5 min read
Cook Mode
Enhancing the current WaPo Recipes experience by creating a hands free, user friendly recipe experience that motivates subscribers to cook more with The Washington Post.
My Role
Product Designer
Team
1 Product Designer, 1 PM, 2 Developers, 1 Growth Marketing
Tools
Figma (+ Figjam)
Google Forms
Project Detail
Internship Hackathon
1 week (August 2025)
Problem
Recipes aren’t personalized or built around user needs.
Current recipe platforms don’t adapt to what users have, need, or how they cook.
Users have to scroll up and down to check ingredients, serving sizes can’t be adjusted easily, and there’s little help for substitutions or dietary preferences. The experience is rigid. It’s built to display static recipes and not to adapt to the cook.
Solution
Personalized cooking features powered by AskThePost.
Adjusted recipes for your serving size, easy to follow steps with built in timers, real time guidance on substitutions, and more
Here’s a fun product video our team created in the WaPo Food Lab, introducing our hackathon project: Cook Mode!
Outcome
Potential premium feature to boost subscriber engagement.
Our hackathon project has strong potential as a premium feature to boost subscriber value and engagement. The Subscriptions-Product team sees it as a strategic opportunity to differentiate the product and drive growth.
Starting out with research..
I sent out a survey in some WaPo food slack channels to gather user feedback and insights.
79% of respondents reported losing their place while following recipes, which leads to frustration and disrupts the cooking flow. This insight drove features like easy toggling between ingredients and the steps, built-in timers, ingredient substitution suggestions through AskThePost. All are designed to keep users on track and in the flow.
Business Analysis
Uniquely positioned to capture market share.
Our product could bring in over $17M by capturing 1% of the US market share for digital recipe platforms.
Target Audience
The digital recipe market is projected to grow, ~13.5% annually.
69% of respondents have used AI to get dinner on the table or are open to the idea of using it.
How might we design a hands-free, user-friendly recipe experience that motivates subscribers to cook more with The Washington Post?
Featured Design Screens
Easy to use features that help subscribers cook more with less effort.
Ask The Post Integration
Users can use the voice feature or Ask the Post chat for questions about substitutions and other clarifications.
Dynamic Recipe Portioning
Users can select the number of servings and the recipe will automatically adjust. Ingredient amounts in each step update to match the chosen serving size.
Built-In Timer
Keeps the user focused. It eliminates the need to switch apps, so that users don't lose their place in the recipe
Next steps to make cooking even more easier and enjoyable for users.
Post MVP Plans
1. Pantry and Fridge Inventory
Let users log their ingredients and receive smart recipe suggestions based on what they have
2. Onboarding Enhancements
Add a guided tutorial to introduce and explain Cook Mode features
3. Notes & Recommendations
Allow users to leave personal notes and adjustments on recipes to customize and remember their preferred cooking methods.
4. Custom AI Voice Settings
Allow users to modify speaking speed and change the voice for a personalized experience
