Chef’s Menu is a light, fast-paced card game where players compete to create the most delicious three-course meal. Build a starter, main course, and dessert by collecting ingredients, reacting to unexpected events, and making smart choices about when to expand your menu.
Each round, players either roll a die to gather new cards or visit the market to buy exactly what they need. Ingredient cards are used to develop dishes, while event cards introduce timing, interaction, and surprise—some resolve instantly, others can be saved and played at just the right moment.
Each dish has a limited number of ingredient slots and may reward or punish certain ingredient symbols. Special bonuses can be triggered as soon as the right ingredient is added, while end-game scoring may grant extra points—or penalties—depending on how well a dish meets its criteria. Ingredient colors also matter: once a dish is started, all ingredients added to it must match the same color, encouraging careful planning and commitment.
Players may develop their menu at any time, but once a card is placed on the table it usually stays there until the end of the game. Only specific event cards allow dishes to be replaced or altered, making timing and risk assessment an important part of play.
The game ends when a player completes a full menu—starter, main course, and dessert filled with ingredients—and declares “Bon appétit!”. All other players then take one final turn before scores are tallied.
Points are awarded for ingredients, dish criteria, event bonuses, and leftover coins. The player with the highest total score has created the best menu—and wins the game.
Chef’s Menu is easy to learn, quick to play, and offers a satisfying mix of tactical choices, light interaction, and replayability for families and casual gamers alike.
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