🍰 A Dash of Drama
Grandma Evelyn's recipe book is on the line, and it’s not just a culinary contest—it’s a battlefield of deduction, alliances, and just a pinch of sabotage
Secret Recipe is published by Snowboard Games and crafted by Nika Mlinarič Hribar and Blaž Hribar. Stir up a storm in the kitchen with clever deduction with mouthwater illustrations by Dagmara Gąska. Don’t be surprised if you are found looking at your pantry or convincing your friends to go out for dessert
🎲 What’s in the Box?
Prepare for some serious tabletop eye candy:
Rulebook
Dry erase markers (I love dry erase markers and components)
A game board and an array of tantalizing recipe ingredients
A pantry bag filled with goodies
Clue markers, point tokens, and even a tea break token (so civilized!)
Player boards and chef hats (yes, hats!)
Two long pieces of each player color to make a recipe stand (this was my favorite component)
👩🍳 How to Play
Whipping Up Clues
On your turn, you'll:
1️⃣ Optional Action: Swap out a pantry ingredient for a fresh one. Pro tip: discard strategically to mess with your rivals!
2️⃣ Main Action: Serve up a clue about one of your hidden ingredients. Will you hint at its type or weight? Place your clue marker and token in the pantry, then peek at a secret recipe ingredient for yourself. Be careful! Everyone is watching
Voting Phase: Strategic Guessing
After the active player gives a clue, players can guess rivals’ ingredients. Two options:
Think: Make a theory for 1 VP if correct (no penalty if wrong).
Collect: Declare and claim an ingredient for 2–4 VPs, but a wrong guess costs -1 VP
Mark guesses clearly on the voting card. Try balancing risk and reward to outsmart your opponents!
Tea Break: Stirring the Pot
Tea breaks occur whenever a player reaches space 5 or 6 on the score track. This step can happen multiple times per player if negative points send players back. These pauses let players ask a single yes-or-no question about rivals’ hidden ingredients. Use this chance to confirm suspicions, strike temporary deals, or even mislead your opponents. Please note that there is no voting phase after a tea break
Endgame: The Final Slice
The game ends when only one player has hidden recipe ingredients left, triggering the final round after the voting phase. Each player, except the one who triggered the endgame, gets one last turn.
Points are tallied as players reveal unused point tokens and move their scores. The most cunning chef wins. Tied? Well, count up your leftover victory points. Pro tip! Do not burn through all your resources! If the last player’s ingredients stay hidden, they earn no points for them, nor do others score for guessing or uncovering them
💭 Final Thoughts
Most social deduction games I've played lean heavily into themes of history and mythological battles. But Secret Recipe? It’s all about the cuteness! Who doesn’t love the idea of baking—or at least eating—delicious desserts? The theme is a refreshing change, proving you can stir up just as much tension with frosting and sprinkles as you can with hidden spies or lurking imps.
I’m excited to see what the two-player variant will bring to the table—it’s always a challenge to adapt social deduction for smaller groups. And while I’m curious how the chaos scales with more than four players, it’s honestly a treat to have a social deduction game that works with just 3 or 4. Whether you're bluffing about ingredients or bartering clues over tea, the game stays engaging and dynamic throughout. Plus the dry erase components means no trash!
Just be warned. Secret recipe will make you crave cake without question. So, sharpen your deduction skills, brush up on your poker face, and prepare to serve up some seriously spicy family drama.
🎂 Game on—and may the best chef win!
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