In modern life, time is often our greatest enemy. Whenever someone asks, "What shall we eat today?" a wave of helpless anxiety inevitably surges in our hearts. However, with the continuous development of technology, we can easily tackle this problem with the help of intelligent assistants.

Today, AIbase is going to introduce you to a very popular MCP application - HowToCook-MCP Server. This application ingeniously combines AI technology with food preparation and aims to be your "personal chef", enabling you to enjoy different delicious foods every day.

This MCP application doesn't just offer simple recipes. It's more like a smart assistant that can understand your dietary preferences and health needs.

Through the Model Context Protocol (MCP), HowToCook-MCP Server can accurately interpret users' needs and thus provide personalized diet plans. Whether you want to eat home - cooked dishes, special local dishes, or try exotic flavors, you can find suitable options here, making your dining table rich and colorful.

Highlights of Core Functions

1. Rich recipe query service. HowToCook-MCP Server has a vast recipe database. Users can easily query a wide variety of recipes, whether they are traditional home - cooked dishes or cuisines from around the world, all at their fingertips. The diverse recipe options can make every meal full of surprises and help you get rid of the trouble of "what to eat".
2. Category query for precise positioning. To avoid information overload, HowToCook-MCP Server is specially equipped with a category query function. Users can select recipes from different categories such as seafood, breakfast, meat, or staple foods according to their taste preferences, quickly find their favorite foods, and save a lot of time.
3. Intelligent meal planning function. The biggest highlight of this application lies in its intelligent meal planning function. Whether you are allergic to certain ingredients or have special dietary taboos, just input the corresponding information, and HowToCook-MCP Server will customize a one - week diet plan for you, ensuring diet diversity and nutritional balance, allowing you to easily handle every meal.
4. Random menu recommendation service. If you are hesitant when choosing foods, the random menu recommendation function of HowToCook-MCP Server can come in handy. Just tell it the number of diners, and it will randomly recommend a dinner menu, enabling you to boldly try new dishes and break the monotony of your diet.

Configuration Methods and Processes

To use HowToCook-MCP Server, you need some basic tools and steps:

Prerequisites

• Node.js version 16.0.0 or higher
• npm or yarn

Installation Steps

1. Clone the project code: Open the command line and run the following commands:

 git clone https://github.com/worryzyy/howtocook-mcp.git cd howtocook-mcp

2. Install dependencies: This step is like preparing various ingredients. Run:

 npm install

3. Compile the code: Just like cooking delicious food, compile the code:

 npm run build

4. Start the server: Let's get started:

npm start

5. Configure the MCP client:

It is recommended to use Cursor or trae for a quick experience. First, install the howtocook-mcp package globally: npm i -g howtocook-mcp. Then add the MCP server configuration in the Cursor settings. The specific configuration format is as follows:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "howtocook-mcp": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "howtocook-mcp"]
    }
  }
}

Operation Demonstration

Here, AIbase uses the trae client to bring you a practical operation demonstration of generating a one - week menu recommendation for three people:

1) Open trae and manually configure "howtocook-mcp".

2) Create a cooking intelligent agent and check the added MCP service.

3) Enter commands in the intelligent agent, and the tool will automatically call MCP to generate recipe recommendations.

For example, AIbase here enters the command "Please use the MCP service of howtocook to recommend a one - week recipe for three people. Our family doesn't eat coriander and is allergic to shrimp."

Finally, it will give a one - week recipe recommendation for a three - person family and suggestions for a shopping list.

The generated result is as follows:

Tool Address

Do you want to explore and start your culinary adventure? Come and visit the HowToCook-MCP GitHub page to get more information and start your delicious journey!