Humans are cognitively the most advanced and successful species on earth. However, we do not have the largest brains; elephants and whales have larger brains than us. We do have the largest brain to ratio compared to any other species. Our large brains require more caloric input compared to any other organ (almost 20% of the entire caloric intake). What allows us to afford this high caloric requirement is our ability to cook! However, evolutionary evidence has shown that cooking had also been employed by other hominid species. Furthermore, Neanderthals had a larger brain to body ratio. So, what makes us the most advanced and successful species? In this talk I will present evidence regarding this phenomenon.