Try it out now
Try the Step Zero experience for yourself with these demo recipes.
What is Step Zero?
Step Zero is a service, activated by browser extension or bookmarklet, that analyzes recipes found online and redesigns them in an optimized format. It provides three key features compared with a traditional recipe:
A visual list of equipment needed
A new step dedicated to prep of ingredients, including graphic explanations for size and specific terminology
Emphasized actions in the cooking steps to be easier to reference visually
How does it work?
By using the Step Zero bookmarklet or downloading the browser extension, you can start using the service. When you click, here’s what happens:
You send the existing recipe to Step Zero to be processed.
Step Zero pulls out only the recipe information from the page.
It then looks through ingredients and instructions to find prep steps and the tools needed to complete the recipe.
It also reformats the instructions themselves, highlighting tools and ingredients in the steps.
As it builds the prep step, it adds helpful graphics based on ingredients being used.
The converted recipe is displayed as a responsive web page, available from any browser
Why Step Zero?
Traditional recipe websites assume strong skills in and knowledge of the kitchen. Recipes are usually written in ways that need to be reread to be understood. Particularly for inexperienced home chefs, this makes using typical recipes time-consuming and stressful.
You may already have your recipes on another website—no problem! Step Zero can be used on top of those service to make them even easier to read.
More to Learn
In addition to the recipes here, there’s more about Step Zero to learn.
Thesis Blog, which shows the raw notes of my work and some of my weekly thesis assignments.
Process Book, a refined look at the path that took me to my final product.