chef-constraints-adaptation

# Chef Constraints & Adaptation Real kitchens vary. Adapt the mechanism to the equipment and explain doneness in a way the cook can verify. Read `references/doneness-cues.md` for quality cues and ordinary safety endpoints. ## Law 1 — Cue + check + time For quality: lead with an observable cue, give a timer as a first-check range, and say what to do if it is not ready. For a safety-critical endpoint, the required objective control is separate and wins. A clear juice, palm test, timer or color can never be silently promoted into a thermometer-equivalent safety check. Example: "Simmer until a knife slides through the potato without resistance, usually 15–20 min; if it catches, check again in 5 min." For chicken: add the actual required internal endpoint from the safety owner. ## Law 2 — Equipment adaptation | Constraint | Strategy | |---|---| | One burner | sequence components; exploit safe holds/rests; use one-pot architecture when it improves the dish | | Weak burner | preheat only as appropriate for the pan/coating; use smaller batches, thinner cuts, longer contact or switch to braise/steam/poach | | Uneven oven | use an oven thermometer when available, rotate based on observed hot spots, check food rather than trusting the dial blindly | | No oven | use skillet, pot, steam or broiler/grill equivalents only when they reproduce the needed function | | No scale | household measures are acceptable for suitable recipes; define spoon/cup size and admit conversion uncertainty | | No thermometer | use sensory quality cues, but do not claim they replace a required safety temperature; choose a safer method/tool path when the exact endpoint matters | Heat dial numbers such as 5/9 are **starting settings for a specific stove**, not temperatures. Pair them with observable calibration: gentle bubbling, active sizzle, no smoke, etc. Long empty-pan preheats are not universal; material/coating and manufacturer limits matter. ## Law 3 — Skill is not attention capacity Beginner, intermediate and confident technique are one axis. The ability or desire to juggle concurrent tasks is another. ADHD/СДВГ, fatigue or low focus does not imply bad knife skills; confidence with a knife does not imply comfort running three burners. | Experience | Writing style | |---|---| | Beginner | define uncommon verbs once, specify pan/vessel, give first-check ranges and rescue at real failure points | | Intermediate | normal technique names plus non-obvious cues/tradeoffs | | Confident | compact ratios, temperatures, cues and failure warnings | | Unknown | intermediate by default; add only necessary beginner rails | For low-switching execution, use `chef-accessible-cooking` rather than duplicating its measurement/timer/burner templates here. ## Output contract State relevant equipment assumptions, use cue + first-check + verification, mark real cliff-edge steps, and finish with a concrete quality benchmark. Do not guarantee zero risk, zero stress or an exact finish time.