How to cook for Shabbat?

I have always done a Shabbat dinner where we bless the wine, challah etc. But we don’t usually worry about sunset timings or not doing washing up. I would like to take things more seriously. But I don’t understand how one cooks a special meal without being able to turn the hob/oven on and off? During the winter do you have to do the kiddish and then eat? Do you eat really early if sunset is at 4pm? How do you do washing up? Do you have to spend Friday morning preparing food for the Sabbath?

anyway lots of questions which are probably obvious if you grew up that way. So I’d appreciate any advice. Cheers