The origins of cooking are still shrouded in mystery, but archaeological and biological evidence suggests that humans were cooking food at least 50,000 years ago. The earliest evidence of controlled fire is less clear, with some artifacts dating back to around 300,000 years ago. However, the timing of when humans first started cooking remains uncertain.
Archaeological evidence includes cooked starch grains found in dental calculus, which dates back to 50,000 years ago. More convincing evidence comes from a site in Israel where researchers found not only hearths but also fish bones with signs of being heated, dating back around 780,000 years ago.
Biological evidence suggests that humans have evolved to eat cooked food. Our gut size is smaller compared to our primate cousins because cooking requires less digesting. Additionally, the size of our chewing teeth has decreased over time, indicating a softer diet.
While some researchers believe that Homo erectus was the first to cook food around 1.8 million years ago, others argue that the timing is still unclear. The debate continues, with more research needed to pinpoint exactly when humans started cooking.
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Source: https://www.livescience.com/archaeology/when-did-humans-start-cooking-food