'amateur-cooked' originates from the combination of 'amateur,' meaning 'non-professional,' and 'cooked,' meaning 'prepared by heating.'

The term 'amateur-cooked' combines the word 'amateur,' which comes from the French word 'amateur,' meaning 'lover of,' and 'cooked,' from the Old English 'cocian,' meaning 'to prepare food by heating.'

Initially, 'amateur' meant 'lover of,' but over time it evolved to mean 'non-professional,' and 'cooked' has retained its meaning of 'prepared by heating.'