Describe Some Food or Drink that You Learned to Prepare – IELTS Cue Card Sample Answers

Food is a universal topic and frequently appears in the IELTS Speaking test, where candidates might be asked to describe their favorite dish, a memorable meal, or something they learned to cook. One such meal cue card is ‘Describe Some Food or Drink that You Learned  to Prepare’/ ‘Describe a meal/dish or food item you know how to cook’. You should not only follow the prompts to answer this cue card properly for a band 8+ but also use relevant cooking terms, sensory descriptions (taste, texture, aroma), and expressions of accomplishment to make the answer more personal and natural. 

In this blog, we have provided three well-structured sample answers for Part 2 and useful advanced vocabulary for IELTS Speaking: food to frame your speaking answer and score well on the IELTS Speaking test.

Describe Some Food or Drink that You Learned  to Prepare IELTS Speaking Part 2 Question & Sample Answers

‘Describe some food or drink that you learned to prepare’ evaluates your ability to narrate a personal experience with the use of  descriptive vocabulary related to food preparation. Therefore, a well-structured response should include details about what the dish or drink is, why you decided to learn it, how you prepared it, and your overall experience.

Describe Some Food or Drink that You Learned to Prepare – IELTS Cue Card Sample Answer 1

• What food or drink have you learned to prepare?

This is an amazing topic to talk about! Recently, I learned to prepare a classic dish called spaghetti carbonara. It’s a delicious Italian pasta dish made with eggs, cheese, pancetta, and black pepper.

• When and where have you learn to prepare this?

I decided to learn how to prepare spaghetti carbonara on a cosy Sunday afternoon in my own kitchen. The idea popped into my mind while browsing through food blogs, and I thought it would be a fun and tasty way to spend my day off. I gathered the ingredients, including fresh eggs, Parmesan cheese, pancetta, and high-quality spaghetti, and started the preparation right at home.

• How have you learned to prepare this?

I learned to prepare spaghetti carbonara by following a step-by-step recipe that I found online. The recipe was straightforward, requiring only a few ingredients and simple cooking techniques. I watched a couple of video tutorials to ensure I got the timing and consistency just right.

• Explain how you felt about learning to prepare this food or drink

Learning to prepare spaghetti carbonara was an exciting experience for me. I’ve always enjoyed indulging in this dish at restaurants, and being able to recreate it at home brought a sense of accomplishment. Initially, I was a bit nervous about getting the proportions correct, but as I followed the recipe and saw the dish come together, it boosted my confidence in the kitchen. The joy of sharing a homemade meal with friends and family made the effort even more rewarding.

Describe Some Food or Drink that You Learned to Prepare – IELTS Cue Card Sample Answer 2

• What food or drink have you learned to prepare?

I would love to talk about one of my favorite dishes, ramen, which I learned how to make it during my last semester at university. I remember a weekend when I had some free time between assignments and exams. I was excited and a bit nervous as I tried to recreate the delicious ramen I always enjoyed at restaurants.

• When and where have you learned to prepare this?

I followed an online recipe, gathering all the ingredients I needed. Making the broth from scratch was the first step, and simmering it with various flavours for hours. While the broth was cooking, I prepared toppings like marinated eggs, sliced meat, and veggies. Making the noodles from scratch was interesting too – kneading and rolling the dough to get them just right.

• How have you learned to prepare this?

When everything came together, I felt accomplished and curious about how it would taste. Sitting down to enjoy my homemade ramen, I was pleasantly surprised. It was close to the restaurant version – flavors were good, the broth was comforting, and the noodles had a nice chewiness.

• Explain how you felt about learning to prepare this food or drink

Learning to make ramen was satisfying, giving me a better understanding of flavors and boosting my kitchen confidence. Most importantly, it reminded me how fun it is to try new things, even if they seem a bit challenging at first. The feeling of accomplishment, when I enjoyed that bowl of ramen, encouraged me to try more homemade dishes.

Describe Some Food or Drink that You Learned to Prepare – IELTS Cue Card Sample Answer 3

• What food or drink have you learned to prepare?

This is such a nice topic to talk about. In fact, I am excited to talk about this topic is because I love to cook and sometimes experiment with it. One food I learned to make is pizza, and I’ll share my experience.

• When and where have you learned to prepare this?

I learned to make homemade pizza during my summer break in 2021 at my grandma’s house. She’s an awesome cook, and I thought it would be cool to learn one of her special recipes.

• How have you learned to prepare this?

My grandma patiently taught me everything about making pizza. We started by making the dough from scratch, mixing flour, yeast, water, and a bit of love. She showed me how to knead the dough until it was soft and stretchy. Then, she taught me to make tomato sauce, spread it on the rolled-out dough, and add toppings like veggies and cheese. We baked the pizza in her oven, and it turned into a delicious creation.

• Explain how you felt about learning to prepare this food or drink

Learning to make homemade pizza was really fun. I not only got to hang out with my grandma but also learned a skill that lets me make yummy pizza whenever I want. It was more than just making food; it was about keeping special family traditions alive. Overall, it was a great experience, and now I can enjoy a homemade meal that brings back memories of cooking with my grandma.

Related IELTS Food Place Cue Card

Let’s check another IELTS cue card sample related to food or drink that you learned  to prepare with a sample answer.

Sample Answer 1

First things first, I am a terrible cook. But I can tell you about that one time I tried to cook Maggi. It was during my college days. In my room at the hostel, we used to have an induction cooker brought by one of my roommates. It was a strike day, and there was not much food in our mess. I was hungry as hell, and there was no one in my room as they had all left for home during the vacation. I decided to stay back as I have some assignments to complete. Seeing there was no way to get some food, I tried a hand at my cooking abilities.

There was this pack of Maggi noodles that my friend got free with something that he bought. I took it and read the instructions carefully listed on the back of the noodles pack. So, I took some water in a steel bowl and heated it in the induction cooker. After the water began to boil, I put the Maggi Noodles and the spices that come with it. I gave the noodles and the spices to mix well. Finally, I had hot Maggi noodles before me. I was overjoyed that I had mastered it.

Since then, I have tried making noodles at home in the evening and would serve them to my parents and my brother and they all give me a good response. So that’s one dish I know how to cook. The confidence I gained from making it for the first time has made me interested in cooking and now I am looking forward to making new dishes. Cooking the entire day’s meal for my family is my ultimate dream once I have finished learning their favourite ones.

Sample Answer 2

I’ve always been passionate about cooking right from my childhood. It is a fun way for me to relieve stress after a hard day at work. So, here, I’d like to talk about a dish/ food item that I know how to cook.

I can cook almost anything and nail it on the first try. So, recently, I invited my friends over and cooked Paprika Roasted Chicken. Believe it or not, a chicken dish is definitely a crowd-pleaser. The drooling paprika roasted chicken is a very easy and quick chicken recipe that calls for only five ingredients, including a whole chicken, sour cream, butter, paprika, lemon juice, honey, and salt to taste.

Well, cooking is something that I inherited from my grandmother, who was a professional chef and owned her restaurant, where I learned how to cook. She used to teach me a variety of non-vegetarian, vegetarian, and baked delicacies whenever I visited her on weekends. In order to cook this chicken, I need to marinate/ rub the chicken with paprika, butter, lime juice, and salt and keep it aside for an hour in a roasting tin. After that, I need to bake the chicken at 222 degrees Celsius for an hour by basting it from time to time with lemon juice and honey. Later, I’ll have to mix the residue of juices with sour cream and pour it over the roasted chicken. Finally, Smoky-sweet Paprika Roasted chicken is ready to be served, and it can also be paired with any creamy dip for maximum indulgence.

Describe Some Food or Drink that you Learned to Prepare – IELTS Cue Card Part 3 Follow-Up Questions

In IELTS Speaking Part 3, you will be asked follow-up questions on speaking part 2 cue cards like ‘Describe Some Food or Drink that You Learned  to Prepare’. Here are some sample answers to Part 3 questions with expert-curated examples and vocabulary you can use to create your own responses.

• Tell me about the types of food that people eat in your country.

Well, the food in India is as diverse as its multi-ethnic culture. The exotic delicacies in my country are marked by the subtle uses of herbs and spices that tantalize the taste buds. In addition, each state in the country has its specialty foods, each with its own flavour, taste, and cooking method. For example, North Indians typically eat chicken, meat, and lamb; South Indians create cuisine with spices, herbs, and vegetables; West Indians eat staple foods; East Indians prefer proteins and carbs such as fish, egg, and rice.

• How are the eating habits of people now in your country different from their eating habits in the past?

People’s eating habits have highly changed with the changing environment over the past few decades. Traditionally, people in my country relied upon home-cooked food, such as steam rice, bread, wheat chapati, along with vegetable curry or pickled vegetables. However, in the recent several decades, there has been a significant shift in the way people consume food, as they have adopted eating packaged, frozen, or canned foods.

• How healthy is your country’s food?

Of course, Indian food is nutritious, as it typically contains healthy natural protein, good carbohydrates, nutritional quality, natural herbs, authentic homemade spices. Moreover, most Indians prepare their food in hygienic circumstances, ensuring that it is both nutritional and flavorful. As a result, traditional Indian cuisine has a diverse spectrum of nutrients in a well-balanced amount.

• What kinds of things can children learn to cook?

Kids can actually start with simple dishes like sandwiches, scrambled eggs, and salads. As they get better, they can learn to make pasta, rice, and easy stir-fries. Moreover baking cookies, cupcakes, and basic cakes are also fun options. It’s good to introduce them to different cooking methods and ingredients gradually, considering their age and skills.

• Do you think it is important for children to learn to cook?

Absolutely! Learning to cook is a crucial skill for kids. It not only makes them independent but also helps develop a healthy relationship with food. Interesting, knowing how to make meals empowers children to make better food choices and control what they eat. Plus, cooking boosts their confidence and creativity in the kitchen, which are important skills for adulthood.

• Do you think young people should learn to cook at home or at school?

I believe a mix of both is great. Learning to cook at home is personal and relaxed, letting kids discover family recipes and traditions. To add on, school cooking classes offer structured lessons, exposure to different cuisines, and a chance to cook with friends. Both settings bring unique advantages, providing a well-rounded culinary education.

• How enjoyable do you think it would be to work as a professional chef?

I think that working as a professional chef can be highly enjoyable for individuals passionate about cooking and creating new dishes. The culinary field offers a dynamic and creative environment where chefs can experiment with flavors and techniques. However, it’s also a demanding and high-pressure career that requires long hours, attention to detail, and the ability to handle stress. I believe, the enjoyment factor largely depends on one’s dedication and love for the culinary arts.

• Why do you think different cultures have different table manners?

Table manners are the basic principles of etiquette to be followed while eating, which may involve the usage of utensils and how a person eats at a table. Table manners are observed differently in different cultures worldwide to make eating with others enjoyable and social. However, because each culture has its own unique cuisine, it becomes challenging to eat it with the same etiquette. As a result, people from different cultures consume a variety of dishes, each with its own set of table manners. For instance, a person in China will not eat Hakka noodles with their hands; instead, they will use chopsticks to eat them.

• How may eating habits change in the coming decades?

Eating habits will inevitably change in the future. Over the years, we have witnessed a change in people’s eating habits. Similarly, there might be a change in the coming decades too. People will be busier than now, with no time to cook or eat healthy foods; they will depend on frozen foods and canned foods. Apart from that, there’s a possibility that these people might rely upon fast foods instead of traditional food items.

• How has technology changed the way we prepare our food these days?

Well, the world of technology has progressed substantially throughout time, having an impact on people’s daily lives. In reality, technological improvements have revolutionized how humans prepare food. It has fostered a plethora of modern cooking appliances that can assist people in quickly and efficiently preparing their meals. In addition, these cooking appliances have the potential to retain the nutritional value of food when preparing meals. For instance, Air Fryer, Smart Oven, Bluetooth Sensor, and meat temperature are extremely convenient to use. Because of their effectiveness and user-friendliness, these technologically advanced appliances will be the future of cooking, catering to the needs of individuals who have hectic schedules.

Vocabulary for Describe Some Food or Drink that You Learned  to Prepare Cue Card

Rich vocabulary can help you express ideas clearly, enhance communication, and demonstrate your language proficiency in IELTS Speaking Part 2. To help you answer the cue card Describe Some Food that You Learned to Prepare, let's look at some IELTS Speaking vocabulary.

Since food is a familiar subject for most candidates, it is a great way to demonstrate fluency and confidence in spoken English. However, don’t forget to take up more IELTS Speaking practice tests, structure your response well and use relevant vocabulary to make your answer more engaging and effective and grab that band 8 in the IELTS Speaking test!

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