they are the same i started to cook two hours ago. i started cooking two hours ago. unlike stop which has two different meaning he stopped to smoke a cigarette. it means that he wanted to smoke a cigarette so he stopped ,the car , for example, to smoke. he stopped smoking. it means that he gave up smoking, so he doesn't smoke anymore.

its both same in the meaning

No difference. Since "start/starting" are always in the future, they have the same meaning (e.g., "I look forward to meeting you/I am looking forward to meeting you").