IELTS Speaking: Food & Cooking Questions & Answers (2026)
IELTS Speaking food and cooking topic guide. Part 1, 2 & 3 model answers about cuisine, restaurants, cooking habits, and food culture with useful vocabulary.
Part 1 Questions: Food
These questions are asked at the start of the speaking test. Keep your answers to 2-3 sentences.
- What kind of food do you like?
- Can you cook?
- Do you prefer eating at home or in restaurants?
- What is a typical food in your country?
- Have you ever tried cooking a foreign dish?
- Do you think diet is important for health?
Part 2 Cue Card
Describe a meal you enjoyed recently. You should say: where you had it, who you were with, what you ate, and explain why you enjoyed it.
Model Answer (Band 7+)
I would like to describe a particularly memorable meal I had about two weeks ago at a small family-run Italian restaurant in my city. I went there with two close friends to celebrate one of their birthdays, and it turned out to be one of the best dining experiences I have had in a long time.
The restaurant was quite intimate, with only about twelve tables, and the walls were decorated with photographs of the owner's hometown in Sicily. We started with bruschetta topped with fresh tomatoes and basil, which was deceptively simple but absolutely delicious. The bread had been toasted over a wood fire, which gave it a slightly smoky flavour that elevated the entire dish.
For the main course, I ordered handmade pappardelle with a slow-cooked wild boar ragu. The pasta was clearly made fresh that day, and the sauce had a depth of flavour that you simply cannot achieve with a quick preparation. My friends had risotto and grilled fish, and both were equally impressive.
What made this meal so enjoyable was the combination of several factors. First, the quality of the ingredients was exceptional, and you could taste that everything was fresh and carefully sourced. Second, the atmosphere was wonderfully relaxed. Unlike many trendy restaurants where you feel rushed to vacate your table, the owner seemed genuinely happy for us to take our time and savour each course. He even brought us complimentary limoncello at the end of the meal.
But perhaps most importantly, the company made it special. Good food shared with good friends creates memories that far exceed the meal itself.
Part 3 Discussion Questions
These are more abstract questions that require deeper analysis. Aim for 3-5 sentences per answer.
- How has food culture changed in your country?
- Do you think fast food is a problem?
- Should governments tax unhealthy food?
- Why is food an important part of culture?