One of the things that made remixing in Cookwith work so well is that behind the scenes, we gave the AI your full recipe, your dietary needs, and very specific instructions about how to be a good chef. The good news is you can do the same thing yourself in ChatGPT. This guide shows you exactly how.
The secret to a great remix is giving ChatGPT three things: a clear role, your full recipe, and a specific request. Skip any one of these and the results get noticeably worse.
Here's the simplest version that still produces Cookwith-quality results. Copy this into ChatGPT, replacing the bracketed sections with your own recipe and request:
You are a professional chef and recipe developer. I'm going to give you
a recipe and ask you to remix it. When you remix:
- Maintain the essence and appeal of the original dish
- Make sure all measurements and instructions are precise
- Update the equipment list if cooking methods change
- Give me the full remixed recipe, not just the changes
Here's my recipe:
[Paste your full recipe here - title, ingredients, steps, everything]
Remix request: [What you want changed, e.g., "Make it vegetarian" or
"Use pantry staples instead of specialty ingredients"]
Please give me:
- Recipe title
- A short description of what makes this version special
- Full ingredient list with measurements
- Step-by-step instructions
- Prep time, servings, and nutrition per serving (calories, protein,
carbs, fat)
- Equipment needed
That's it. Paste your recipe, say what you want changed, and you'll get back a complete remixed recipe.
These are real examples of the kinds of requests that work great. Use them as-is or tweak them to fit what you're after.
Changing the cuisine:
Remix request: Turn this Italian pasta dish into a Thai-inspired noodle bowl. Keep the same protein but change the sauce, aromatics, and garnishes.
Simplifying a recipe:
Remix request: Make this a weeknight-friendly version. Keep it under 30 minutes of active cooking time and reduce the ingredient list to 10 items or fewer.
Scaling up for a crowd:
Remix request: Scale this to serve 8 people for a dinner party. Adjust any techniques that don't scale well (e.g., if something needs to be seared in batches, mention that).
Using what you have:
Remix request: I don't have [ingredient]. Substitute it with something I'd find at a regular grocery store and adjust the recipe accordingly.
Making it more indulgent:
Remix request: Make this a special-occasion version. Richer, more luxurious. Don't hold back on butter, cream, or anything that makes it feel celebratory.
In Cookwith, your dietary preferences and allergies were automatically included every time you remixed. In ChatGPT, you just add them to your request. Add this section right after pasting your recipe:
My dietary needs:
- Allergies: [e.g., tree nuts, shellfish]
- Diet: [e.g., gluten-free, vegetarian]
When remixing, make sure the result is safe for my allergies and
compatible with my diet. If a substitution changes the character of
the dish significantly, let me know.
You can also combine dietary needs with a creative remix:
My dietary needs:
- Diet: dairy-free, gluten-free
Remix request: Make this a cozy fall version with seasonal ingredients. Keep it dairy-free and gluten-free.
This is where Cookwith's remix really shone — hitting specific calorie and protein targets while keeping a recipe delicious. Here's how to do it yourself:
Remix request: Adjust this recipe so each serving has approximately
[500] calories and [40]g of protein. Prioritize keeping it satisfying
and flavorful - don't just cut portions. Adjust ingredients, swap in
higher-protein alternatives, or modify cooking methods as needed.
My eating goals: [e.g., building muscle, losing weight while staying
full, eating more vegetables]
A concrete example:
Remix request: I'm trying to eat more protein without meals feeling like health food. Adjust this so each serving hits around 45g of protein and stays under 600 calories. Keep it tasting great.
When you cooked for others in Cookwith, the app factored in everyone's needs. Here's how to do that in ChatGPT:
I'm cooking for 4 people with these needs:
- Me: gluten-free, no shellfish
- Partner: vegetarian
- Kid 1: no restrictions, but picky about spicy food
- Kid 2: dairy-free
Remix request: Adapt this recipe so it works for everyone at the table.
If you need to suggest modifications (like a topping served on the
side), that's fine - just make the base recipe work for all of us.
Instead of typing your dietary needs every time, save this block somewhere you can paste it easily (a note on your phone, a text file, wherever). Fill it in once:
About me as a cook:
- Allergies: [your allergies, or "none"]
- Diet: [your dietary preferences, or "no restrictions"]
- Eating goals: [e.g., "high protein", "heart healthy", "no specific goals"]
- Household: [e.g., "cooking for 2 adults" or "family of 4, one vegetarian"]
- General preferences: [e.g., "I prefer weeknight meals under 45 min",
"I love bold spices", "I tend to avoid recipes with more than
12 ingredients"]
Then whenever you remix, you just paste your recipe, paste your chef profile, and add your remix request. Three quick pastes and you're done.
Not sure what to do with a recipe? Ask ChatGPT to suggest remixes, just like Cookwith did with the "Need Inspiration?" suggestions:
Here's a recipe I like:
[Paste recipe]
Suggest 5 interesting ways I could remix this. Give me a mix of:
- A dietary adaptation (e.g., making it vegan or gluten-free)
- A cuisine twist (e.g., Korean-inspired, Mediterranean spin)
- A practical change (e.g., make it faster, use fewer dishes)
- A seasonal version
- Something unexpected or creative
Just like in Cookwith, you can remix a remix. After ChatGPT gives you a remixed recipe, just say:
Great, now take that version and [your next change, e.g., "cut the prep time in half" or "make it spicier"]. Give me the full updated recipe.
ChatGPT remembers the conversation, so you can keep refining until you've got exactly what you want.
A few things to keep in mind:
-
Always paste the full recipe. The more context ChatGPT has, the better the remix. Don't just say "remix my chicken parmesan" — give it the actual recipe with quantities and steps.
-
Be specific about what you want. "Make it healthier" is vague. "Reduce calories to around 400 per serving while keeping it filling" gives ChatGPT something concrete to work with.
-
Ask for the complete recipe back. If you just ask for "the changes," you'll get a partial answer and have to piece things together yourself. Ask for the full recipe every time.
-
Use ChatGPT's memory feature. If you go to Settings > Personalization > Memory in ChatGPT, you can tell it your dietary needs once and it'll remember for future conversations. Say something like "Remember that I'm gluten-free and allergic to tree nuts" and it'll factor that into every recipe going forward.