Cooking has always been personal for me. It’s about knowing your client’s mood just by what they eat, remembering their favorite chutney to go with dal, or gently adjusting spice levels without being told. But being a personal cook these days is not just about chopping, sautéing, and serving. It’s about managing expectations, tracking health goals, planning weekly menus, and making sure every bite feels tailored and intentional.
And believe me, in the middle of all this, digital tools have become my most trusted sous-chefs.
Let me take you through a regular day in my work life, and how I use a few key apps to keep everything on track—from menu planning to nutrition tracking to client chats.
The Morning Routine: Menu Planning With Notion
Every morning, before I even pick up my knife, I open Notion. It’s my digital kitchen blackboard, planner, and recipe book all in one. I’ve customized my dashboard with sections for each client—daily menus, allergies, dislikes, calorie goals, and even upcoming special occasions.
Notion doesn’t come with built-in features for cooks—it’s like a blank notebook—but that’s exactly why I love it. I built a template for weekly menus, where I can drag and drop dishes depending on seasons, available ingredients, or what the client is craving this week. I can also leave little notes for myself—like “client on detox this week” or “skip onions, client recovering from surgery.”
It also helps me plan ahead. I’ve created a prep calendar inside it, so I know which chutneys I need to make in bulk, when to start soaking things overnight, and what can be prepped on Sunday to save time during the week.
For me, Notion has taken the mental clutter of meal planning and turned it into a calm, visual, organized space. And once a client gets used to checking their shared Notion page for their weekly menu? No more back-and-forth calls. It’s all there.
Nutrition Tracking: Guiding Clients Through MyFitnessPal
More and more of my clients are becoming health-conscious, which means I have to be too. Whether it’s someone trying to manage diabetes, lose weight, or just eat more balanced meals, nutrition tracking has become an essential part of my cooking.
That’s where MyFitnessPal comes in. I don’t use it for myself—but I’ve encouraged several of my clients to log their meals, and I use it to guide how I cook for them.
The best part? Most Indian foods are already in the database. Dal, paratha, palak paneer, even sabudana khichdi—it’s all there. I can tweak recipes slightly (reduce oil, switch white rice for millets) and calculate exact macros. Then I sync with the client and help them track daily nutrition. It’s like being part of their health journey without being intrusive.
From a cook’s perspective, it also helps avoid conflict. When clients want results—be it weight loss or better energy—but don’t want to eat boiled bland food, I use MyFitnessPal to find a middle ground. I show them the numbers. I offer swaps. I redesign plates. And they trust me more because it’s backed by visible data.
Client Communication: Smooth Conversations Through WhatsApp Business
Honestly, this has become my lifeline. Unlike regular WhatsApp, the business version lets me set up automated greetings, away messages, and quick replies. When I’m elbow-deep in dough, I can’t always reply to messages immediately. But with auto-replies, clients feel acknowledged.
I’ve created categories using labels—“Vegetarian,” “High Protein,” “Weekly Only,” “Allergy Alert”—which helps me send the right updates and reminders. I also send out menus for the upcoming week every Friday using broadcast lists.
Some cooks prefer calling. I used to too. But WhatsApp Business gives me a record of what was agreed, shared photos of portion sizes, meal notes, and recipe previews. Clients love that I share photos of their food just before packing—it builds trust, and also, let’s be honest, people love seeing beautifully plated food.
It’s not about tech replacing conversations. It’s about having smart, seamless communication that doesn’t eat into cooking time.
Recipe Management and Grocery Sync: Using Paprika Recipe Manager
Before Paprika, I had recipes everywhere—WhatsApp chats, scribbled diaries, bookmarked links. Now, everything is in one place. Paprika lets me save recipes from any website with a simple click, edit them to match how I actually cook, and even create grocery lists from them.
It’s especially useful when I need to create a shopping list for multiple clients. I choose the dishes from their week’s menu, and Paprika auto-generates a grocery list. I tweak it based on what I already have in my pantry, and off I go.
Also, Paprika is not India-specific, but it’s very flexible. I can enter recipes in any format, and even add personal notes like “Use Kashmiri chili here for color” or “Skip garlic for Jain version.” It’s my digital recipe brain, always synced between phone and tablet.
Food Prep and Scheduling: Staying Organized With Trello
Trello isn’t made for cooks, but I use it like a virtual kitchen whiteboard. I’ve set up boards for each client, with “To Cook,” “In Progress,” and “Delivered” columns. I attach prep notes, deadlines, feedback, and even photos when needed.
What’s great is that I can collaborate with helpers or part-time kitchen assistants if needed. I tag them, assign prep tasks like “Marinate tofu for Mrs. Sharma – 2PM,” and the system just flows better.
Trello has also helped when I take on bulk orders—party meals, pooja offerings, festival boxes. Instead of losing track in WhatsApp chaos, I manage everything on Trello and keep my mind clear.
A Day in My Tech-Enabled Kitchen
So here’s how my typical day now flows: I wake up and open Notion to check what each client needs. I prep using the notes I left the day before. MyFitnessPal runs in the background, guiding macro choices for those with nutrition targets. I send updates and ask for any last-minute changes on WhatsApp Business. My grocery list sits in Paprika. And as I plate and pack, Trello helps me tick things off and stay ahead.
Do I still chop by hand, grind my own masalas, and taste everything myself? Of course. The heart of cooking hasn’t changed. But the mindspace, the planning, the peace of knowing I’m organized—those have come from these apps.
Final Thoughts
I never imagined I’d need an app to cook better. But now, I can’t imagine working without them. They help me scale, stay professional, and offer a service that feels truly custom.
Technology doesn’t take the soul out of food. If anything, it gives me more time to put my soul into the cooking—because I spend less time on last-minute calls, forgotten ingredients, or messy schedules.
If you’re a personal cook like me, or even just someone cooking for family with different dietary needs, try bringing a little tech into your kitchen. It’s like having a second pair of hands—only smarter.