How we brought cheffl.com from idea to live product in 4 weeks

Introduction

Cheffl.com is an innovative recipe app that uses AI to help users find and create recipes. What started as an idea ended up as a fully functional product in just 4 weeks. In this case study, we share our approach, technical choices, and key lessons.

The Challenge

The assignment was clear: develop a complete recipe app with:
• AI-powered recipe generation
• User authentication and profiles
• Complete marketing funnel
• Responsive mobile-first design
• Live within 4 weeks

Traditionally this would take months. With our approach, we succeeded in realizing this in weeks.

Our Approach

Week 1: Discovery & Design

The first week was dedicated to discovery and design. We conducted stakeholder interviews, analyzed competitors, and defined user flows. With Figma, we created wireframes and prototypes that provided immediate feedback.

Key insights:
• Users want to quickly find recipes based on available ingredients
• AI suggestions must be relevant and practical
• Mobile-first is essential (80% of users on mobile)

Week 2-3: Build

With a clear design, we could immediately start building. This is what we used:

Frontend:
• Next.js 15 with App Router for optimal performance
• TypeScript for type safety
• Tailwind CSS for fast styling
• React Hook Form for form handling

Backend & Database:
• Supabase for authentication and database
• Real-time subscriptions for live updates
• Row Level Security for data privacy

AI Integration:
• OpenAI API for recipe generation
• Prompt engineering for relevant suggestions
• Caching strategy for cost optimization

Deployment:
• Vercel for instant deployments
• Edge functions for AI calls
• Automatic scaling

Week 4: Testing & Launch

The final week we focused on testing, performance optimization, and launch. We conducted:
• User acceptance testing
• Performance audits (Lighthouse score 95+)
• SEO optimization
• Security checks

Technical Highlights

AI Recipe Generation

One of the most challenging parts was AI recipe generation. We developed a system that:

• Analyzes user input (ingredients, dietary preferences, cooking time)
• Generates relevant recipes with OpenAI
• Caches results for faster response times
• Has fallback mechanisms for API errors

async function generateRecipe(ingredients: string[], preferences: UserPreferences) {
  const prompt = `Generate a recipe using: ${ingredients.join(', ')}
  Dietary preferences: ${preferences.diet}
  Cooking time: ${preferences.maxTime} minutes`;
  
  const response = await openai.chat.completions.create({
    model: 'gpt-4',
    messages: [{ role: 'user', content: prompt }],
  });
  
  return parseRecipe(response.choices[0].message.content);
}

Marketing Funnel Integration

We built a complete marketing funnel with:
• Landing page with conversion tracking
• Email capture with Resend
• Onboarding flow for new users
• Analytics with Google Analytics 4

Performance Optimization

Performance was crucial. We achieved:
• LCP (Largest Contentful Paint): < 2.0s
• FID (First Input Delay): < 100ms
• CLS (Cumulative Layout Shift): < 0.1
• Lighthouse Score: 98/100

Results

After 4 weeks we had:
• ✅ Fully functional recipe app
• ✅ AI-powered recipe generation
• ✅ User authentication & profiles
• ✅ Complete marketing funnel
• ✅ Mobile-responsive design
• ✅ 98/100 Lighthouse score
• ✅ Live in production

Key Lessons

1. AI Speeds Everything Up

By using AI tools, we could build everything 10x faster. This saved time and made it possible to iterate quickly.

2. Modern Tools Save Time

We used tools that offer everything you need: user accounts, database, real-time updates, and storage. This saved weeks of work.

3. Next.js App Router is Game-Changing

The new App Router of Next.js made it possible to use server components, which significantly improved performance.

4. Design First, Code Second

By perfecting the design first, we prevented costly adjustments during building.

5. Continuous Deployment is Essential

With Vercel, we could deploy every change immediately. This made it possible to iterate quickly and process feedback.

Conclusion

Cheffl.com is a perfect example of what's possible with modern tools and smart approach. In 4 weeks, we brought a fully functional product live that would traditionally cost months.

Want to bring your idea to life? Get in touch and discover how we can accelerate your project.