Chef's Choice is a roguelite deckbuilder with a culinary twist. As an aspiring chef, you’ve just inherited your aunt’s restaurant—a top-tier, 3-Michelin-star establishment! From now on, day after day (or run after run, in roguelite terms), you’ll be buying ingredients and kitchen tools, managing your staff, and serving the best dishes in town.

The Goal: Conquer the Critic’s Appetite

In Chef's Choice, you step into the shoes of a chef striving to succeed in the cutthroat world of haute cuisine. Your opponent isn’t a monster; it’s a guest with a specific Appetite (your opponent’s "hit points"). Your goal is to reduce this appetite to zero within a limited number of Courses ("actions per opponent") by serving your finest dishes.

How Do You Cook? The Core System

We’ve designed the game to be the perfect blend of realistic kitchen workflows and actual nutritional science, all while maintaining a charming, cartoonish video game aesthetic. The gameplay is built on four pillars:

  • Ingredient Cards (Your Deck): You start with a pantry of basics—from a Simple Potato to premium Wagyu beef. Every ingredient has a Satiety value (your "attack points"), one of 7 Categories (e.g., Proteins, Carbohydrates, or Spices), and a Flavor Profile (e.g., Umami, Sweet, Sour, or Salty).
  • Preparation Methods (Your Modifiers): Most raw ingredients don’t taste like much. By attaching preparation cards (like Sear or Caramelize) to your ingredients, you refine them. This increases their Satiety or changes their flavor profile.
  • Kitchen Crew & Utensils (Your Engine): You place permanent bonuses on the field. Your Sous-Chef might help you draw cards faster, while a Cast-iron Skillet upgrades meat dishes, or a Salt Shaker adds a salty kick to your plate. Mastering this engine is key to staying ahead of even the most difficult guests.
  • The Point System (Synergies): The heart of the game is the "Tasting." When you combine ingredients that complement each other (e.g., Salty and Umami), you trigger powerful synergies that multiply your Satiety score. But be careful: if you overdo it with one flavor profile or playstyle, it might cost you the round!

The Roguelite Loop: Every Shift Is Different

Because Chef's Choice is a roguelite, no two runs are ever the same. After defeating a guest, you visit the Weekly Market (Shop). Here, you’ll buy new Staff (passive bonuses), Kitchen Items (active bonuses), or rare ingredient cards for your deck to optimize your run for the next, even more demanding critic.

Randomized shops and unpredictable guests ensure you can never rely on a single playstyle; you must constantly adapt and realign your strategy. Was your last run perfect for meat dishes thanks to the Deep-Sea Fisher and the Grill Master? Surprise! Your next guest is vegan and isn't looking for a steak.

More Than Just a Game

A special goal of ours is "stealth learning." As you plan the perfect pasta carbonara or your next fusion dish, you’ll naturally learn about real-world nutritional science. You’ll internalize which foods harmonize and why certain combinations simply don't work in the culinary world.

Chef's Choice is a game for anyone who loves to tinker, plan strategies, and enjoys the satisfying feeling when a plan—or in this case, a recipe—comes together perfectly.