Ingredients between sweetness and sharpness. (Credit: João Sousa)
Cooking requires focus, but it’s too easy to sabotage that momentum by staring at a screen or pausing a podcast mid-way. Music is the only entertainment that actually works in the kitchen, it keeps the hands moving without demanding the eyes.
Here are 15 songs curated to help find that flow, cut through the distractions and get dinner done.
I Can’t Go for That (No Can Do) — Daryll Hall & John Oates
The steady drum machine on this 1981 track is perfect for keeping your rhythm while chopping.
What You Need — Kaytranada (feat. Charlotte Day Wilson)
An R&B infused electronic track with a bassline for when you're waiting for a sauce to simmer.
Young Folks — Peter Bjorn and John
An easygoing indie pop song that'll help pass the time during vegetable prep.
C’est l’amour— Léopold Nord & Vous
Released in 1987, this track will turn the boring wait for water to boil into a quick kitchen dance break.
Respect — Aretha Franklin
Play this when you’re running late and need to move fast around the kitchen.
Don’t You Want Me — The Human League
Just a massive hit that'll keep you company when you’re multitasking between the fridge and the stove.
Around the World — Daft Punk
For seven minutes, the song never changes, so it'll helps you zone out during the worst parts of prep work.
Murder on the Dancefloor — Sophie Ellis-Bextor
This one is for when you're finally done cooking and have to face the absolute murder scene in the kitchen sink.
Last Night a D.J. Saved My Life — Indeep
A good reminder of a song that sometimes the right song really does make the whole thing easier.
Low — Lenny Kravitz
A deeper, heavier groove for when the food is finally on the stove and you've found your rhythm in the kitchen.
Metronomy — The Look
This track will keep you calm and give you a boost of confidence when you have too many pots on the stove at once.
Maneater — Daryl Hall & John Oates
A top-tier track for screaming the chorus into a wooden spoon while the pasta is boiling.
L’Amour pour bouclier — Elaine Kibaro
This track will make you feel like you're floating through a calm, dreamy haze while the food simmers.
Ma quale idea — Pino D’Angiò
A bit of Italo-disco swagger for the busier part of cooking, when there's several things happening at once and you just have to keep moving.
Just Like Heaven — The Cure
This track is the perfect victory lap to end on. It'll make you feel an ultimate happy sigh of relief when you're finally done.
To get things cooking, we’ve got plenty of great recipes for you to try. You can try your hand at rolling Stuffed Cabbage Leaves (Mehshe Malfouf), or whip up Andrea Boueiz's Zucchini and Tahini Dip.
(P.S. we'll keep on updating this playlist)
