried cleaning it over 30 times but it still hasn’t changed at all, do you think that it will at some point? I wanted to include a screenshot but I don’t know how to attach a picture. The black shadow is only under the bottom plate of food and it is significantly wider than the plates themselves. Thanks again!
I know what you are talking about- its just loads of plates. Just keep going, if you go into buy mode you can see that it is just a pile of loads of plates by separating them and placing them on empty spaces
Thank you so much!! You were right! 🙂
No problem! 😀
Thanks for the blog! I love it!
i am on level 20 and the Unicorn quest. I never was prompted to do to breadwinner quest and my queue skips the next cooking quest as well (Sou chef) Any ideas? I would really like the cooking hobby. I am playing on a samsung tablet. PS. I don’t do the social quests as I don’t want to link my FB acount. Are these under the social quests?
Thanks!
Have you updated your game recently? You can only get these quests after updating but if you cant find the update it is because some devices cant be updated anymore so yours may be one of them, i hope this helps! 🙂
I can’t pass the take a nap part I have tried everything I upgraded to a 3 start couch but still nothing
it should be rest eyes, not take nap
I have a weekly quest “Make a meal on the stove”. I already done cooking but its not progressing.
It’s not cooking, choose a baking item 🙂
Thank you thank you for telling how to unlock level 2 to get the burgers thank you thank you
Keep doing the 1 minute option over and over until you reach level 2 🙂
I’m on the weekly task make a meal on the stove. I go to the stove and cooking and go the food and it doesn’t do it. Please help
You need to bake an item such as cookies to complete this goal 🙂
Thanks
Ok this is a completely off topic question but my weekly task is to make 2 dating relationships but all my sims are already partners and I don’t have any lp to spare to skip it and can’t add 4 more sims so will I just miss out on this weeks key or is there a way I can get this done
you could get a sim from couple 1 to be romantic with a sim from couple 2 and the other 2 be romantic together until you complete this goal, or you are just going to have to leave it until you can do it or skip it and you won’t be able to get the key for this week
Hi, I have made the burgers and called my 4 sims to the meal. After they have finished eating the burgers and I have made them clean up the plates, nothing happens! Am I supposed to call ALL of my sims (i.e. Every sim in my town) to the meal? Thanks!
Did you press call to meal or grab a plate? As you need to press call to meal on the burgers at the house where the 4 sims are and it should then complete the task straight away
Hi, thanks a bunch for posting regularly about the quests and how to find stuff…this blog is like ‘Accio” (Harry potter reference).
Now my trouble is..i am on level 9 and currently dealing with the Ocean view estate..and i didn’t come across the bread-winner quest at all! I need to know how to have cooking as one of the sims’ hobby please?
Thanks a bunch
You’re welcome! 🙂
It sounds like you have a device that is no longer compatible, which means that you won’t have access to the latest quests included the bread winner- sorry!
I think my is freeplay game has glitches or something because in my game the standard toaster Is only available on level 34 so what do I do? how do I finish the bread winners quest?
Are you sure you haven’t just missed the toaster, the picture in the post shows you what it looks like.
How can I unlock the burgers on level 2 plzzzzz help 😢
you need a toaster and oven in that house
It would be great if we could buy a dishwasher robot or something that automatically wash the dirty plates. I usually cook just to earn LP, so I always have a lot of dirty dishes scattered around the house, and it makes the game slow.
Some dishes are floating out of the house on the second floor, so I cannot reach to wash them,
Even though I have 10 sims in a house with 10 sinks, only 2 or 3 sims can wash dishes at the same time. The rest of them refuse and it annoys me.
Same! I think you should be able to clean them all up in one go as it is just a waste of time
Ok I best the love is in the air and money grow on trees what but I cannot watch simchef on a tv how do I?
have you updated your game recently to access this quest?
i finally got it….i had to get all of the notes for SimIdol it only took a whole year lol ty so much though your great!!
i passed the money grow on tree and love is in the air quests over a year ago but i cant seem to pass the bread winner quests in que. i hAVE TOASTERS, OVENS AND EVERTHING BUT I CANNOT WATCH SIMCHEF ON ANY TV PLEASE HELP!
Are you on a quest right now? You need to complete quests you are currently on and have updated your game to be able to access this quest.
How do I know what quest I am doing right now? I want to have the cooking hobby but i can’t find the sim chef on tv.. Help!
Look in the goal tab, it will say at the top of the goal what quest you are on. This post will help you find the goal tab: https://thegirlwhogames.wordpress.com/2014/07/01/the-sims-freeplay-guide-to-completing-quests/
I’m level 9 and I forgot to actually can’t do the bread winner quest anymore please help me! Thanks if you do. : )
What quest are you on right now?
For some reason I never received the chopping boards how can I get them
Complete the cooking hobby for the first time
How can i do “invite 4 sims over”??
on the simtracker, click the whistle next to your sims so four of them are at that house.
Hi! So here is my problem:
I deleted the Sims Freeplay app a few months ago, probably around July. I was just starting the Need for Steed Quest. When I redownloaded the app, I returned my cloud saved data, but because of the update in Bread Winners Quest I cannot cook. However, the quest shows up in my que. Does that mean I’ll be able to complete it after I’ve completed Need for Steed? Thank you!
If it is the next quest in your queue then yes it will be after the need for steed quest
I read the “Bread. Winner” quest post but I still can’t complete the quest. What do I do?
You need to complete previous quests before you can do this one, look in your quest queue, it will show you how many quests you need to do before that one will appear.
I have a problem.. I didn’t do the bread winner quest as well as some other quests on time And now that I want to do them so I can go on to the game I can’t. What should I do? Can you help me?
You need to complete the quests in order, look in your quest queue it will show you the order you need to complete the quests in, you can’t miss a quest so don’t panic.
The quest breadwinners is stuck in my queue! Can I clear other quests to use it? (I’m on level 8 so I want babies!!!)
you need to complete the quest you are on right now before you can do this quest, you have to complete the quests in order and you can’t skip them
im currently on the bread winner task and it’s telling me to cook burgers. But when I go to cooking the burgers aren’t there. I’ve seen some of these other posts but I don’t think any of them are exactly what issue im having. I see that the note says “unlock burgers at level 2 of the cooking hobby”, but I don’t know what that is. How do I do this?
Thanks!!
You need to cook until you reach level 2 then you can cook burgers.
I need help!!!! I need to cook burgers but unfortunately I can’t 😫 someone help me please? THANKS! 😊
you need to cook until you reach level 2 cooking , then you can cook burgers.
I am level 10 on the game and it still hasn’t given me the bread winner quest. I need help
you need to complete previous quests before you can access this one.
I’m already on level 22 how do I go back to complete the bread quest so that I can cook?
you can’t go back, you need to complete other quests before you can do this one.
Thank you!!! I feel better now. Lol
Sent from my iPhone
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Hi, I just recently reinstalled Sims Freeplay after not playing it for about 6 months, and there is something wrong with my goals. All the normal tutorial goals disappeared, and all that’s on there are weekly tasks, social, and the mysterious island. Under the mysterious island, it says 5 quests waiting in queue, and when I click on it it says breadwinner is the next quest. The current tasks are all ongoing and long, and I want to know how I can get back to the tutorial quests and unlock cooking.
the tutorial has completely changed now and you can’t go back, you need to complete the quest that you are on and any that are in the queue before you can do the bread winner quest, you haven’t missed a quest.
They chopping board doesn’t appear . I have the toaster. Stove and fridge. Microwave.
have you completed the cooking hobby for the first time? you need to to unlock the chopping boards
I am level 20 and have 12 quests in que going back to level 12 “A Quest For Toddlers”. I have been trying to go back and do them but it just doesn’t work. I’m particularly concerned with getting second and third stores and swimming pools. Also not having the babies age is a problem. I don’t want to restart and lose all my work but if I can’t get this figured out I will.
you can’t go back, you need to complete the quests in order. the level doesn’t really mean anything it just unlocks at that level and stays in your queue until you have completed the quests that appear before.
Oh ok that’s what I thought. So does that mean I will never have any of the abilities with the quests that I am unable to complete? If so I will restart the game and be more careful.
You can complete new quests once you complete the previous ones
What can’t you complete? The quests aren’t made to be impossible to complete
The time limit is just there to get the prize, you can still complete once the time is up.
I can’t complete quests 12 different quests beginning with a quest for toddlers. I read the walk through and know you need to watch a documentary and then watch a sunflower show or something and it just doesn’t come up because the game doesn’t realize I am trying to complete this old quest.
What quest are you on right now?
You can only do one quest at a time.
I hate to lose my work but I might just restart the game and make sure I don’t pass any quests and take care of everything at the right time. I would have but didn’t figure the game designers would mess this up. Also if I save my current game to the cloud and then reset and continue to play could I ever regain my original game? Thanks again weightlessmagic for replying.
You haven’t missed anything! You need to complete the quests in order, look in your queue it will show you how many quests time before this quest will appear, you have to do all quests- you can’t miss them, there is no point in restarting your game because you will just get to this point again but it really isn’t a problem.
I call every Sim to eat but I don’t know what to do next
if you are on the goal call to meal then click call to meal on a plate, 4 sims need to be eating to complete the goal.
When it says invite four Sims over, do the two that live in your house count or do I need four other Sims?
if those two are in the house then yes they will count
So, I’m having a weird problem and I don’t know if it’s something wrong with the game, or I’m doing something wrong myself. I’ve gotten the restaurant kitchen built, I’ve been cooking up a storm, but I can’t get past level 5. I cook and the bar fills up and then it resets to the beginning again. Is there something I need to build or buy to get to level 6? I have been cooking in the restaurant kitchen, because it has the chopping boards already, so I’m confused. Thank you for any advice you can give me.
At the moment there is a glitch on the hobby % bar where everytime you start the hobby again it goes back to 0% on the bar but look at it when you finish the hobby, it should be the correct %, just keep going because you can still level up with this glitch.
Does cleaning up the dishes increase or decrease Sim’s hygiene?
it does neither
but it decreases if you don’t have any sinks and use the trash can.
Hi. Please help me. How can I start “bread winner”? How i can active this?
you need to complete previous quests before you can do this one