UX/UI Design
Read time:
6 min
Client:
Academic Project
Industry:
Food Tech
Start:
End:
Duration:
13 Weeks
Cooka is a culturally driven cooking platform that combines regional discovery, contextual storytelling and community knowledge to create a more culturally connected cooking experience.
The problem
Most recipe apps teach you what to do. COOKA teaches you why it matters — a culturally-centered cooking app that connects home cooks to the heritage and stories behind every dish, through a world map that's an invitation to explore.
Our research
We conducted domain and user research through surveys and interviews to balance broad insights with real user experiences.
From 31 survey participants (ages 25–34), 61.3% lived away from their place of origin, highlighting the importance of cultural identity. Instagram was the main platform for discovering recipes (64.5%), while Cultural Connection & Identity (41.9%) ranked above convenience factors.
We also ran five interviews with culturally diverse participants in Vancouver.
User Persona
An ex-pat urban professional who struggles to balance a demanding schedule with the desire for authentic flavors, often facing a "confidence gap" when trying to replicate complex family recipes with limited local ingredients.
The solution
COOKA is built around the idea that cultural context isn't a nice-to-have — it's the core of the experience. Every screen is designed to give home cooks the confidence to cook with intention, not just follow steps and hope for the best.
Testing phase
Usability testing was integrated throughout our design process. We conducted task-based testing sessions with peers as we moved from low-fidelity to higher-fidelity prototypes. Main Task: Discover a recipe from a specific culture or region and follow the guided steps to cook it. We observed participants without guidance, noting hesitations, confusion, and moments of delight. Key issues identified and resolved:
Main screens
Through usability testing and prototype presentation, we received consistent validation that COOKA addresses a genuine, underserved need. The map-based discovery feature was consistently the most commented-on element — described as something users had never seen in a recipe app. The cultural storytelling approach resonated strongly with users from immigrant and multicultural backgrounds, who expressed that COOKA felt designed for them.
