Take the reins of your dream restaurant

Choose and customise dozens of kitchen components (cooking surfaces, food processors, ovens, etc.) to build your dream kitchen! Before firing up your burners, organise your team and manage your suppliers to obtain premium ingredients that would impress the most demanding of gourmets.
Track your finances and predict how busy you will be so you are not overwhelmed by the dinner rush!

A menu built around your own tastes

Are you more of a bœuf bourguignon or caccio e pepe type of chef? Build your menu around classic dishes from French, Italian and international cuisine! Are you looking to go beyond just basic recipes? Improve them and take them to new gastronomic heights! Adapt your menu to the seasons and your customers' expectations to make a name for yourself.

Chop, grill, bake, mix and more!

Your cooking and management skills will be put to the test during each service. Your team will provide invaluable help for satisfying your demanding customers. Manage the cutting, cooking and all the preparation, right up to plating where you can add your creative touch.

From local café to Michelin-starred restaurant

Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system
OS: Windows 10
Processor: Intel Core i3-2100 or AMD FX-4100
Memory: 6 GB RAM
Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GTS 450, 1 GB or AMD Radeon HD 5750, 1 GB or Intel HD Graphics 630
DirectX: Version 11
Storage: 7 GB available space

","recommended","Recommended:

Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system
OS: Windows 10
Processor: Intel Core i5-2400 or AMD FX-8350
Memory: 6 GB RAM
Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 760, 2 GB or AMD Radeon HD 7870, 2 GB
DirectX: Version 11
Storage: 7 GB available space

","recommendations",{"_184":288},1779,"mac_requirements",{"_282":291,"_284":292},"Minimum:

","Recommended:

","short_description","Create and manage your dream restaurant! Menus, purchasing, décor, staff, equipment, customers… and don't forget the actual cooking! Experience the daily life of a restaurateur and earn your awards from the Michelin Guide.","linux_requirements",{"_282":291,"_284":292},"content_descriptors",{"_299":300,"_301":-5},"ids",[],"notes","supported_languages","English*, French, Italian, German, Spanish - Spain, Arabic, Dutch, Japanese, Korean, Polish, Portuguese - Brazil, Russian, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese
*languages with full audio support","detailed_description","

Digital Deluxe Edition

The AL FORNO edition of Chef Life: A Restaurant Simulator contains the base game and the following content planned for March:

About the Game

Take the reins of your dream restaurant

A menu built around your own tastes

Chop, grill, bake, mix and more!

From local café to Michelin-starred restaurant

Learn how to keep your customers loyal and grow your restaurant. Learn new recipes and refine your cooking skills. Do you want to become the neighbourhood's favourite hotspot, or will you pursue fine dining and ultimately earn a prestigious star from the Michelin Guide?","is_public","latest_result",{"_31":309,"_14":15,"_310":311,"_312":313,"_314":315,"_378":379,"_426":427,"_463":464,"_490":491,"_520":521,"_560":561,"_649":650,"_707":708,"_715":716,"_717":718,"_746":51,"_306":51},"b294b9a6-3465-4599-8028-378eda4862dc","created_at","2025-08-31T13:51:47.835983","updated_at","2025-08-31T14:09:48.753","positiveSummary",[316,327,333,339,344,349,355,361,367,372],{"_317":318,"_319":320,"_321":322,"_323":324,"_325":326},"point","Engaging and Addictive Gameplay","weight",0.9379247970151883,"importance",0.95,"clusterSize",311,"explanation","Players consistently find the game highly enjoyable, addictive, and a great way to pass time. The gameplay loop is satisfying, offering a balance of challenge and relaxation that keeps players immersed for hours, often losing track of time. Many consider it a 'comfort game' due to its engaging nature and intuitive design.",{"_317":328,"_319":329,"_321":330,"_323":331,"_325":332},"Realistic & Immersive Cooking Simulation",0.9275629598702246,0.9,312,"The game excels as a cooking simulator, offering a detailed and immersive experience that many consider superior to other titles in the genre. Players appreciate the realistic recipes, detailed cooking steps, and the feeling of genuinely being a chef, often inspiring them to cook in real life. The ability to customize dishes and manage kitchen workflow adds to the depth.",{"_317":334,"_319":335,"_321":336,"_323":337,"_325":338},"Comprehensive Restaurant Management",0.3139189288746404,0.85,75,"Beyond cooking, the game provides a robust restaurant management simulation. Players enjoy the freedom to customize their restaurant's theme, menu, and layout, as well as managing staff and finances. This aspect allows for strategic depth and a sense of progression as they build their culinary empire.",{"_317":340,"_319":341,"_321":342,"_323":133,"_325":343},"Highly Customizable Difficulty & Settings",0.15161348131858554,0.8,"A significant strength is the game's extensive customization options, particularly for difficulty. Players can adjust various settings, such as customer patience or cooking realism, to tailor the experience to their preference, making it accessible for both casual and hardcore players.",{"_317":345,"_319":346,"_321":347,"_323":142,"_325":348},"Rich Variety of Dishes and Recipes",0.125379928468837,0.75,"The game offers a vast and diverse selection of dishes and recipes, ensuring that gameplay remains fresh and engaging. Players enjoy learning new menus, upgrading existing dishes, and appreciate the creative and often realistic nature of the culinary offerings.",{"_317":350,"_319":351,"_321":352,"_323":353,"_325":354},"Appealing Graphics and Visuals",0.08943546702127075,0.7,15,"Reviewers consistently praise the game's graphics, describing them as gorgeous, beautiful, and detailed. The visual quality contributes to the immersive experience, with food looking particularly appetizing and the overall aesthetic being charming and well-produced.",{"_317":356,"_319":357,"_321":358,"_323":359,"_325":360},"Creative Dish Plating Freedom",0.08336642744383146,0.65,14,"The game's free plating system is a standout feature, allowing players significant creative control over how they present their dishes. This customization adds a fun and artistic dimension to the cooking process, enhancing player satisfaction.",{"_317":362,"_319":363,"_321":364,"_323":365,"_325":366},"Engaging Story and Progression",0.05131293027784923,0.5,8,"The game includes story elements and quests that guide players through the progression of their restaurant. This narrative structure, combined with relationship building and customer satisfaction goals, adds depth and motivation for continued play.",{"_317":368,"_319":369,"_321":370,"_323":365,"_325":371},"Valuable DLC Expansions",0.04852877324364091,0.4,"The available DLCs, such as the Pizza and Sushi packs, are well-received and considered worthwhile additions. They introduce new cuisines and content, further enhancing the game's replayability and value.",{"_317":373,"_319":374,"_321":375,"_323":376,"_325":377},"Minor Bugs, Actively Addressed",0.040857394555987865,0.3,7,"While some minor bugs are present, they are generally considered negligible and do not significantly detract from the overall experience. Players note that developers are responsive in fixing issues, indicating good post-launch support.","negativeSummary",[380,385,390,396,401,406,411,416,422],{"_317":381,"_319":382,"_321":336,"_323":383,"_325":384},"Repetitive & Tedious Gameplay Loop",0.9601845894041878,333,"The game quickly becomes repetitive and boring, especially in the late game, due to a lack of variety in mechanics, dishes, and activities. Tasks like ingredient ordering, cooking the same dishes, and managing limited staff become a tiresome grind, making the game feel like a chore rather than an enjoyable experience.",{"_317":386,"_319":387,"_321":322,"_323":388,"_325":389},"Numerous Game-Breaking Bugs",0.7382085238661389,226,"Players report frequent, severe bugs including freezing, crashes, getting stuck in screens (especially the stove/seasoning UI), and progress-halting issues. These bugs often necessitate restarting the game or losing significant progress, leading to immense frustration and making the game unplayable for many.",{"_317":391,"_319":392,"_321":393,"_323":394,"_325":395},"Clunky & Inconsistent Controls",0.702477297370008,0.88,217,"Many players find the keyboard and mouse controls awkward, unintuitive, and inconsistent, with conflicting keybindings and unresponsive actions. This makes basic interactions, cooking, and plating frustrating, detracting significantly from the gameplay experience.",{"_317":397,"_319":398,"_321":352,"_323":399,"_325":400},"Frustrating Tutorial & Poor Guidance",0.5621513669971352,174,"The tutorial is widely criticized as confusing, unskippable, and often bugged, preventing players from progressing. Beyond the tutorial, the game offers poor guidance for quests and challenges, forcing players to rely on external guides and making initial engagement difficult.",{"_317":402,"_319":403,"_321":342,"_323":404,"_325":405},"Lack of Developer Support & Updates",0.54066983089041,158,"A significant concern is the perceived abandonment of the game by developers, with players noting a lack of recent updates, bug fixes, and new content. This leads to frustration over persistent issues and a feeling that the game's potential is unfulfilled.",{"_317":407,"_319":408,"_321":358,"_323":409,"_325":410},"Limited Creativity & Dish Variety",0.5010876939129866,153,"Players desire more freedom and creativity in dish creation, noting that the game's recipe system is restrictive. There's also a strong demand for greater recipe diversity, particularly for desserts, appetizers, and beverages, to enhance the cooking experience.",{"_317":412,"_319":413,"_321":347,"_323":414,"_325":415},"Unfinished & Unpolished State",0.49625398791301145,144,"Players frequently describe the game as feeling unfinished, unpolished, or like an early access title. This sentiment stems from numerous bugs, poor UI, generic story elements, and a general lack of refinement in various details, leading to disappointment and a feeling of wasted money.",{"_317":417,"_319":418,"_321":419,"_323":420,"_325":421},"Ineffective & Problematic Sous Chefs",0.43967835467705824,0.6,132,"Sous chefs are a source of mixed feelings; while they become overly efficient in the late game, making the player feel useless, they are initially unhelpful and complain about non-cooking tasks. Their progression is slow, tied to grindy quests, and often bugged, hindering overall restaurant management.",{"_317":423,"_319":424,"_321":364,"_323":130,"_325":425},"Unfair Customer Patience & Flow",0.10957874863261509,"Customers are perceived as overly impatient, demanding food in unrealistically short times, which adds stress to gameplay. Conversely, there are too few customers, leading to long waiting times between orders and making the restaurant feel empty, regardless of expansion.","gameplaySummary",[428,433,437,442,445,450,455,459],{"_317":429,"_319":430,"_321":322,"_323":431,"_325":432},"Comprehensive Restaurant Simulation",0.4875905056108128,130,"The game offers a detailed restaurant simulation experience, encompassing cooking, team management, menu creation, and restaurant customization. Players engage in every step from ingredient procurement to plating and serving, with options to adjust difficulty and delegate tasks.",{"_317":434,"_319":435,"_321":336,"_323":133,"_325":436},"Adjustable Difficulty & Learning Curve",0.1539288606128534,"The game features a significant learning curve at the beginning due to many mechanics introduced simultaneously. However, it offers extensive difficulty customization, allowing players to tailor the experience from a 'zen' mode to a 'true simulation' by enabling or disabling various tedious elements and time constraints.",{"_317":438,"_319":439,"_321":342,"_323":440,"_325":441},"Strategic Time & Resource Management",0.13564204479681755,25,"Core gameplay revolves around time management, planning, and multitasking, especially during the service phase. Players must strategically manage ingredient orders, prep work, and coordinate tasks to avoid stress and meet customer demands, though some inventory aspects are loose.",{"_317":443,"_319":346,"_321":347,"_323":142,"_325":444},"Sous Chef Delegation & Progression","Sous chefs are integral to the gameplay, assisting with various tasks from cleaning to cooking. As they level up, they can take on more responsibilities, allowing players to delegate more and focus on higher-level tasks or new recipe development.",{"_317":446,"_319":447,"_321":358,"_323":448,"_325":449},"Restaurant & Dish Progression",0.07885925652091648,13,"Players can continuously improve their restaurant through decoration and equipment upgrades. The game also features a system for upgrading and unlocking new dishes, contributing to a sense of progression towards goals like Michelin stars.",{"_317":451,"_319":452,"_321":419,"_323":453,"_325":454},"Daytime Prep & Challenges",0.07279315986546135,12,"The game includes a daytime phase dedicated to pre-cooking, ingredient ordering, and completing delivery challenges. These activities are crucial for earning funds and preparing for the evening service, with options to adjust time constraints for deliveries.",{"_317":456,"_319":457,"_321":352,"_323":376,"_325":458},"Detailed & Customizable Plating",0.05049691712073001,"A standout feature is the detailed and customizable plating system. Players can manually arrange dishes, save their designs, and even perform plating during cleanup, adding a creative and personal touch to the culinary experience.",{"_317":460,"_319":461,"_321":370,"_323":177,"_325":462},"Dish Preservation & Spoilage",0.03411216831961373,"Cooked dishes do not spoil, and cold dishes can be pre-made and stored. However, hot dishes generally cannot be preserved overnight and must be prepared fresh or placed on a warming table after business hours for the next day.","performanceSummary",[465,470,474,478,482,486],{"_317":466,"_319":467,"_321":352,"_323":468,"_325":469},"Performance and Optimization Issues",0.04498365841274062,6,"While some players report excellent optimization and smooth performance, others experience stuttering, lag, and FPS drops, especially during intense action. Adjusting graphics settings can sometimes mitigate these issues.",{"_317":471,"_319":472,"_321":358,"_323":173,"_325":473},"Audio Glitches and Distortion",0.03257918062785533,"Several players have noted issues with the game's audio, including distorted sound effects and instances where sound effects randomly fail to play. There are also reports of background music missing during specific scenes.",{"_317":475,"_319":476,"_321":342,"_323":127,"_325":477},"Excellent Steam Deck Performance",0.020403835728619008,"The game is consistently praised for running exceptionally well on the Steam Deck, with smooth performance and no reported bugs or crashes on the platform.",{"_317":479,"_319":480,"_321":364,"_323":127,"_325":481},"Low System Requirements",0.018141860481009853,"The game appears to be well-optimized for lower-end hardware, with players noting it can run on less powerful PCs without overtaxing components like the video card.",{"_317":483,"_319":484,"_321":370,"_323":162,"_325":485},"Controller Improves Movement",0.010201917864309504,"Players have found that switching to a controller significantly enhances the smoothness of character movement.",{"_317":487,"_319":488,"_321":375,"_323":162,"_325":489},"Good Resolution Support",0.009493954336686938,"The game supports a maximum resolution of 2560x1440, which provides a sharp and playable image for users.","recommendationSummary",[492,497,502,506,511,516],{"_317":493,"_319":494,"_321":330,"_323":495,"_325":496},"Generally Recommended, Especially on Sale",0.46710010185163836,125,"Many players recommend the game, often highlighting its appeal to fans of simulation and management genres. However, a significant portion suggests purchasing it during a sale due to concerns about its full price or existing issues. Some players also note its suitability for casual play or specific interests like cooking.",{"_317":498,"_319":499,"_321":322,"_323":500,"_325":501},"Excellent for Cooking/Restaurant Sim Fans",0.19383643942188056,38,"The game is highly praised by enthusiasts of cooking, restaurant management, and gastronomy simulations. Many consider it one of the best in its genre, offering a relaxing yet engaging experience for those who enjoy detailed culinary processes and managing their own virtual kitchen.",{"_317":503,"_319":504,"_321":336,"_323":500,"_325":505},"Bugs and Technical Issues Persist",0.1885207911940128,"Despite positive aspects, a notable number of players express frustration with persistent bugs and balancing issues. These technical problems lead some to not recommend the game in its current state, with a few even requesting refunds or hesitating to buy DLCs until fixes are implemented.",{"_317":507,"_319":508,"_321":358,"_323":509,"_325":510},"Anticipation for Future Content",0.1585917600515843,33,"Many players are eager for future updates and expansions, particularly hoping for more dishes, including desserts and drinks. There's a clear interest in acquiring DLCs to further explore and expand their in-game restaurants.",{"_317":512,"_319":513,"_321":342,"_323":514,"_325":515},"Desire for Multiplayer/Co-op Mode",0.11901557322199019,21,"A strong sentiment among players is the desire for a multiplayer or co-op mode. Many believe that playing with friends would significantly enhance the game's excitement and overall fun, with some even stating they would repurchase or play again if this feature were added.",{"_317":517,"_319":518,"_321":419,"_323":127,"_325":519},"Controller Play Preferred",0.018987908673373875,"Some feedback indicates that playing the game with a controller is significantly easier and more intuitive than using a keyboard and mouse. The game's design, with its non-excessive detail in controls, seems to be geared towards console players.","miscSummary",[522,527,532,537,542,548,553,557],{"_317":523,"_319":524,"_321":322,"_323":525,"_325":526},"Desire for New Content & DLC",0.34194911994498256,81,"Players consistently express a strong desire for more content, particularly new cuisines (Asian, Mexican, Indian, Greek, Spanish) and dessert-focused DLCs. Many also hope for general updates, events, and story expansions to keep the game fresh.",{"_317":528,"_319":529,"_321":347,"_323":530,"_325":531},"Improve Quality of Life Features",0.2378085476487988,54,"Players suggest various quality-of-life improvements, such as adding a dishwasher, more chef customization options, better inventory management (e.g., upgrading fridges, keeping prepped items), and the ability to disable repetitive animations. There's also a request for more control over chef dialogue.",{"_317":533,"_319":534,"_321":358,"_323":535,"_325":536},"Expand Restaurant Management Mechanics",0.2357958646753181,56,"Reviewers wish for deeper management elements, including the ability to hire dishwashers, more customer interactions, and the option to adjust decorations or access ingredients after closing hours. Some also desire more control over customer flow and the ability to view recipes before upgrading.",{"_317":538,"_319":539,"_321":336,"_323":540,"_325":541},"Demand for Multiplayer Mode",0.18478761038807937,37,"A significant portion of the feedback highlights the potential for a multiplayer or co-op mode, suggesting it would greatly enhance the game's fun and appeal. Players envision both story-based and separate multiplayer experiences, often specifically mentioning 2-4 player kitchen co-op.",{"_317":543,"_319":544,"_321":545,"_323":546,"_325":547},"Minor Bug & Refund Issues",0.1173320112507735,0.15,36,"One player mentioned a bug that often appears after 10+ hours of gameplay, leading to a refund being impossible. Another noted a bug fix would change their review to positive, indicating some technical issues.",{"_317":549,"_319":550,"_321":551,"_323":127,"_325":552},"Broad Audience Appeal",0.012132193310910228,0.1,"The game is perceived as suitable for a wide range of ages, from kids and teens to adults and grandmas, indicating its accessibility and broad appeal.",{"_317":554,"_319":484,"_321":555,"_323":127,"_325":556},"Game Size & Scope",0.05,"One reviewer described the game as having a 'workable size' and 'old fashioned' in its scope, which could be interpreted as either a positive for focused gameplay or a subtle hint for more expansive content.",{"_317":558,"_319":484,"_321":555,"_323":127,"_325":559},"Specific Player Experiences","This point captures very specific, individual player experiences such as strict adherence to A+ meal standards or specific sous chef assignments, which are not broadly applicable but reflect individual gameplay styles. This is based on limited, low-quality feedback.","emotionsSummary",[562,567,572,577,582,587,592,597,601,605,608,613,617,621,626,631,635,638,642,646],{"_317":563,"_319":564,"_321":564,"_323":565,"_325":566},"Satisfaction",0.22257383966244726,211,"Players feel satisfied by the game's realistic and detailed cooking simulation, extensive customization options, and engaging management mechanics. The ability to evolve recipes and restaurants, achieve perfect scores, and experience smooth, intuitive gameplay contributes to a highly positive and rewarding experience, often described as an excellent investment and a complete simulator for its niche.",{"_317":568,"_319":569,"_321":569,"_323":570,"_325":571},"Frustration",0.18881856540084388,179,"Frustration primarily stems from numerous game-breaking bugs, poor performance (frame drops, freezes), and unintuitive or clunky controls. Players also experience frustration due to unclear tutorials, inconsistent progression, unrealistic time constraints, and issues with AI assistants, leading to lost progress and repetitive tasks.",{"_317":573,"_319":574,"_321":574,"_323":575,"_325":576},"Disappointment",0.11181434599156118,106,"Disappointment arises from the game's technical execution failing to meet the potential of its concept, particularly due to unaddressed bugs and a perceived lack of developer support or updates. Players are also disappointed by limited content (e.g., lack of desserts, multiplayer), repetitive late-game mechanics, and a feeling that the game is unfinished or abandoned, leading to a loss of novelty and enjoyment.",{"_317":578,"_319":579,"_321":579,"_323":580,"_325":581},"Enjoyment",0.06751054852320675,64,"Players enjoy the game for its fun, addictive, and immersive cooking experience, often highlighting the variety of dishes, detailed gameplay, and engaging restaurant management. The initial hours of gameplay, the ability to redecorate, and the overall positive experience contribute to a strong sense of enjoyment, making it a great way to pass time.",{"_317":583,"_319":584,"_321":584,"_323":585,"_325":586},"Excitement",0.06645569620253164,63,"Excitement is generated by the game's immersive and dynamic cooking process, extensive customization, and the thrill of managing a restaurant. Players express excitement over the game's quality, its potential for future content (DLC, multiplayer), and the feeling of becoming a successful chef, often considering it the best cooking simulator they've played.",{"_317":588,"_319":589,"_321":589,"_323":590,"_325":591},"Joy",0.0580168776371308,55,"Joy comes from the game's fun and addictive nature, offering a therapeutic and engaging experience. Players find joy in the customization options, mini-games, learning realistic recipes, and the overall process of running their own restaurant, often losing track of time due to the immersive and enjoyable gameplay.",{"_317":593,"_319":594,"_321":594,"_323":595,"_325":596},"Desire",0.043248945147679324,41,"Players express a strong desire for more content, including additional staff, kitchen space, and a wider variety of recipes (especially desserts, beverages, and specific cuisines like Chinese or Thai). There is also a significant desire for quality-of-life improvements, more development, and the implementation of a multiplayer or co-op mode.",{"_317":598,"_319":599,"_321":599,"_323":142,"_325":600},"Love",0.024261603375527425,"Players love the game for its authentic and detailed cooking mechanics, replayability, and cozy theme, often describing it as everything they wanted in a cooking game. The core gameplay and its potential for a balanced, enjoyable experience contribute to a deep affection for the game.",{"_317":602,"_319":603,"_321":603,"_323":130,"_325":604},"Hope",0.023206751054852322,"Hope is centered on the game's future, with players wishing for bug fixes, more updates, and new content, particularly additional DLCs and the implementation of a multiplayer mode. This emotion reflects a belief in the game's potential despite current issues, with players looking forward to future refinements and expansions.",{"_317":606,"_319":603,"_321":603,"_323":130,"_325":607},"Anger","Anger is primarily caused by severe, game-breaking bugs that lead to lost progress, inability to play, or frustrating design flaws. Players express strong dissatisfaction with the game's poor quality, perceived developer laziness in addressing issues, and the feeling that their time and money have been wasted.",{"_317":609,"_319":610,"_321":610,"_323":611,"_325":612},"Boredom",0.017932489451476793,17,"Boredom sets in due to repetitive missions, a change in core mechanics after initial hours, and the game becoming tedious in the late stages when staff become too competent or there's nothing new to do. The waiting periods and slow progression also contribute to a feeling of monotony.",{"_317":614,"_319":615,"_321":615,"_323":359,"_325":616},"Stress",0.014767932489451477,"Stress arises from the realistic pressure and intensity of the service phase, including managing time, organization, and the constant threat of food burning. The game's inherent challenge and the feeling of working in a real kitchen, especially when dealing with complex dishes and interaction issues, contribute to this emotion.",{"_317":618,"_319":619,"_321":619,"_323":448,"_325":620},"Addiction",0.013713080168776372,"Players become addicted to the game due to its engaging and enjoyable gameplay loop, often leading them to spend hours daily without realizing it. The immersive cooking experience and the unexpected fun make it hard to stop playing, particularly after overcoming the initial learning curve.",{"_317":622,"_319":623,"_321":623,"_323":624,"_325":625},"Relaxation",0.011603375527426161,11,"Relaxation is achieved through the game's customizable casual gameplay and options that allow players to avoid rushing, such as adjustable difficulty and the ability to deactivate food burning. Playing in a 'relax mode' or with specific settings provides a chill and comfortable experience, making it a good game for unwinding.",{"_317":627,"_319":628,"_321":628,"_323":629,"_325":630},"Confusion",0.00949367088607595,9,"Confusion stems from unclear game design, ambiguous mechanics (e.g., upgraded recipes, time allocation), and uncertainty about specific interactions being bugs. Players also express confusion regarding progression, when to hire staff, and the rationale behind certain in-game requirements.",{"_317":632,"_319":633,"_321":633,"_323":376,"_325":634},"Annoyance",0.007383966244725738,"Annoyance is caused by repetitive dialogue from helper cooks, broken mechanics related to employee morale, and frequent game-breaking bugs. Tedious elements, unrealistic game mechanics, and issues with chef AI and notifications also contribute to this feeling.",{"_317":636,"_319":633,"_321":633,"_323":376,"_325":637},"Surprise","Players are surprised by the game exceeding their expectations, particularly regarding its unexpected level of fun and its ability to teach real-life cooking skills. The game's difficulty and the reviewer's newfound interest in cooking, despite disliking it in real life, also contribute to this surprise.",{"_317":639,"_319":640,"_321":640,"_323":468,"_325":641},"Mild frustration",0.006329113924050633,"Mild frustration is caused by weak guidance for challenges, control bugs, and slow progression. Unreasonable keyboard keybinds, scripts not always working, missable achievements, and customer behavior also contribute to this less intense form of frustration.",{"_317":643,"_319":644,"_321":644,"_323":177,"_325":645},"Challenge",0.005274261603375527,"The game presents a significant challenge, especially at the beginning, requiring players to anticipate mise en place, manage rush hour, and handle stress and organization effectively. The difficulty of simulating a chef's life and the need for strategic planning contribute to this challenging experience.",{"_317":647,"_319":644,"_321":644,"_323":177,"_325":648},"Relief","Relief is experienced when players find solutions to bugs, such as adjusting graphics to prevent stutters or using a controller to improve controls. Not encountering game-breaking bugs or being able to turn off stressful timers also contributes to a sense of relief.","gameInfo",{"_651":652,"_659":660,"_668":669},"usage",{"_653":654,"_655":656,"_657":658},"totalTokens",7957,"promptTokens",7112,"completionTokens",845,"gameCategories",[661,662,663,664,665,128,666,667],"Management Simulation","Cooking Game","Resource Management","Time Management","Equipment Customization","Character Management","Progression System","mostRequestedFeatures",[670,673,676,679,682,685,688,691,694,697,701,704],{"_317":671,"_321":322,"_325":672},"Bug fixes and stability improvements","Players report frequent, severe bugs including freezing, crashes, getting stuck in screens, and progress-halting issues, often necessitating restarts or loss of progress.",{"_317":674,"_321":330,"_325":675},"More content variety (dishes, cuisines, activities)","Players desire more variety in dishes, including desserts, appetizers, beverages, and new cuisines (e.g., Asian, Mexican). They also want more activities and general content updates to prevent gameplay from becoming repetitive.",{"_317":677,"_321":336,"_325":678},"Multiplayer/Co-op mode","A strong desire exists for a multiplayer or co-op mode, specifically 2-4 player kitchen co-op, to enhance the game's fun and replayability.",{"_317":680,"_321":342,"_325":681},"Improved keyboard and mouse controls","Many players find the keyboard and mouse controls awkward, unintuitive, and inconsistent, with conflicting keybindings and unresponsive actions, making basic interactions frustrating.",{"_317":683,"_321":347,"_325":684},"Improved and skippable tutorial with better in-game guidance","The tutorial is criticized as confusing, unskippable, and bugged. Players also need better guidance for quests and challenges beyond the tutorial.",{"_317":686,"_321":352,"_325":687},"More frequent updates and developer support","Players note a lack of recent updates, bug fixes, and new content, leading to frustration over persistent issues and a feeling that the game's potential is unfulfilled.",{"_317":689,"_321":358,"_325":690},"Improved Sous Chef AI and progression system","Sous chefs are initially unhelpful and complain, but become overly efficient later. Their progression is slow and bugged, hindering effective restaurant management.",{"_317":692,"_321":419,"_325":693},"User Interface (UI) improvements","Players frequently describe the game as feeling unpolished, citing poor UI as a contributing factor.",{"_317":695,"_321":419,"_325":696},"Quality of life improvements","Players request features like a dishwasher, better inventory management (e.g., fridge upgrades, persistent prepped items), and the option to disable repetitive animations.",{"_317":698,"_321":699,"_325":700},"Rebalance customer patience and flow",0.55,"Customers are perceived as overly impatient, demanding food too quickly, yet there are too few customers overall, leading to long waits and an empty restaurant feel.",{"_317":702,"_321":364,"_325":703},"Deeper restaurant management elements","Reviewers wish for more customer interactions, the ability to adjust decorations or access ingredients after closing hours, and more control over customer flow.",{"_317":705,"_321":370,"_325":706},"Ability to view recipes before upgrading","Players desire the option to view the details of recipes before committing to upgrading them.","summary",[709,710,711,712,713,714],"Engaging, addictive cooking simulation","Comprehensive restaurant management","Repetitive, tedious gameplay loop","Numerous game-breaking bugs","Clunky, inconsistent controls","Frustrating tutorial, poor guidance","result_at","2025-08-31T13:53:18.713","result_stats",{"_719":720,"_721":722,"_737":738,"_739":740,"_741":742,"_743":365,"_744":720,"_745":156},"totalReviews",604,"featureCounts",{"_723":724,"_725":726,"_727":728,"_729":730,"_731":732,"_733":734,"_735":736},"emotions",1027,"miscPoints",185,"gameplayPoints",429,"negativePoints",1149,"positivePoints",1315,"performancePoints",20,"recommendationPoints",235,"totalNegative",147,"totalPositive",331,"totalHelpfulReviews",478,"totalProtestReviews","totalFilteredReviews","totalProhibitedReviews","has_podcast","results",[749],{"_715":750},["D",1756648398713],"image","https://shared.cloudflare.steamstatic.com/store_item_assets/steam/apps/1122340/library_600x900.jpg","image_fallback","gamesCount","page","search",[758,760,762,764,766,768,770,772],{"_31":759,"_16":666},"6653bdf4-baa3-423b-9486-f56b385ff7de",{"_31":761,"_16":662},"6c4ff2b4-1302-4c98-8010-c25c9354a00c",{"_31":763,"_16":665},"80dbc12d-1c06-4dfb-8f6d-12cab57989a5",{"_31":765,"_16":661},"a0fca1e1-2b4c-4d0a-880b-65ac90388a5f",{"_31":767,"_16":667},"e8b6ffbe-1785-494f-ad1f-a91ddc8a693c",{"_31":769,"_16":663},"d901da7c-66b3-4ded-909a-d96f94e3e9c2",{"_31":771,"_16":128},"f6bc5b1d-c1f8-444a-bd9f-5b98f84fd33b",{"_31":773,"_16":664},"86bff97b-919d-4483-88e8-01baf428bcee","initialCategories",[776],{"_31":767,"_16":667},"actionData","errors"]

All Games1

Chef Life: A Restaurant Simulator