Learn · Quiz · Earn
Food Explorer Academy
44 short quizzes, 220 questions — every answer explained, with a food fact to keep. Beginner, intermediate and expert levels. Signed in, each quiz earns 20 points, +30 for a perfect score, and passing every quiz in a cuisine’s track earns 40 more in the Kitchen League.
Cuisine challenges
Three quizzes per cuisine, from beginner to expert. Pass all three (3/5 or better) to complete the challenge.
Indian
- beginner5 questionsIndian Kitchen BasicsStart with the everyday foundations of Indian home cooking: tempering, ghee, dal, breads and chai.
- intermediate5 questionsIndian Techniques and RegionsGo beyond the basics with bhunao, dum, fermented batters and India's regional styles.
- expert5 questionsIndian Kitchen MasteryTest your knowledge of regional souring agents, biryani styles, smoking with coal and signature masalas.
Italian
- beginner5 questionsItalian Kitchen BasicsPasta, pizza, risotto, pesto and tiramisu: the Italian classics everyone should know.
- intermediate5 questionsItalian Regions and MethodsCarbonara done properly, Emilia-Romagna's larder, polenta, osso buco and the soffritto base.
- expert5 questionsItalian Kitchen MasteryArtusi, ribollita, mantecatura, pecorino and Piedmont's vitello tonnato.
Thai
- beginner5 questionsThai Kitchen BasicsFish sauce, jasmine rice, tom yum, som tam and mango sticky rice.
- intermediate5 questionsThai Flavours and RegionsCurry pastes, galangal, makrut lime, pad thai and the food of Isan.
- expert5 questionsThai Kitchen MasteryNam prik, khao soi, pla ra, coriander root and the spice that came before chillies.
Mexican
- beginner5 questionsMexican Kitchen BasicsGuacamole, corn tortillas, salsa verde, pan de muerto and horchata.
- intermediate5 questionsMexican Flavours and RegionsChipotle, nixtamalisation, cochinita pibil, mole poblano and tacos al pastor.
- expert5 questionsMexican Kitchen MasteryMole chillies, huitlacoche, Oaxaca, the molcajete and epazote.
Japanese
- beginner5 questionsJapanese Kitchen BasicsDashi, miso, wasabi, tempura and onigiri: the building blocks of Japanese food.
- intermediate5 questionsJapanese Flavours and CustomsIchiju-sansai, mirin, katsuobushi, New Year soba and regional ramen.
- expert5 questionsJapanese Kitchen MasteryUmami's discovery, soy sauce styles, katsuramuki, koji and kaiseki.
Chinese
- beginner5 questionsChinese Kitchen BasicsThe wok, dumplings, mooncakes, soy sauce and the rice-and-wheat divide.
- intermediate5 questionsChinese Flavours and RegionsSichuan pepper, five-spice, red-braising, dim sum and mapo tofu.
- expert5 questionsChinese Kitchen MasteryWok hei, the arrival of chillies, the Eight Great Cuisines, velveting and soup dumplings.
French
- beginner5 questionsFrench Kitchen BasicsRoux, béchamel, boeuf bourguignon, mise en place and crêpes.
- intermediate5 questionsFrench Methods and RegionsDeglazing, confit, hollandaise, bouillabaisse and the food of Alsace and Lorraine.
- expert5 questionsFrench Kitchen MasteryEscoffier, monter au beurre, consommé, fines herbes and terroir.
Topics
Spices & masalas
- beginner5 questionsSpice EssentialsTurmeric, saffron, cinnamon, cloves and pepper: the spices every cook meets first.
- intermediate5 questionsKnow Your SpicesTell apart look-alike and confusing spices, from cardamoms to mace.
- intermediate5 questionsMasalas and Spice BlendsGaram masala, panch phoron, chaat masala, amchur and sambar powder explained.
- expert5 questionsSpices of the WorldRas el hanout, berbere, pimentón, allspice and mahlab: blends and spices beyond the everyday.
Cooking techniques
- beginner5 questionsCooking Techniques 101Blanching, poaching, steaming, searing and braising, explained simply.
- intermediate5 questionsTechnique Know-HowRoux colour, sous vide, stir-fry order, reductions and roasting spices.
- intermediate5 questionsHow Cheese Is MadeRennet or acid, cutting curds, cheddaring, washing and stretching: how one milk becomes many cheeses.
Ingredient substitutions
Traditional dishes
Regional food culture
Food preparation methods
- beginner5 questionsFood Preparation BasicsPickling, marinating, kneading, yogurt-making and drying.
- beginner5 questionsFermentation BasicsYoghurt, sauerkraut, sourdough and dosa batter: what the microbes are doing and how to tell it is working.
- intermediate5 questionsPreserving and Preparing FoodSmoking, the danger zone, lacto-fermentation, pickle safety and curing.
- intermediate5 questionsFermentation SafetypH, kahm yeast versus mould, garlic in oil, kombucha and storage: the rules that keep ferments safe.
Food origins
- beginner5 questionsWhere Food Comes FromTrace chillies, vanilla, potatoes, coffee and tamarind back to their homelands.
- intermediate5 questionsFood Origins and TradeCardamom, nutmeg, cashews, paprika and annatto: how ingredients travelled the world.
- intermediate5 questionsCheeses of the WorldWhere famous cheeses come from, which milk they use and what their protected names mean.
Questions draw on our Food Knowledge Library. Where a dish’s origin is debated, we say so rather than pick a story. Spotted a mistake? Tell us — see contact.