Student-led app generates recipes based on what’s in your kitchen

Posted on Tuesday, August 1st, 2023

Soaring food costs in recent years may drive budget-conscious decisions when making a grocery list. An app under development by Computer Programming learners will help users make the most of the items in their kitchen. Cooking Chef is a full-featured, Android-based app that generates recipes based on selected ingredients. The project will be one of 50 student-led research projects on display at the In-Class Projects Showcase, held on the Ottawa Campus on Aug. 3.

Students Cameron Wass, Jacob Stoppa and Varens Ndiongekongnana chose this project based on their personal interest as well as academics skillsets.

“It was interesting to me because it’s an app that I could see my wife and I using,” said Wass. “We assigned project roles based our skillsets, for example data architecture side, visual design, coding, and client liaison. We’re currently at the testing phase but it’s more or less fully functional.”

The user-friendly app only requires a few simple inputs to generate recipes. After entering the ingredients the app will produce recipes to match the provided list, accounting for any identified dietary restrictions or allergens. Recipes are sourced from Spoonacular, a food and recipe application programming interface (API) with over 5,000 recipes in its database.

Currently available only on Android, the next phase of the project will allow users to download a database of favourite recipes on a phone or tablet. The team also plans on integrating nutrient lists into the generated recipes.

“In this iteration we’re focusing on filtering out the more common restrictions. But in later versions we’ll start filtering on daily requirements of vitamins, calories and macronutrients,” said Wass.

Hosted by the Algonquin College Office of Applied Research, the In-Class Projects Showcase highlights leading-edge applied research done in collaboration with industry, institutional and community partners. This showcase will also provide an opportunity for local employers to engage talent and collaborative opportunities in support of business growth and impact. Click here to register.


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