NYT Cooking launched an iOS beta tool on October 23, 2026, using an AI assistant to let subscribers rewrite recipes by adjusting pan sizes, swapping ingredients, and rescaling portions.
The feature places a Customize this recipe…
field above the ingredient list on supported dishes.
Readers can type requests ranging from What can I substitute for this ingredient?
to Scale this recipe to feed seven people, and make it vegan and gluten-free.
When tested by users, the system successfully handled specific pantry limitations, such as asking I have chicken tenders, fresh ginger, garlic, rice, broth, limes, but no chard or cilantro or scallions. I do have green beans and red onions.
All modified measurements, replacement ingredients, and altered instructions appear in a red-orange text color throughout the recipe card. Users can toggle between the original recipe and the AI-generated version, which carries a label identifying it as a modified version that is not tested or endorsed by the original creators.
To generate recommendations, the underlying large language model queries four information tiers in a rigid sequence. The system examines the baseline recipe text first, cross-references proprietary ingredient substitution guides second, reads historical user comments third, and finally applies general culinary knowledge.
Camilla Velasquez, general manager of NYT Cooking, noted the engineering effort behind the feature. We put a lot of effort into trying to tell you when not to do something if it’s no longer in the spirit of the recipe,
Velasquez said.
Velasquez emphasized that the tool is designed to act as a helper rather than an open-ended conversational agent. You shouldn’t be chatting with it,
she added.
The integration of generative models into a tested culinary database raised questions regarding the 60 editors, writers, video journalists, and production employees who curate the platform. Velasquez addressed workforce stability by stating that the organization is hiring more than ever
and maintains zero intention of publishing fewer recipes.
Early usage patterns show subscribers primarily use the tool for ingredient substitutions, equipment workarounds like changing baking pan shapes, and adapting dishes to single-ingredient constraints. According to executive communications director Jordan Cohen, the Cooking website and mobile application recorded 514 million visits in 2025, alongside an official YouTube channel commanding over 1.4 million subscribers.
Practical tests revealed both successes and procedural errors when language models handled baking chemistry and scaling math. When a tester asked the tool to halve a Cinnamon Roll Bundt Cake recipe, the assistant changed five eggs to three rather than a mathematical two and a half, producing a whole-number fraction that avoids a messy half-egg split in the kitchen.
Scaling errors can compound when multiple variables change simultaneously. A cake with 20 percent extra egg may bake denser and set faster, which introduces interaction risks when combined with a altered pan shape and a shortened bake time.
Who can access the NYT Cooking assistant?
The tool is available exclusively to digital subscribers using iOS devices during its beta release.
How does the system handle ingredient scaling?
The assistant adjusts quantities based on user requests, occasionally rounding whole numbers to avoid impossible fractions like two and a half eggs.
What happens to the original recipe?
The original recipe remains untouched and private, allowing users to toggle back and forth between the baseline version and the customized variant.
