CASE STUDY

The Plate

redefining how culinary creators and chefs monetize content online

Role: Lead Product Designer & Founding Member | Time: March 2020 - December 2021

In this case study, I invite you to join me on a journey I embarked to design The Plate, a product that has redefined the online monetization landscape for food creators and chefs. However, it didn't start out with this goal. As one of the founding members, I found myself navigating the creation of an entirely new product, forged entirely through online collaborations.

From the inception to execution, this journey witnessed a series of transformations - name changes, product revisions, business model alterations - all decided virtually with members dispersed globally. Join me as I peel back the layers of this intriguing journey. Let's dive in.

Disclaimer: In sharing this case study, certain details remain confidential due to the proprietary nature of the project. Although I'll provide an in-depth look into the creation of "The Plate", some specifics are omitted for confidentiality. Rest assured, the insights shared will accurately represent my experience, within the limits of what can responsibly be divulged.

Our Origin Story

In April 2020, as the world grappled with the pandemic's onset and I was in “kurzarbeit” , I was approached for an intriguing passion project. The concept centered on recipes, but it promised something more. Its vision was to present exceptional recipe recommendations while cultivating a vibrant, interactive community.

The primary focus was on offering the best recipe recommendations while fostering a strong community. We wanted to create an environment where users could follow each other, along with featured creators, who were chefs already loved by their followers.

Our foundational team comprised a diverse set of skills - a product designer, product manager, developer, data analyst, and business development specialist.

Our collective passion gave birth to Fible, short for Food Bible. And thus, our journey began.

Competitive Analysis

In the absence of a budget for user testing, the product manager and I started our journey by analyzing our competitors. Our focus was primarily on leading recipe platforms like Kitchen Stories, Cookpad, AllRecipes, and BBC Good Food.

Product

Pros

Cons

Note

Kitchen Stories

Pros

The platform offered a variety of recipes with diverse cuisines and boasted of interactive elements such as cooking videos, auto-generated shopping lists, and a measurement converter.
Users had the ability to add their own recipes, which was a unique feature.

Kitchen Stories lacked community features such as the ability to share or follow other users.
Its personalization of recipes was quite limited.

A visually appealing recipe app known for high-quality content but lacking community features and personalization.

Cookpad

Pros

The platform centered on community interaction, allowing users to share, like, and comment on recipes.
Users could create and manage their own recipe lists, which was a standout feature.

Cookpad's user interface was less modern and visually appealing compared to its competitors.
The quality of recipes varied significantly since they were user-submitted without professional vetting.

Predominantly a community-focused platform where users could share their homemade recipes. It enjoyed immense popularity in Japan and was expanding globally.

AllRecipes

Pros

The platform hosted a large variety of recipes with user ratings and reviews.
It allowed user interaction through recipe sharing, liking, and commenting.

AllRecipes' interface seemed cluttered and overwhelming, leading to potential usability issues.
There was less personalization compared to competitors.
Users were not able to create a collection of favorite recipes.

A large digital food community hosting diverse recipes and user interaction, though with a somewhat cluttered interface and limited personalization.

BBC Good Food

Pros

It provided a vast variety of reliable and tested recipes, and the recipes often came with nutritional information.

BBC Good Food lacked personalized recommendations based on user preferences or dietary restrictions.
The platform's design was quite basic and in need of modernization.
Community features were limited and could be improved.

An established platform offering a wide variety of tested recipes but lacking in personalization and community interaction, with a basic interface.

SWOT analysis

Informed by our comprehensive competitor analysis, we transitioned to conducting a SWOT analysis to gain deeper insights into Fible's positioning in the market. This strategic exercise allowed us to identify Fible's inherent strengths and weaknesses, alongside potential opportunities and external threats in the evolving digital recipe sharing space. By doing so, we aimed to leverage our advantages, rectify our weaknesses, exploit growth opportunities and prepare for potential pitfalls. This understanding was crucial in shaping the strategy for Fible's development and growth.

Helpful

to achieve the objective

Harmful

to achieve the objective

( attributes of the environment )

External origin

( attributes of the environment )

Internal origin

Strengths

Fible had a unique blend of community and recipe sharing platform.
It offered personalized recipe recommendations based on users' diet, allergies, cooking skills, and preferences.
Fible provided high-quality content from both home cooks and professional chefs.
The modern, intuitive interface encouraged user engagement.

Weaknesses

As a new platform, Fible's brand recognition and trust were limited.
Its dependence on high-quality content creators might have resulted in a narrower range of recipes initially.
Limited budget for user testing could lead to missed user requirements.

Opportunities

The increasing interest in home cooking and healthier lifestyles presented a significant market for Fible.
There were potential partnership opportunities with well-known chefs, culinary influencers, and food brands.
There was room to expand into more immersive features like live cooking classes, virtual culinary events, etc.

Threats

Several established competitors were already in the market with strong brand recognition.
Potential challenges in moderating user-generated content posed a threat.
User retention might have been a challenge as users might have migrated to platforms with more diverse offerings.

MVP Feature Prioritisation

Drawing from the data collected, we embarked on the feature prioritization stage. We employed the MoSCoW matrix as a framework to guide our focus and decisions. Given our geographical spread across different continents, we utilized the Miro board for our online collaborative efforts.

Must have

On-boarding screens

Personalized feed

Recipe page

User Profile page

Creator Profile page

Explore page

Community page

Favorite recipe

Mark as cooked

Should have

Edit cooklist privacy

Nutritional value on recipe

Recipe creation for creator

User cooklist creation

Creator cooklist creation

Cooklist page

Ability to follow friends and creators

Filter for explore page

Filter for classes

Ability to customise portion

Could have

Ability to create cooklist from explore page

Nutritional value on recipe

Review on recipe

Review creation

Number of ingredients on recipe cards

Ability to send message

Cooking skill level

Won't have

Different tap on explore page for recipe, cooklist, and account

Cookbook recommendation on community page

Video preview for hero section on recipe page

Ability to create recipe from the main navigation

MVP design

Following numerous feedback sessions with the team, we felt ready to commence the design phase for our minimum viable product (MVP). Having achieved consensus on crucial brand attributes such as color, typography, imagery, and tone of voice, we plunged headfirst into the actual design process. Guided by our collaborative feature prioritization exercise, we set about crafting the screens for our MVP. Let me take you through the final designs that were ultimately approved as our MVP.

Login page

The first interaction users had with our platform was through the login page. This screen facilitated both logging in and signing up, offering options for users who had forgotten their password or needed to change it. I also provided users with immediate feedback through the transition of the button states. Both light and dark versions were prepared to cater to different user preferences.

First Screen

The feed began by showcasing popular recipe lists from platform creators that aligned with the user's preferences.

Personalized Picks section was purely driven by the user's engagement on the platform, exclusive of influences such as friends or people they followed. These might contain ingredients they had previously searched for or mirrored their responses to the onboarding questions and past interactions on the platform.

Second Screen

Recently Explored showcased recipes the user had previously browsed.

Friend's Favorite only appeared when users had added or followed friends on the app. it exhibited recipes their friends had previously favorited.

Third Screen

Taste Buddies section recommended accounts and creators for the user to follow based on their interests, their social circle, and other people with whom they might connect.

Creator Section highlighted creators recipe lists, personalized based on the user's interactions. This could include creators they followed or just recommendations from us.

Forth Screen

Further down the page, we also offered other recommendations. For instance, for users with limited cooking time, we suggested quick and easy recipes: Fast and Flavorful Recipes

Finally, the last section on the page displayed new recipes on the app that fit the user's preference.

On-boarding

Recognizing the importance of personalization, we integrated a comprehensive on-boarding process. After signing up, users were prompted to provide information about their food allergies, dietary restrictions, available cooking time, and skill level. While this step could be skipped initially or completed at a later time, it was crucial for tailoring the user's experience on our platform.

First Screen

The feed began by showcasing popular recipe lists from platform creators that aligned with the user's preferences.

Second Screen

Recently Explored showcased recipes the user had previously browsed.

Friend's Favorite only appeared when users had added or followed friends on the app. it exhibited recipes their friends had previously favorited.

Third Screen

Taste Buddies section recommended accounts and creators for the user to follow based on their interests, their social circle, and other people with whom they might connect.

Creator Section highlighted creators recipe lists, personalized based on the user's interactions. This could include creators they followed or just recommendations from us.

Forth Screen

Further down the page, we also offered other recommendations. For instance, for users with limited cooking time, we suggested quick and easy recipes: Fast and Flavorful Recipes

Finally, the last section on the page displayed new recipes on the app that fit the user's preference.

Personalised Feed

Once users completed the onboarding process, we directed them to their personalized feed. The customization of this feed improved as users interacted more with the app. For instance, on the screen, a user on a high-protein, low-calorie diet with limited cooking time was presented.

Get the Full Picture

First Screen

The feed began by showcasing popular recipe lists from platform creators that aligned with the user's preferences.

Second Screen

Recently Explored showcased recipes the user had previously browsed.

Friend's Favorite only appeared when users had added or followed friends on the app. it exhibited recipes their friends had previously favorited.

Third Screen

Taste Buddies section recommended accounts and creators for the user to follow based on their interests, their social circle, and other people with whom they might connect.

Creator Section highlighted creators recipe lists, personalized based on the user's interactions. This could include creators they followed or just recommendations from us.

Forth Screen

Further down the page, we also offered other recommendations. For instance, for users with limited cooking time, we suggested quick and easy recipes: Fast and Flavorful Recipes

Finally, the last section on the page displayed new recipes on the app that fit the user's preference.

Explore page

We designed an intuitive search experience allowing users to dive into an ocean of recipes and cook lists. The core functionality was to enable users to find exactly what they were looking for, based on specific preferences.

To facilitate the search process, we implemented comprehensive filters. Users could fine-tune their search based on particular ingredients, cooking time, skill level, allergies, or caloric content. The goal was to ensure the Explore page could cater to the diverse needs and preferences of our user base, and by offering precise filtering, we aimed to do just that.

First Screen

The feed began by showcasing popular recipe lists from platform creators that aligned with the user's preferences.

Second Screen

Recently Explored showcased recipes the user had previously browsed.

Friend's Favorite only appeared when users had added or followed friends on the app. it exhibited recipes their friends had previously favorited.

Third Screen

Taste Buddies section recommended accounts and creators for the user to follow based on their interests, their social circle, and other people with whom they might connect.

Creator Section highlighted creators recipe lists, personalized based on the user's interactions. This could include creators they followed or just recommendations from us.

Forth Screen

Further down the page, we also offered other recommendations. For instance, for users with limited cooking time, we suggested quick and easy recipes: Fast and Flavorful Recipes

Finally, the last section on the page displayed new recipes on the app that fit the user's preference.

Community page

The page was designed as an engaging hub for users. The Activity tab was personalized to display updates from followed accounts, friends' cooking activities, new cook lists, and fresh recipes from favorite creators.

In contrast, the Classes tab showcased cooking classes fitting users' interests, with an option to exclusively view classes from followed creators. Comprehensive filter options were included for price, duration, dietary preferences, skill level, and tools requirements. The design focused on smooth transitions between tabs, creating a user-friendly platform.

First Screen

The feed began by showcasing popular recipe lists from platform creators that aligned with the user's preferences.

Second Screen

Recently Explored showcased recipes the user had previously browsed.

Friend's Favorite only appeared when users had added or followed friends on the app. it exhibited recipes their friends had previously favorited.

Third Screen

Taste Buddies section recommended accounts and creators for the user to follow based on their interests, their social circle, and other people with whom they might connect.

Creator Section highlighted creators recipe lists, personalized based on the user's interactions. This could include creators they followed or just recommendations from us.

Forth Screen

Further down the page, we also offered other recommendations. For instance, for users with limited cooking time, we suggested quick and easy recipes: Fast and Flavorful Recipes

Finally, the last section on the page displayed new recipes on the app that fit the user's preference.

Profile Page

In developing the platform, two distinct profiles were established: one for end users and another for creators. The end-user profile presented cooklists users had followed or created, along with key stats such as recipes cooked, followers, and followings.

The creator profile was slightly more complex. We added badges to denote creators, displaying stats like the number of curated recipes and cooklists, along with their followers. Navigation tabs were added for easy access to their recipes, cooklists, and classes. Initially, creators could add new recipes directly from their profiles, with plans to expand this functionality in the future.

First Screen

The feed began by showcasing popular recipe lists from platform creators that aligned with the user's preferences.

Second Screen

Recently Explored showcased recipes the user had previously browsed.

Friend's Favorite only appeared when users had added or followed friends on the app. it exhibited recipes their friends had previously favorited.

Third Screen

Taste Buddies section recommended accounts and creators for the user to follow based on their interests, their social circle, and other people with whom they might connect.

Creator Section highlighted creators recipe lists, personalized based on the user's interactions. This could include creators they followed or just recommendations from us.

Forth Screen

Further down the page, we also offered other recommendations. For instance, for users with limited cooking time, we suggested quick and easy recipes: Fast and Flavorful Recipes

Finally, the last section on the page displayed new recipes on the app that fit the user's preference.

Recipe page

In this page, the recipe's specifics, including the ingredients, step-by-step instructions accompanied by photos, and nutritional values, were clearly presented.

We added a unique feature, mark as cooked, enabling users to track their cooking journey. Once a recipe was marked as cooked, it automatically populated the user's recently cooked cooklist and contributed to their cooking statistics. Furthermore, users were given the option to rate the recipe, but only after they had marked it as cooked. This ensured that reviews were based on actual cooking experiences.

First Screen

The feed began by showcasing popular recipe lists from platform creators that aligned with the user's preferences.

Second Screen

Recently Explored showcased recipes the user had previously browsed.

Friend's Favorite only appeared when users had added or followed friends on the app. it exhibited recipes their friends had previously favorited.

Third Screen

Taste Buddies section recommended accounts and creators for the user to follow based on their interests, their social circle, and other people with whom they might connect.

Creator Section highlighted creators recipe lists, personalized based on the user's interactions. This could include creators they followed or just recommendations from us.

Forth Screen

Further down the page, we also offered other recommendations. For instance, for users with limited cooking time, we suggested quick and easy recipes: Fast and Flavorful Recipes

Finally, the last section on the page displayed new recipes on the app that fit the user's preference.

Testing & Iteration

During the testing phase, we decided to deploy the MVP to a select user group consisting of a mix of creators and consumers via Zoom. This group was formed through our established network, thereby ensuring a reliable and trusted source for feedback. To mimic real-world usage, no explicit instructions were given. Instead, we let our users navigate the platform naturally.

Based on the feedback, we decided to iterate on our product and took two major steps:

Pivot to Website: We moved from a mobile application to a website format. This decision was based on the users' feedback that suggested they were less likely to commit to downloading and installing a new app. Moving to a website format would allow users to use our service without requiring them to make a space commitment on their devices.

Rebranding to The Plate: With the shift in strategy, we felt the need to rebrand the platform. Fible, short for Food Bible, didn't fully reflect the vision of our new platform. Thus, we rebranded to The Plate indicating our focus on offering a "plate" of exclusive, personalized, and high-quality content.

Strategic Shift

The Plate became a unique platform that celebrated the diverse and rich culinary world. We began to focus more on creators with unique skills and content rather than generic recipes. To reflect this shift, we deprioritized the onboarding screen and began to generate personalized recommendations based on users' interactions with the platform.

We also started partnering with high-profile creators, including Michelin star chefs, turning The Plate into an exclusive hub where users could learn from and cook with the best in the industry.

Monetization & Growth Strategy

Our monetization strategy was based on a subscription model. By paying a premium, users could access exclusive content, including advanced cooking techniques, specialized recipes, and more. We also experimented with dynamic pricing to understand our users' willingness to pay for our content.

Our growth strategy was closely tied to our creators. Given their influence and reach, we believed they would be our primary source of user leads. We optimized our website for mobile use, anticipating that most of our traffic would be driven from platforms like Instagram, where our creators have a significant presence.

By having our creators share content about The Plate, we were able to increase our visibility and reach a larger audience.

Retrospective Persona

Based on the data we gathered, as well as the strategic shift we made in the past, we had created new personas that would help us in our development process. We had identified a diverse range of users and creators from different backgrounds and locations, with distinct cooking preferences and habits. This diversity enriched our platform, "The Plate", with a myriad of culinary styles, preferences, and skills, resulting in a more comprehensive and engaging user experience.

User Persona

Dr. Hanna Schneider

Dietician with a keen interest in Mediterranean cuisine

Munich, Germany

Behavior & Habits:

Frequently searches for healthy, Mediterranean recipes to recommend to her clients
Cooks at home frequently, and prefers organic, locally-sourced ingredients
Actively participates in online health and wellness communities
Regularly attends cooking classes to expand her knowledge and skills
Values nutritional balance and flavor in her meals

Goals & Needs:

Wishes to discover authentic Mediterranean recipes that are both healthy and flavorful
Wants to connect with professional chefs specializing in Mediterranean cuisine
Desires a comprehensive resource for nutritional information in recipes
Seeks a platform that allows for interactive learning from the creators
Wants a streamlined and efficient method to organize and store favorite recipes

Frustrations:

Difficulty in finding recipes that combine health, nutrition, and taste
Existing platforms do not provide in-depth nutritional information
Struggles with disorganized and scattered recipe resources

The Plate Use-Case:

To access high-quality, authentic Mediterranean recipes with comprehensive nutritional information, interact directly with specialized creators, and efficiently organize her recipe collection.

Mathis Renault

Professional food critic and a gourmand

Lyon, France

Behavior & Habits:

Constantly seeks unique, gourmet recipes to recreate at home
Appreciates the art and skill of professional chefs and enjoys learning from them
Actively writes about his culinary experiences on his blog and social media
Follows multiple international chefs and food bloggers for inspiration

Goals & Needs:

Desires access to recipes from highly-skilled, specialized chefs
Wants to understand the technique and craft behind each recipe
Seeks a platform that provides high-quality, gourmet recipes
Aims to share his culinary experiences and reviews with a wider audience
Wants to interact directly with professional chefs for detailed insights and tips

Frustrations:

Difficulty in finding gourmet recipes that match restaurant-quality standards
Limited access to professional chefs and their culinary knowledge
The current culinary platforms do not focus on high-skill cooking

The Plate Use-Case:

To access and recreate gourmet recipes from highly-skilled creators, understand the craft behind the recipes, and share his culinary experiences with a larger audience.

Creator Persona

Chef Emilio Romano

a renowned Italian chef based in Rome, known for his expertise in traditional Italian cuisine and innovative gastronomy. He has worked in several Michelin-starred restaurants.

Followers or Influence

Emilio has a substantial online following with over 200k followers on Instagram and 150k subscribers on YouTube. He is recognized for his interactive cooking tutorials and behind-the-scenes glimpses into the life of a professional chef.

Behavior & Habits:

Often shares snippets of his daily life and culinary experiences on social media.
Enjoys trying out new culinary tools and technologies.
Regularly connects with his followers through Q&A sessions.
Frequently attends and hosts culinary workshops and events.
Loves exploring local markets for fresh, seasonal ingredients.

Goals & Needs:

Aspires to share his culinary knowledge with a broader audience.
Wishes to monetize his online presence more effectively.
Seeks new ways to interact with his audience and receive feedback.
Wants to provide exclusive content to his dedicated followers.
Hopes to promote his cooking show and future projects.

Frustrations:

Struggles to manage multiple social media platforms simultaneously.
Finds it challenging to sustainably monetize content on traditional social media.
Feels limited by the lack of direct interaction with his audience on current platforms.
Concerned about the inconsistencies in content reach due to algorithm changes.
Needs more control over his content and followers' data.

The Plate Use-Case:

Emilio would use The Plate to host interactive cooking workshops, share exclusive recipes, and give behind-the-scenes access to his cooking show. He's excited about the potential for direct monetization and closer interactions with his dedicated followers.

Sakura Tanaka

Sakura is a celebrated Japanese pastry chef currently residing in London. She is known for her fusion pastries that combine traditional Japanese flavors with classic French techniques.

Followers or Influence

Sakura boasts a strong online presence, with 180k followers on Instagram and 820k followers on Tiktok. Her visually appealing pastries, along with her enlightening baking tips, have garnered a dedicated following.

Behavior & Habits:

Frequently posts pictures of her unique pastries on Instagram.
Loves to share baking tips and techniques on Twitter.
Enjoys teaching and has hosted several online baking workshops.
Regularly collaborates with other chefs and food brands.
Keeps up with food trends and is always innovating her pastries.

Goals & Needs:

Aims to spread knowledge about fusion pastries and inspire others to bake.
Wishes to connect more personally with her followers.
Aspires to monetize her exclusive baking tutorials and recipes.
Wants to collaborate with other chefs on The Plate.
Seeks a platform that values quality content and supports creators effectively.

Frustrations:

Struggles with the limited opportunities for effective monetization on existing platforms.
Finds it difficult to manage communication with followers across different platforms.
Wishes for a more community-centered platform with active, food-loving users.
Frustrated by the lack of control over her content's visibility due to social media algorithms.
Seeks more opportunities for collaboration with other chefs.

The Plate Use-Case:

Sakura sees The Plate as a platform to host exclusive online baking workshops, share unique fusion pastry recipes, and interact closely with her followers. She is eager to explore collaborations with other creators on The Plate and looks forward to more control over content monetization.

A Shift in Visual Identity: Redefining "The Plate"

In response to a significant strategic shift, we went on an in-depth visual rebranding process. Recognizing that our platform had evolved, we felt it was essential to ensure our visual branding reflected these changes. Collaborating with an established branding agency, we set out to redefine our image and resonate more strongly with our community of food enthusiasts.

Key Visual

We redefined The Plate's key visual to resonate better with our food-centric community. To this end, we decided to represent eating and drinking utensils in an abstract, dynamic manner. Rather than sticking to traditional geometric circles, we deliberately chose an irregular shape for our key visual. This approach was chosen to reflect the fact that food and culinary experiences, much like our new design, are often organic, unexpected, and wonderfully unique. This gave our key visual an inimitable character, one that would make it stand out and be instantly recognizable to our users.

Color Palette

Primary color

HEX #78722A

RGB 120 114 42

Black

HEX #000000

RGB 0 0 0

White

HEX #FFF

RGB 255 255 255

Color Palette

We also undertook a significant change in our color palette. The previous dominant color, a deep blue, was replaced with a vibrant green. This decision was inspired by the association of green with nature, freshness, and of course, many of the ingredients found in cooking. Our chosen green, was selected for its earthy, warm undertones, further reinforcing our platform's connection to natural food and culinary authenticity.

Typography

GT Alpina Fine

in regular and italic

Neue Haas Grostesk

in regular and medium

Typography

We understood that the choice of fonts could significantly impact the overall feel of our platform. We selected GT Alpina Fine in regular and italic for our headlines. The choice of a serif font for titles lent a modern, editorial, and sophisticated vibe to our platform, reflecting our desire to provide high-quality, curated content. For body text and smaller elements, we chose Neue Haas Grotesk in Regular and Medium. This sans serif font acted as a visual counterbalance to our headlines, its clean lines complementing the elegant curvature of GT Alpina Fine. The combination of these two contrasting yet harmonious fonts led to an appealing visual balance, amplifying our modern, stylistic approach.

Epilogue

The evolution of The Plate, transitioning from its initial conception as Fible to its emergence as a premier culinary destination, has been a remarkable and invigorating odyssey. As a UX designer, I had the distinct honor of being deeply involved in this transformative expedition. Along the way, we gained priceless insights into the dynamics of adaptability, user-focused design, and strategic business shaping.

My active engagement with The Plate came to a close in December 2021. Feel free to explore the results of our work by visiting theplate.org and immersing yourself in the vibrant platform we've crafted.

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