Missing Person Report...

[Avie]

OK so I had a fire in a dorm recently (don't even ask...sims have the IQ of a potted plant) Not only did this kill two of my playable sims but it also caused the standard-issue grumpy coffin-case cook to take indefinite leave. The old bag wasn't actually killed ,as far as I can tell, because no urn ever appeared but despite my trying various things like moving new sims in or emptying the dorm I still have no cook.
What to do?

[Ness]

usually replacing the stove will get another cook to come...  it's worth a try if you haven't already done it.

[Avie]

I did do that because I had to...the existing stove was incinerated in the fire. Oh hang on a thought occurs....do you need to get a particular stove/cooktop?

[BlueSoup]

Yes, it has to be the stainless steel cooktop.

[Ness]

Oh dear!  silly Avie!

[Avie]

Gahhh I'm thicker than a very thick Sim on "Let us be Thick" day, My IQ does not exceed that of a lollipop stick in the hand of a particularly sticky toddler.
I must be a few fries short of a Happy meal.
Hides under computer FOREVER.

[starrling]

Don't feel bad... just made 3 dorms.  Two worked fine (cook came and ...well... cooked).  Third one... nothing.  No one but students (and you know what happens when zero skill student cooks go to the kitchen).  Finally it dawned on me - wrong stove (in only ONE of the dorms, mind you).  Now that has to be the thickest.   

[Ancient Sim]

Do you not have the water sprayer thingy?  I've had loads of fires in the dorms (mainly the so-called cooks) and they're put out instantly. 

[starrling]

Yeah, each time the sprinkler went on the way it should - but what a mess!  And inedible (sp) food.  They ate it anyway lol.  My point was - much better to have the NPC cook come and do the dirty work 

[Jysudo]

Gahhh I'm thicker than a very thick Sim on "Let us be Thick" day, My IQ does not exceed that of a lollipop stick in the hand of a particularly sticky toddler.
I must be a few fries short of a Happy meal.
Hides under computer FOREVER.

LOL. You are witty...I like you 
Come on, don't hide anymore!

[Orikes]

I had a sim get into the Secret Society, and I decided to remodel the kitchen in the SS house. All of a sudden a cook showed up and started making pancakes. I was all, "WTF?" Until I realized which stove I had chosen.

I guess they fed her to the cowplant to keep their secret safe...