As you walk, roll, glide, and sail through Rogueport in Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door, yo൩u’ll eventually run afoul of Zess T., the grouchy chef. After you’ve༺ smoothed things over with her, she’ll whip up unique dishes for you using the items you find on your journey as cooking ingredients.
Zess T.’s dishes are some of the game’s best healing/buffing items, so you’ll want to familiarize yourself with the best and worst culinary combinations. Here’s a round-up of every recipe in Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door.
How to get Zess T.’s Contact Lens in Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door
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You can run into Zess T 🤪when the game frees you to explore Rogueport Plaza. Head west from the gallows, and you’ll run into Zesﷺs T. stomping about. She’s lost her contact lens and tells you to stand still until she finds it, lest you step on it with those Goomba-spore-stained clodhoppers of yours.
What happens next is inevitable. Zess T. never finds her contact lens, and even if you reverse course and walk away the exact way you came, you’ll end up squishing it. Like any grouchy grannie worth her salt, Zess T. demands ꦺimmediate compensation, ordering you to get her a new contact lens before blocking the route to Rougeport’s West Side, holding progression hostage until you repay your debt.
Head to Toad Bros Bazaar (next to Zesti’s shop) and talk to the owner. He’ll tell you he doesn’t have contact lenses and will put in an order for some. The contact lens will show up after you’ve beaten Chapter 1, so I recommend placing the order before you head out to Petelburg. The Bazaar will email you on your Mailbox SP once the contact lens comes in, so check it often.
Once the contact lens is in, you can buy it for ten coins. Once you’ve given it to Zess, T., she’ll return to her kitchen. Now you’re free to head into Rogueport’s West Side, but more importa🌄ntly, you can talk to Zess. T and have her cook fo𝓀r you!
Every recipe in Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door
Zess T. can cook a whopping fifty-eight items in Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door, each with a corresponding recipe you’ll need to follow to bring it to life. The game doesn’t tell you which item/item combo creates which dish, so if you don’t plan on looking up a guide, you’ll have to get experimental.
Here’s a breakdown of every recipe in Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door. We also threw in what eaওch of the dishes they make and h♌ow much each of them sells for in shops. If you can’t eat ‘em, make a mint off of ‘em!
Recipe | Selling Price (in Coins) | Ingredients | Effect |
---|---|---|---|
Mushroom Fry | 5 | Dried Mushroom, Mushroom, Poison Mushroom, Super Mushroom, Volt Mushroom, Dried Mushroom + Fire Flower, Dired Mushroom + Volt Mushroom, Mushroom + Dried Mushroom | Replenishes 6 HP and 2 FP. |
Mushroom Roast | 15 | Slow Mushroom, Life Mushroom, Slow Mushroom + Volt Mushroom, Life Mushroom + Volt Mushroom, Mushroom + Fire Flower, Mushroom + Super Mushroom, Mushroom + Volt Mushroom, Mushroom + Gradual Syrup, Super Mushroom + Dried Mushroom, Super Mushroom + Volt Mushroom | Replenishes 15 HP and 5 FP. |
Mushroom Steak | 45 | Ultra Mushroom, Life Mushroom + Dried Mushroom, Life Mushroom + Mushroom, Life Mushroom + Super Mushroom, Mushroom + Ultra Mushroom, Ultra Mushroom + Dried Mushroom, Ultra Mushroom + Mushroom, Ultra Mushroom + Super Mushroom, Ultra Mushroom + Volt Mushroom | Replenishes 30 HP and 10 FP. |
Honey Mushroom | 10 | Mushroom + Honey Syrup, Slow Mushroom + Honey Syrup, Volt Mushroom + Honey Syrup | Replenishes 5 HP and 5 FP. |
Maple Mushroom | 25 | Mushroom + Maple Syrup, Slow Mushroom + Maple Syrup, Volt Mushroom + Maple Syrup | Replenishes 5 HP and 10 FP. |
Jelly Mushroom | 75 | Mushroom + Jammin’ Jelly, Volt Mushroom + Jammin Jelly | Replenishes 5 HP and 50 FP. |
Maple Super | 35 | Super Mushroom + Maple Syrup, Life Mushroom + Maple Syrup | Replenishes 10 HP and 10 FP. |
Jelly Super | 100 | Life Mushroom + Jammin’ Jelly, Slow Mushroom + Jammin’ Jelly, Super Mushroom + Jammin’ Jelly, Volt Mushroom + Jammin’ Jelly | Replenishes 10 HP and 50 FP. |
Honey Ultra | 75 | Ultra Mushroom + Honey Syrup | Replenishes 50 HP and 50 FP. |
Maple Ultra | 100 | Ultra Mushroom + Maple Syrup | Replenishes 50 HP and 10 FP. |
Jelly Ultra | 150 | Ultra Mushroom + Jammin’ Jelly | |
Zess Dinner | 7 | Super Mushroom + Fire Flower, Super Mushroom + Gradual Syrup, Super Mushroom + Horsetail, Super Mushroom + Keel Mango, Super Mushroom + Peachy Peach, Ultra Mushroom + Keel Mango, Life Mushroom + Fire Flower, Ultra Mushroom + Gradual Syrup, Ultra Mushroom + Horsetail. Life Mushroom + Slow Mushroom, Fresh Pasta + Mystic Egg, Fresh Pasta + Coconut, Fresh Pasta + Healthy Salad, Healthy Salad + Mushroom Fry, Healthy Salad + Koopasta, Healthy Salad + Spaghetti, Spicy Pasta + Coconut, Meteor Meal + Fruit Parfait | Replenishes 10 HP and 10 FP. |
Zess Special | 20 | Ultra Mushroom + Fire Flower, Ultra Mushroom + Gradual Syrup, Ultra Mushroom + Horsetail, Healthy Salad + Ink Pasta, Healthy Salad + Mushroom Roast, Healthy Salad + Spicy Pasta | Replenishes 20 HP and 20 FP. |
Zess Deluxe | 60 | Whacka Bump + Golden Leaf, Mushroom Steak + Healthy Salad | Replenishes 40 HP and 40 FP. |
Spaghetti | 30 | Fresh Pasta | Replenishes 6 HP and 4 FP. |
Koopasta | 60 | Fresh Pasta + Turtley Leaf, Spaghetti + Turtley Leaf | Replenishes 7 HP and 7 FP. |
Spicy Pasta | 30 | Hot Sauce + Fresh Pasta, Hot Sauce + Spaghetti, Hot Sauce + Koopasta | Replenishes 10 HP, 10 FP and raises Attack Power by 1. |
Ink Pasta | 80 | Inky Sauce + Fresh Pasta, Inky Sauce + Koopasta, Inky Sauce + Spaghetti, Inky Sauce + Spicy Pasta | Replenishes 10 HP and 30 FP. |
Hottest Dog | 10 | Hot Sauce + Hot Dog | Charges the recipent and replenishes 7 HP and FP. |
Spicy Soup | 5 | Fire Flower, Horsetail, Snow Bunny, Dried Bouquet, Fire Flower + Dried Broquet, Fire Flower + Hot Sauce | Replenishes 4 HP and 4 FP. |
Fried Egg | 7 | Mystic Egg | Replenishes 10 HP. |
Omelette Meal | 10 | Mystic Egg + Horsetail, Mystic Egg + Mushroom, Mystic Egg + Super Mushroom, Mystic Egg + Life Mushroom, Mystic Egg + Ultra Mushroom | |
Koopa Bun | 7 | Keel Mango + Turtley Leaf | Replenishes 15 FP. |
Healthy Salad | 5 | Turtley Leaf + Golden Leaf, Turtley Leaf + Horsetail | |
Meteor Meal | 40 | Mushroom Fry + Shooting Star, Mushroom Roat + Shooting Star, Mushroom Steak + Shooting Star | Replenishes 7 HP and gradually regenerates HP for 2 turns. |
Couple’s Cake | 10 | Snow Bunny + Spicy Soup | Regenerates 2 HP for nine turns. A character cannot use it on themselves. |
Mousse Cake | 10 | Cake Mix | Replenishes 15 FP. |
Mushroom Cake | 20 | Mushroom + Cake Mix, Super Mushroom + Cake Mix, Life Mushroom + Cake Mix, Slow Mushroom + Cake Mix | Replenishes 10 HP and 10 FP. |
Choco Cake | 25 | Cake Mix + Inky Sauce, Mousse Cake + Inky Sauce | Replenishes 5 HP and 15 FP. |
Heartful Cake | 10 | Cake Mix + Ruin Powder, Peachy Peach + Ruin Powder | Replenishes 20 FP, but if it is consumed in battle, it will also soften the recipient. |
Fruit Parfait | 10 | Keel Mango + Gradual Syrup, Keep Mango + Honey Syrup, Keel Mango + Jammin’ Jelly, Keel Mango + Maple Syrup, Keel Mango + Peachy Peach, Peachy Peach + Honey Syrup, Peachy Peach + Jammin’ Jelly, Peachy Peach + Maple Syrup | Replenishes 10 HP and 2 FP. |
Mango Delight | 10 | Keel Mango + Cake Mix | Replenishes 10 HP and 3 FP. |
Love Pudding | 10 | Mystic Egg + Mango Delight | Randomly gives the recipient the Invisible, Electrified, or Sleepy status. |
Zess Cookie | 20 | Cake Mix + Gradual Syrup, Cake Mix + Maple Syrup, Cake Mix + Mystic Egg | Replenishes 15 HP and 15 FP. |
Mushroom Crepe | 100 | Ultra Mushroom + Cake Mix | Replenishes 30 HP and 20 FP. |
Peach Tart | 10 | Peachy Peach + Cake Mix | Randomly gives the recipient the Dodgy, Electrified, or Sleepy status. |
Koopa Tea | 3 | Turtely Leaf | Replenishes 7 FP. |
Zess Tea | 6 | Golden Leaf, Maple Syrup + Jammin’ Jelly | Replenishes 20 FP. |
Mushroom Broth | 20 | Golden Leaf + Poison Mushroom, Golden Leaf + Slow Mushroom, Turtley Leaf + Slow Mushroom | Regenerates 2 HP for five turns, but gives the recipient the soft status ailment. |
Fresh Juice | 3 | Honey Syrup, Jammin’ Jelly, Keel Mango, Maple Syrup, Peachy Peach, Coconut + Keel Mango, Coconut + Peachy Leaf, Coconut + Turtley Leaf, Gradual Syrup + Turtely Leaf, Gradual Syrup + Honey Syrup, Honey Syrup + Jammin’ Jelly, Honey Syrup + Maple Syrup, Honey Syrup + Turtley Leaf, Jammin’ Jelly + Gradual Syrup, Jammin’ Jelly + Turtely Leaf, Maple Syrup + Turtely Leaf | Replenishes 5 FP and cures poison. |
Inky Sauce | 10 | Hot Sauce + Fresh Juice, Hot Sauce + Koopa Tea, Hot Sauce + Mushroom Broth, Hot Sauce + Turtely Leaf, Hot Sauce + Zess Tea, Hot Sauce + Tasty Tonic | Replenishes 30 FP. |
Icicle Pop | 15 | Honey Syrup + Ice Storm | Replenishes 15 FP, but if it is consumed in battle, it will also freeze the recipient. |
Zess Frappe | 30 | Ice Storm + Maple Syrup, Ice Storm + Jammin’ Jelly | Replenishes 20 FP, but freezes the recipient if consumed in battle. |
Snow Bunny | 10 | Ice Storm + Golden Leaf | Replenishes 15 HP, but freezes the recipient if consumed in battle. |
Coco Candy | 12 | Cake Mix + Coconut | Replenishes 3 HP and 15 FP. |
Honey Candy | 15 | Honey Syrup + Cake Mix | Replenishes 20 FP. |
Jelly Candy | 100 | Jammin’ Jelly + Cake Mix | Replenishes 64 FP. |
Electro Pop | 25 | Cake Mix + Volt Mushroom | Replenishes 15 FP, and if consumed in battle, also electrifies the recipient. |
Fire Pop | 20 | Fire Flower + Cake Mix, Hot Sauce + Cake Mix | Replenishes 20 FP. |
Space Food | 10 | Dried Bouquet + Any healing item in the game (except Gradual Syrup, Honey Syrup, Maple Syrup, Jammin’ Jelly, Icicle Pop, Fresh Juice, Mushroom Broth, and Trial Stew) | Replenishes 5 HP and causes the Allergic status. |
Poison Mushroom | 10 | Inky Sauce + Slow Mushroom, Point Swap + Slow Mushroom, Dried Bouquet + Trial Stew | Poisons the recipient, but has a small chance it will replenish all of their HP instead. |
Trial Stew | 1 | Poison Mushroom + Couple’s Cake | Reduces HP to 1, FP to 0, and restores all SP. |
Courage Meal | 10 | Courage Sheel + Zess Delux, Courage Shell + Zess Dinner, Courage Shell + Special | Deals 4 HP of damage to a single enemy. |
Coconut Bomb | 5 | Coconut + fire Flower | Deals 7 HP of damage to a single enemy. |
Egg Bomb | 10 | Dried Bouquet + Zess Dynamite, Mystic Egg | Deals 6 HP of damage to a single enemy. |
Zess Dynamite | 20 | Egg Bomb + Coconut Bomb | Deals 7 HP of damage to all enemies. |
Mistake | 1 | Any ingredient or combination not listed. | Replenishes 1 HP and 1 FP. |
How to get the Cookbook in Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door
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At first, Zess T. can’t cook more than one item. You won’t be able to do anything about this until after you’ve finished Chapter 4. Once you’ve reached this point, a new side quest will become available at the Trouble Center on Rogueport’s East Side, “Seeking legendary book.”
You can complete this side quest during your first trip through Creepy Steeple. Once you enter the front door, head north and roll into Tube mode. It’s hard to see, but there’s a hidden hole you can squeeze through. Thi🔜s leads you to what I can only assume🍒 is Doopliss’ secret crash pad. The cookbook is in the chest on the right.
Once you’ve got the cookbook, return to Rogueport and bring it to Zess T. She can now cook two items. She🐬 also gives you a Honey Mushroom for your trouble—a free sample!
Published: Feb 14, 2025 12:57 pm