Watch first
The 5 minute how-to-play video
Follow this easy recipe and and you'll be plating recipes before the pot boils.
Printable rulebook
Take the rules to the table.
Prefer a physical copy? Download the illustrated Order Up, Chef! booklet and keep it next to the deck for your first few games. It covers setup, turn order, every card type and the quick-reference Service Guide — all in one printable PDF.
Setup in 60 seconds
Full card glossary
Out-of-turn timing guide
Print-friendly A4 / Letter
Section A
Aim of the game
Collect ingredients for recipes, serve them to your menu and be the first chef to reach 5 stars. Sabotage is not just allowed... it's encouraged.
Collect
Ingredients from Supply
Serve
Recipes worth 0.5–2 ★
Sabotage
Play Demand cards
Section B · Setup
Set the table
Separate the cards into four stacks. Deal a Service Guide to each chef. Shuffle the other three, place them face-down, and leave room for a discard pile next to each.
Deck 1
Service Guide
A quick reminder of gameplay. Deal one to every chef.
Deck 2
Recipe
Face-up in the middle. 3 for 2–3 players, 4 for 4–5 players.
Deck 3
Supply
Face-down deck. Your source of ingredients. Discard pile alongside.
Deck 4
Demand
Face-down deck. Actions, buffs and sabotage. Discard pile alongside.
Running low? If any deck empties, shuffle its discard pile and use it to replenish. The kitchen doesn't close until we have a winner!
Section C · Your main cards
Three decks, one kitchen.
Recipe
The cards every chef is fighting for. Serve them to your menu and add the stars to your score. Worth 0.5 - 2 ★ each.
Supply
Your ingredients. Collect and match them to the ingredients on a Recipe to plate it up.
Demand
Your action cards. Buffs, sabotage and chaos. Play as many as you like, but read them carefully.
Section E · Order of play
A turn in five steps.
01
Draw one Supply
Take the top Supply card and place it face-up in front of you. It's now one of your ingredients for all chefs to see.
02
Draw one Demand
Take the top Demand card and keep it hidden in your hand. If it's a Meltdown, play it immediately.
03
Play Demand cards
Play as many Demands as you like, but any that say 'TURN ENDS' end your go, so choose your order carefully.
04
Serve a Recipe
Spend ingredients to claim a Recipe on order. Add the stars to your score. Serving a Recipe ends your turn, play it last.
05
New order up!
Replace the served Recipe with a new one from the stack. Shout 'order up!' to let the other chefs know.
Hand limit
You can hold a maximum of five Supply and five Demand cards. Draw a sixth? Discard one immediately and continue.
Timing
Some Demand cards are worth holding onto. Read them carefully, the right card at the right moment wins games!
Food groups
Five ingredients. One wildcard.
Every ingredient falls into one of five colour-coded food groups. Ingredients always appear on Recipe cards in the same order (Protein → Sauce), so line yours up the same way and spot your plays faster.
Secret Ingredient
The wildcard. Use a Secret Ingredient in place of any food group when claiming a Recipe. Hoard them for the perfect moment.
Section F · Recipes
Claim a Recipe
Collect the matching ingredients from in front of you, place them onto the Supply discard pile, and put the Recipe face-up on your menu. Add its stars (0.5–2 ★) to your score.
Remember: serving a Recipe ends your turn. Always play it last.
1.5
Worked example
Tofu Curry
Main course · Sous chef
You need
Protein
1x
Carb
1x
Veg
1x
Dairy
1X
sauce
1X
Spend those five ingredients (or use a Secret Ingredient to replace any of them), slide the Recipe onto your menu and bank the 1.5 ★. Then… your turn ends.
Section G · Demand cards
The little extras that win games.
Read a Demand card aloud, place it face-up on the Demand discard pile, then take action. Play as many as you like on your turn — but those that say 'YOUR TURN ENDS' end your go.
Menu addition
Salt & Pepper
Play as you serve a main course Recipe to boost it by +0.5 ★. Locked on for the rest of the game — no swapping, no removing.
Menu addition
Cloche
Slide onto any of your Recipes to protect it from theft or disposal. Play on your turn — not while a Recipe is actively being stolen.
Menu addition
Bad Review
Add to another chef's menu on your turn to knock their score down by 0.5 ★. That's got to burn.
Meltdown
If you draw a Meltdown, play it right away and follow its instructions. No holding, no hiding.
Play immediately
Spice It Up
Affects you or one other chef. Most play on your turn — but watch for underlined timing like 'at any time' or 'as they serve it'.
Targeted advantage
Stir The Pot
Bigger, messier Spice It Up cards. Every chef (including you) gets caught in the mixing pot.
Affects everyone
Combos worth learning
Serve smarter.
Two Spice It Up cards that turn a scrappy hand into a full plate. Combine them on the same Recipe for extra power.
The Magic Touch
Missing an ingredient? Play this and serve as if you had it. These are stackable, two Magic Touches means you need two fewer ingredients.
Wild Herbs
Double up one ingredient when serving a Recipe (excluding Secret Ingredients). Each ingredient can only be doubled once.
Section H · Out of turn
Three cards that break the rules.
These Spice It Up cards can be played at any time, even when it's not your turn. Keep them close!
1
Out Of The Frying Pan
Block any Spice It Up or Meltdown card used directly against you. Does not block Stir The Pot.
2
Undercover Critic
Stop any single action made by another chef during game play.
3
Dropped Plate
Force a chef to immediately discard a Recipe as they serve it. Their turn ends.
Top tips
How to win the crown.
1
Arrange your Supply cards Protein → Sauce (red → purple), it matches the order on Recipes and speeds up every turn.
2
Save Cloches for your highest scoring Recipes. Losing a 2-star plate to a rival is worse than losing two 0.5-star ones.
3
Wild Herbs + The Magic Touch on the same Recipe = huge plays from thin hands.
4
Watch the hand limit, five Supply and five Demand max. Draw a sixth and you must discard immediately.
5
Some Demand cards are worth holding, not spending. Timing is key to any fine dish.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions.
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