We’ve been pushing Mizen from “cool demo” into something you can actually trust in a real kitchen.
This week’s progress: a new flow for uploading a handwritten recipe. We use llama-4-scout to read the image, then route it into our guided stages.
Disclaimer: this link is a development build. Expect bugs, breaking changes, and thing just not making sense 😅.
What’s changed
This week, the work clicked into focus: we’re shifting from “parsing the internet” toward supporting how people actually cook. That change forces the product to carry more context, offer more tools, and give clearer feedback so it’s obvious when Mizen is being helpful.
It also expands the input surface area in a way that feels more honest. Handwritten notes and old family recipes should work, not just clean web pages. On the parsing side, I also tightened up refinement so quality has improved and we’re supporting more sites.
Design direction
We’ve been experimenting with a visual overhaul that leans into a fun, illustrative style.
The goal is simple: make cooking feel lighter, and make the UI legible at a glance while you’re doing ten things at once.
What I learned building this
Cursor has become my development source of truth. Figma is still in the loop, but mostly for the handful of details that need fast, non-deterministic exploration.
I’m also getting better at doing “dev work” with a designer’s attention to craft, especially around UI polish and edge cases.
Want to contribute?
Mizen is open to collaborators who share the vision: cooking at home shouldn’t feel overwhelming or chaotic. If that’s you, reach out and let’s build it.