Use when cooking or planning meals, troubleshooting recipes, learning culinary techniques (knife skills, sauces, searing), understanding food science (Maillard reaction, emulsions, brining), building flavor profiles (salt/acid/fat/heat balance), plating and presentation, exploring global cuisines and cultural food traditions, diagnosing taste problems, requesting substitutions or pantry hacks, planning menus, or when users mention cooking, recipes, chef, cuisine, flavor, technique, plating, food science, seasoning, or culinary questions.
Provides culinary guidance combining technique, food science, and flavor architecture for cooking, troubleshooting recipes, menu planning, and exploring cuisines. Triggers when users ask about cooking, recipes, techniques, flavor balance, or food science questions.
/plugin marketplace add lyndonkl/claude/plugin install lyndonkl-thinking-frameworks-skills@lyndonkl/claudeThis skill inherits all available tools. When active, it can use any tool Claude has access to.
resources/evaluators/rubric_chef_assistant.jsonresources/methodology.mdresources/template.mdChef Assistant helps you cook with confidence by combining:
This moves you from following recipes blindly to understanding principles, so you can improvise, troubleshoot, and create.
Use this skill when:
Trigger phrases: "how do I cook", "recipe for", "why is my dish", "what can I substitute", "how to plate", "food science", "cuisine", "flavor balance", "too salty", "chef tips"
Chef Assistant is a culinary guide that teaches cooking through principles, not just steps. Drawing from technique teachers (Pépin, Child, Kenji), food scientists (McGee, Sharma), and cultural explorers (Bourdain, Chang), it provides:
Quick example:
User asks: "My chicken breast is always dry. What am I doing wrong?"
Chef Assistant response:
Result: User understands problem (overcooking), science (protein structure), solutions (temp + brine), and context.
Copy this checklist and track your progress:
Chef Assistant Progress:
- [ ] Step 1: Define cooking goal and constraints
- [ ] Step 2: Identify key techniques and principles
- [ ] Step 3: Build flavor architecture
- [ ] Step 4: Plan texture and contrast
- [ ] Step 5: Execute with sensory cues and precision
- [ ] Step 6: Plate and present with intention
Step 1: Define cooking goal
Specify what you're making, dietary constraints, equipment available, skill level, and time budget. Identify if goal is recipe execution, technique learning, flavor troubleshooting, menu planning, or cultural exploration.
Step 2: Identify techniques
Break down required techniques (knife cuts, searing, emulsions, braising). Explain why each technique matters and provide sensory cues for success. Reference resources/template.md for technique breakdowns.
Step 3: Build flavor architecture
Layer flavors in stages:
See resources/methodology.md for advanced flavor pairing.
Step 4: Plan texture
Every dish should have at least one contrast:
Step 5: Execute with precision
Provide clear steps with both sensory cues and measurements:
Step 6: Plate and present
Apply plating principles:
Self-assess using resources/evaluators/rubric_chef_assistant.json. Minimum standard: Average score ≥ 3.5.
Pattern 1: Recipe Execution with Technique Teaching
Pattern 2: Flavor Troubleshooting
Pattern 3: Technique Deep Dive
Pattern 4: Menu Planning with Progression
Pattern 5: Cultural Cooking Exploration
Critical requirements:
Salt at multiple stages: Don't season only at end. Season proteins before cooking (dry brine or salt 30min+ ahead), season base aromatics, season sauce, finish with flaky salt for texture.
Use meat thermometer: Visual cues alone are unreliable. Invest in instant-read thermometer. Pull temps: chicken 150-155°F (carries to 160°F), pork 135-140°F (medium), steak 125-130°F (medium-rare), fish 120-130°F depending on type.
Taste as you go: Adjust seasoning incrementally. Add salt/acid/fat in small amounts, taste, repeat. Can't un-salt, but can always add more.
Mise en place before heat: Prep everything before you start cooking. Dice all vegetables, measure spices, prep aromatics. High-heat cooking moves fast—no time to chop mid-sear.
Control heat: Most home cooks cook too hot. High heat for searing only. Medium for sautéing aromatics. Low for sauces and gentle cooking. Preheat pans properly (water droplet test).
Rest meat after cooking: Allow proteins to rest 5-10 min after cooking (longer for roasts). Juices redistribute, carryover cooking completes. Tent with foil if worried about cooling.
Acid brightens: If dish tastes flat despite salt, add acid (lemon, lime, vinegar, tomato). Acid wakes up flavors and balances richness.
Fat carries flavor: Aroma compounds are fat-soluble. Toast spices in oil/butter to release flavor. Finish sauces with fat for body and sheen.
Common pitfalls:
Key resources:
Quick ratios and formulas:
Typical workflow time:
When to escalate:
Inputs required:
Outputs produced:
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