So, I am now at 548 skill points (with Pandaren bonus) , and I have no idea what to do now.
I did the quests at the Valley of the Four Winds.
Now I know how to make one recipe in each "way": carrots, tiger steak and so on.
but making those doesn't increase my overall skill, and the skill bar of each "way" resets after i relog.
Also cataclysm cooking quests in capital cities don't give me skill up either.
I've seen my guild has 600 cooking in the achievements, so it must be possible, right?
both above me are correct , if you need more help check the wowhead.com cooking guide for MoP , it got me up to the same level as you are in about few hours :)
good luck!!