FridgeChef

UPDATE — UPDATED VERSION
Multilingual UI (IT · EN · PL · ES · HI), flag language picker, localized classic cookbook, chef prompts, and photo → recipe flow. Clone or pull main for the latest release.
Try it now: https://frigo-chef-omega.vercel.app

Photograph the inside of your fridge. Confirm the ingredients. Get recipes you can cook tonight — written in the style of an Italian home kitchen — or a shelf-by-shelf plan to store the food correctly.

FridgeChef is the first app built with a real Italian chef to generate everyday recipes in an Italian cooking style: clear steps, realistic times, pantry-aware dishes, and the taste of home rather than restaurant showpieces.

Snap a photo of your fridge and get tailored recipes. 3D grocery-style UI, navy glass, and lime accents.

For people who open the fridge, freeze for ten seconds, and still don’t know what to make.

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Use it now

Live app: https://frigo-chef-omega.vercel.app

Open that link on your phone or desktop to use FridgeChef immediately (photo → recipes, classic cookbook, fridge organization, IT / EN / PL / ES / HI).

Note: https://frigo-chef.vercel.app is a different public project (French “Cuisine Intelligente”). This app’s production URL is https://frigo-chef-omega.vercel.app.

Install on your phone (PWA)

1. Open https://frigo-chef-omega.vercel.app in Chrome (Android) or Safari (iOS).
2. Android: browser menu → Install app / Add to Home screen.
3. iOS (Safari): Share → Add to Home Screen.

Manifest + service worker enable standalone mode. AI features need network and GEMINI_API_KEY on the server.

Languages

The app UI, AI chef prompts, error messages, and the classic cookbook text can be switched from the header language control (flag + fixed list — no free typing):

Choice is saved in the browser (localStorage).

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Quick start

git clone https://github.com/Dariolex/FridgeChef.git
cd FridgeChef
npm install
export GEMINI_API_KEY=your_key_from_aistudio
npm run dev

Open http://localhost:8080.

Expected result: the app loads, the language control shows the current flag (🇮🇹 / 🇬🇧 / 🇵🇱 / 🇪🇸), and the home screen offers Take a photo (or type ingredients by hand).

Get a free Gemini key (type auth) from Google AI Studio.
Without a key, photo recognition is off — manual ingredients and the classic cookbook still work.

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Why this project

Most “recipe AI” tools ask you to type a list and answer in a generic tone. FridgeChef was shaped with a real Italian chef’s approach: what to do with what is already in the fridge, how a home cook in Italy would actually cook it, and how to keep steps practical.

The flow starts from the fridge photo, lets you confirm chips, then branches into three actions:

1. Create recipes (Gemini, prompted for Italian-style home cooking)
2. Classic cookbook (~120 home-style recipes, shown in the active UI language)
3. Organize fridge (zone-by-zone placement with reasons)

If the AI call fails, the app falls back to the built-in cookbook instead of a blank screen.
Shopping list and cooking history stay in the browser — no account required for the core flow.

What it does not do: meal-plan a whole week, sync a smart fridge, or replace a full nutrition database.

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Real use

1. Photo → recipes

1. Tap Take a photo and shoot the open fridge.
2. Toggle ingredient chips on/off; add missing ones.
3. Tap Create recipes (or Classic cookbook / Organize fridge).

AI returns structured recipes (title, minutes, ingredients, steps, tip, optional missing items for the shopping list).

2. Manual ingredients only

eggs, zucchini, cooked ham

Type them on the home screen → Go → same three actions as after a photo.

3. Classic cookbook by category

Open the Recipes tab. Expand categories (primi, secondi, eggs, sides, dessert).
Recipe text follows the selected language (IT / EN / PL / ES / HI).

4. Diet and time filters

• Diet: Any, Vegetarian, Vegan, or Fast (≤15 minutes)
• Desserts-only mode
• Servings 1–8

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Full installation

Prerequisites

• Node.js 18+ (LTS recommended)
• npm (comes with Node)
• Optional: Gemini API key for vision + recipe generation

macOS / Linux / Windows (terminal)

git clone https://github.com/Dariolex/FridgeChef.git
cd FridgeChef
npm install

Run locally

export GEMINI_API_KEY=...   # Windows PowerShell: $env:GEMINI_API_KEY="..."
npm run dev

Server listens on 0.0.0.0:8080.

Production build

npm run build
npm run preview

Checks used in development

npm run typecheck
npm run lint
npm test

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Configuration

API calls use Gemini’s OpenAI-compatible endpoint (generativelanguage.googleapis.com).

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Troubleshooting

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Contributing and license

Issues and pull requests are welcome on GitHub. Prefer small, focused changes (UI, cookbook recipes, i18n, tests under src/lib/recipe-ai.test.ts).

License: MIT — see LICENSE.

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Stack (for contributors)

React 19 · TanStack Start / Router · Tailwind CSS v4 · Google Gemini (vision + text) · localStorage for shopping list and last 30 cooked dishes · PWA-ready static assets under public/ · UI and classic cookbook localized for Italian, English, Polish, Spanish, and Hindi.