UX/UI Design
Skip Takeout: How Can ChopShop Redesign Your Kitchen Experience?
01
Project Overview
Can't cook? ChopShop your VR sidekick for Apple Vision Pro, makes it easy. Whether you’re new or experienced, this app turns cooking into a fun, step-by-step adventure. Master recipes, earn rewards, and enjoy discounts or delivery. Why order in when you can create your own delicious meals?
Goals
ChopShop helps beginners cook with confidence by offering a first-person view of recipes catered to their preferences.
The app makes home cooking easy and fun, reduce reliance for food delivery.
Role
Tools
Figma, Adobe Photoshop
Duration
Year
UX Designer
8 weeks
2024
02
Problem
As more people turn to food delivery for convenience, the real challenge is making home cooking fun and approachable for those who find it intimidating or unappealing.
"...almost 6 in 10 Americans (57%) preferred ordering takeout or delivery over dining out at a restaurant."
"In 2019, around 9 million people worked from home in the United States. By 2023, that number had soared to more than 22 million"
"Revenue in the AR & VR market market worldwide is projected to reach US$46.6bn in 2025"
15% of people said they love to cook; 50% of them said they hate to cook.
As most people lean toward delivery or takeout and only a few truly enjoy cooking, the convenience of ordering food is clear. With the rise of virtual reality and more careers shifting to remote or hybrid, this is a perfect opportunity to make home cooking enjoyable and accessible, turning it from a chore into a fun, engaging experience with tools like Chef's Companion.
03
Key Objective
In what ways can we redesign the cooking experience to make it as convenient and enjoyable as ordering food?
I’ve thought of a few features that can make cooking more convenient and enjoyable:
Grocery Delivery: Integrate grocery delivery so users can get ingredients straight to their door, just like online shopping.
AI Assistance: Provide real-time AI help for cooking queries and guidance based on tutorial timestamps.
Customized Recipes: Let users set dietary preferences and allergies to receive tailored recipe recommendations.
Interactive Experience: Offer an engaging cooking environment with rewards and progress tracking, making cooking as fun as takeout.
04
Who is the Targeted Audience?
-
Individuals who frequently use food delivery or grocery apps like DoorDash, Uber Eats, or Grubhub.
-
Those who spend a lot of time at home, whether due to remote work, personal preferences, or simply enjoying being at home.
-
Those wanting to improve eating habits by cooking at home and knowing their ingredients.
-
Individuals eager to learn new cooking techniques.
-
Users of Apple Vision Pro who want an immersive cooking experience.
Persona A
Jake, The Health-Conscious Homebody
Age: 28
Occupation: Freelance Graphic Designer
Lifestyle: Works from home, loves a quiet, home-centered life, and is dedicated to health and fitness.
Cooking Experience: Enjoys cooking but wants to learn new recipes and use healthy ingredients.
Pain Points: Struggles to find recipes that match his dietary preferences and sometimes finds complex techniques challenging.
Persona B
Emma, The Remote Worker
Age: 32
Occupation: Remote Marketing Manager
Lifestyle: Works from home and values convenience.
Cooking Experience: Basic skills but lacks confidence and finds cooking time-consuming; relies on delivery.
Pain Points: Struggles with meal planning, motivation, and complex recipes.
05
Competitive Analysis
Here are some key insights I’ve found:
Visual Engagement: Uber Eats and DoorDash use extensive images to enhance user browsing and decision-making.
Oli’s Focus: Oli is just a cooking assist app that allows the idea of alternating the recipes based off preferences or log in dishes users made, it does not have the deliver option.
Wait Time: Delivery times on Uber Eats and DoorDash vary due to the ratio of users to drivers, especially during peak times.
Promotional Advantage: Frequent deals on Uber Eats and DoorDash attract and retain users, offering a smoother experience compared to Instacart.
Instacart's Complexity: Instacart has a longer process from browsing to checkout due to its focus on grocery delivery, making it less convenient for quick decisions.
06
What does Users want to see first?
07
Low & High Fidelity Ideation
Here are my initial thoughts through sketches and hi-fi wireframes, reflecting my research, analysis, and goals for the app. The low-fidelity designs give a first look at ChopShop’s layout with key functions, while the high-fidelity wireframes show my thought process in making the design user-friendly.
Recipes For You
4.6
Drunken Noodles
Thai Cuisine
2
1
4.2
Crab Udon Soup
Vietnamese Cuisine
Top Ten Today
Because You Like Birria Tacos
What are you craving?
3
4.8
Birria Tacos
Mexican Cuisine
4
4.1
Pasta Carbonara
Italian Cuisine
Crab Udon Soup
Banh Canh Cua
Banh canh cua (which translates to crab udon soup) is a noodle soup made with a thick, tapioca broth served with banh canh (tapioca noodles) and topped with pork, shrimp, and crab. The broth has a bright, orange color with a thick, sticky texture. The broth texture almost matches the texture of the tapioca noodles which are really chewy. Traditional toppings for banh canh cua are pork, shrimp, crab, and minced green onions. But like every Vietnamese dish, there are variations depending on the recipe you’re using. Other toppings I’ve seen used are fish balls, blood cake, quail eggs, and even Chinese fried dough (Youtiao).
Place of Origin
Region or State
Type
Vietnamese
Soup
Southeast Asia
996 kcal
User Review
Budget
Duration
Cuisines
& Up
& Up
& Up
& Up
Under $25
$25 to $50
$50 to $100
Vietnamese
Thai
Mexican
Italian
>15 Minutes
>30 Minutes
> 1Hour
Go
$Min
$Max
Filter
All Ethnic Cuisines
User Review
Budget
Duration
Cuisines
& Up
& Up
& Up
& Up
Under $25
$25 to $50
$50 to $100
Vietnamese
Thai
Mexican
Italian
>15 Minutes
>30 Minutes
> 1Hour
Go
$Min
$Max
Filter
Recipes For You
4.6
Drunken Noodles
Thai Cuisine
2
1
4.2
Crab Udon Soup
Vietnamese Cuisine
Top Ten Today
Because You Like Birria Tacos
What are you craving?
3
4.8
Birria Tacos
Mexican Cuisine
4
4.1
Pasta Carbonara
Italian Cuisine
Crab Udon Soup
Banh Canh Cua
Banh canh cua (which translates to crab udon soup) is a noodle soup made with a thick, tapioca broth served with banh canh (tapioca noodles) and topped with pork, shrimp, and crab. The broth has a bright, orange color with a thick, sticky texture. The broth texture almost matches the texture of the tapioca noodles which are really chewy. Traditional toppings for banh canh cua are pork, shrimp, crab, and minced green onions. But like every Vietnamese dish, there are variations depending on the recipe you’re using. Other toppings I’ve seen used are fish balls, blood cake, quail eggs, and even Chinese fried dough (Youtiao).
Place of Origin
Region or State
Type
Vietnamese
Soup
Southeast Asia
3 hr 30 min
All Ethnic Cuisines
The side filter was too cluttered making browse pictures smaller
Final design
Final design: better organization with recipe’s origin and what that dish is
Too much texts, not enough visuals
Final design: Customizable list of what that dish requires.
Too much texts, not enough visuals
Final Design: Better interactive feature, less words = easier to digest information
Final Design: Reward system and profile page
I feel like I could’ve make another section to expand and organize their preferences to likes, dislikes, and allergies
08
From Concept to Completion
Based on my sketches and the identification of key features for ChopShop, I’ve outlined four main features. I'll walk through how these features integrate to create an exceptional application experience.
Vietnamese Cuisine > Bánh Canh Cua
Crab Udon Soup
Ingredients
Toppings (4)
Garnishes (4)
Utensils (6)
8 oz (1/2 lb)
Diced Carrots
4 medium size
Eggs
16 oz (1 lb)
Crab Meat
20 mushrooms
Shiitake
5-7 bowls
$2.99
Organic Carrots
lb
$0.99
Imperator Carrots
Baby Carrots
$3.70
Nantes Carrots
$1.29
each
each
bag
My Cart
2
Items Selected
Total
$18.15
3
Place Order
Organic Carrots
$5.98
$2.99 per lb
Remove
2
Shiitake Mushrooms
$3.18
$1.59 per case
Remove
Crab Meat
$8.99 for 8 oz
Remove
Broth (12)
Vietnamese Cuisine > Bánh Canh Cua
Crab Udon Soup
Ingredients
8 oz (1/2 lb)
Diced Carrots
Toppings (4)
Garnishes (4)
Utensils (6)
4 medium size
Eggs
16 oz (1 lb)
Crab Meat
20 mushrooms
Shiitake
5-7 bowls
$2.99
Organic Carrots
lb
$0.99
Imperator Carrots
Baby Carrots
$3.70
Nantes Carrots
$1.29
each
each
bag
My Cart
2
Items Selected
Total
$18.15
3
Place Order
Organic Carrots
$5.98
$2.99 per lb
Remove
2
Shiitake Mushrooms
$3.18
$1.59 per case
Remove
Crab Meat
$8.99 for 8 oz
Remove
Broth (12)
Recipes For You
Top Ten Today
Because You Like Birria Tacos
What are you craving?
3
4.8
Birria Tacos
Mexican Cuisine
4
4.1
Pasta Carbonara
Italian Cuisine
4.6
Drunken Noodles
Thai Cuisine
2
1
4.2
Crab Udon Soup
Vietnamese Cuisine
User Review
Budget
Duration
Cuisines
& Up
& Up
& Up
& Up
Under $25
$25 to $50
$50 to $100
Vietnamese
Thai
Mexican
Italian
>15 Minutes
>30 Minutes
> 1Hour
Go
$Min
$Max
Filter
All Ethnic Cuisines
Main Features
Stay at Home!
Order ingredients directly to their door, just like online shopping.
A Helping Friend
Offer real-time AI help for cooking questions and tutorial guidance.
Your dish, Your way
Provide tailored recipes based on dietary needs and allergies.
Cook More, Earn More
Create a fun cooking environment with rewards and progress tracking.
Home | Browsing through Various Recipes
Personalized recipes, similar navigation
My final UI design for the homepage is focused on easy navigation, drawing inspiration from the user-friendly interface of popular streaming apps like Netflix. Recipe recommendations are personalized based on your preferences, and the system will suggest other cuisines within the same ethnic food group. Additionally, the top ten recipes are curated based on user likes, popular choices, and trending dishes.
Home | What are you Cooking?
Discover more about what you're cooking!
Next to the dish image, there's a curved bar that provides key details like the estimated cooking time. It also displays the calorie content for a standard serving, helping users stay on track with their calorie deficit goals.
Crab Udon Soup
Prepping the broth
Chop mushrooms, cilantro, scallions, carrots, pork belly, shallots, and onions on a wooden cutting board, then gather all the chopped ingredients into a bowl.
2 Hr 8 Mins Left
Instructions
Ask me anything...
Crab Udon Soup
Prepping the broth
Mix paprika, onion powder, garlic, white pepper, salt, sugar, sesame oil, fish sauce, soy sauce, and hoisin sauce together in the same bowl.
1 Hr 48 Mins Left
Instructions
Ask me anything...
Crab Udon Soup
Meat Topping
Heat a frying pan over medium heat and cook all the meat topping ingredients until they are crispy and golden brown.
1 Hr 34 Mins Left
Instructions
Ask me anything...
okie thanks homie!
Does it matter which item I cook first?
Cook the ingredients in the following sequence: mushrooms first, then carrots, followed by eggs, and finally, crab meat.
1 Hr 21 Mins Left
Instructions
Crab Udon Soup
Meat Topping
Ingredients | Customize Ingredients & Check Out Cart
Tutorials | POV Cooking Tutorials with AI Assistant
No need to imagine; just follow along step by step
Tutorials are designed to be recorded from a first-person perspective, similar to using recording glasses. This approach allows users to easily follow along, step by step, seeing the process from the same viewpoint.
The AI is your bestie!
You can easily text your AI assistant with questions about any steps you find confusing. This feature is especially helpful for beginners, making the transition to cooking smoother and providing clarification when the AI instructions aren't detailed enough.
Adaptable recipes to fit your taste
Obviously, there are many variations within a single type of cuisine. With the design I created, I wanted to highlight how flexible and versatile the recipes are, adapting to your personal preferences. For example, I’m not a fan of baby carrots (I know, I know), but this feature lets me easily swap them for a different type of carrot to add to the cart on the right.
After users explore the recipes, which are divided into four categories based on the dish—like broth, toppings, garnishes, and utensils for Crab Udon Soup—they’ll have the option to order only the ingredients they need to recreate the meal.
@shayayeaye1
Sous Chef
Shayla Taylor
Joined: March 1, 2024
48 Dishes Cooked
Master Chef
Chef de Cuisine
Sous Chef
Commis Chef
Chef de Partie
Kitchen Apprentice
Novice Newcomer
Reward System
My Rewards
Peanut allergies
Lactose intolerant
Hates any sauces
Preferences
Soy allergies
Hates spicy foods
Loves seafood
0/1
1/3
Sous Chef: Pick 5 weekly
50% off any dish groceries (Up to 5 servings)
Free delivery
2/5
1/3
$10 off groceries
25% off at checkout
0/3
2 free mystery ingredients
Profile | Motivation Corner to Start Cooking More for Better Rewards
Made for you
Personalize your food preferences to match your tastes, dietary needs, and allergies. Whether you love spice, prefer vegetarian options, or need to avoid allergens, ChopShop keeps you in control. Get quick, easy dish recommendations and track calories and nutrients with ease.
Level up & earn rewards!
The more you cook, the more benefits you unlock. As you continue to use ChopShop, you’ll earn points and level up, unlocking exclusive rewards. These rewards could include discounts on ingredients, free cooking tools, or access to premium recipes. The higher your cooking level, the better the rewards. Keep cooking to level up and enjoy even more perks!
09
Final Mockups
09
Post Design Reflections
My Key Takeaways
-
Developing a unique app is complex when there aren’t much similar apps
-
It's okay to draw inspiration from others as long as it's not identical
-
Clearly understand your target audience and define their problems
-
Simple, minimal designs can be more effective than aesthetic preferences
Next Steps
-
Design onboarding page before homepage.
-
Ask questions to understand user preferences instead of manual input.
-
Redesign for mobile app.
-
Add social feature for sharing recipes, tips, and cooking successes to build community.