What it means
Means cooking with mad energy and usually in big quantities, like you’ve turned the kitchen into a one-person restaurant. It leans on the old 'up a storm' idea, doing something with loads of gusto. Expect every hob ring on, pans everywhere, and a proper spread at the end. Could be posh or just comfort food, but it’s always extra.
Usage examples
"Mum cooked up a storm for Sunday tea, full roast and pud. Every pan was out, kitchen was a tip, and we ate leftovers all week."
"Gran came round and cooked up a storm, the table could barely hold it all."
"He cooked up a storm for the game night, had wings in the oven, chilli on the go, and somehow garlic bread appearing out of nowhere."
"Auntie came over and cooked up a storm, and by the time we sat down the whole flat smelled unreal."
"She cooked up a storm before the block party, had foil trays stacked up, music blasting, and the whole house smelling dangerous."
Where it comes from
It grows out of the older English pattern up a storm, which has been around since the 19th century for doing something with wild energy and full force. Cook up a storm is the food version of that, used when somebody's tearing through the kitchen and turning out loads of food.
Other ways to say it
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