Why is Copper used in cooking equipment and wiring?

Copper is a metal, it therefore has delocalised electrons, i.e. e- which have come away from the atom, which can move through the solid metal allowing it to conduct heat and electricity. Other properties of Copper means that it can be drawn into wires, ductile, and it can be beaten into shape, malleable. Both are due to the fact that metal bonding is ionic and this allows the atoms to "roll" over each other without the bond breaking.