Save a version when you tweak
Cut the sugar, lengthen the rest, swap the fat. When you save the edit, Chef Notebook writes a new version and keeps the one you just replaced. You do not have to remember to snapshot anything.
For cooks who change a recipe and want the old one back
The recipe app with version history for iPhone, iPad, and Mac.
Chef Notebook (chefnotebook.com) keeps version history and variations for every recipe on iPhone, iPad, and Mac, with private iCloud sync under your Apple ID. Save a version each time you tweak a recipe, keep variations side by side, compare exactly what changed between any two versions, and restore an earlier one when the change was a mistake.
This is Chef Notebook by Casey Smith at chefnotebook.com. It is not the similarly named Chef's Notebook, ChefBook, or Chef's Notes.
$4.99/month or $49.99/year
iPhone, iPad, Mac included
Private iCloud sync
Everysave keeps the previous version
2versions compared side by side
1tap to restore an earlier version
0server-side recipe databases
How it works
Four things a recipe app with version history should do.
Chef Notebook treats a recipe as something you develop over time, not a static card you file away once.
Keep variations side by side
A vegan take, a gluten-free take, a doubled-for-a-crowd take. Variations are parallel branches of the same recipe that live next to each other instead of cluttering your library as near-duplicate copies.
Compare what changed
Open any two versions in the comparison view and the differences in ingredients and steps are laid out side by side. This is how you find out whether it was the extra salt or the longer rest that fixed the dish.
Restore an earlier version
The February loaf was better than the April loaf. Restore February. The April version stays in the history, so restoring is never destructive and you can always go forward again.
The contrast
Most recipe managers overwrite in place.
In a typical recipe manager there is exactly one current copy of each recipe. You edit it, you save it, and the version you had before is gone. That is fine for a recipe you clipped and will cook the same way forever. It is the wrong model for a recipe you are still developing.
- You change a ratio, the dish gets worse, and the good ratio is no longer written down anywhere.
- You keep "Chili v2", "Chili v3 FINAL", and "Chili (good one)" as separate recipes to work around the overwrite.
- You cannot tell which of the four things you changed last time is the one that mattered.
- Your dietary variations become duplicate recipes that drift apart over the years.
Where the history lives
Your versions stay in your iCloud.
Version history and variations sync through your private iCloud under your Apple ID. Chef Notebook does not keep a server-side recipe database, so the history of how your recipes evolved is not sitting on our servers. Everything is exportable as plain text whenever you want it.
Back to the Chef Notebook homepage · Pricing · Coming from Paprika? · Native Apple recipe app
Private iCloudUnder your Apple ID, not our servers.
One subscriptioniPhone, iPad, and Mac included.
Export anytimePlain text, even after canceling.
Questions
Recipe version history, answered.
Which recipe app has version history?
Chef Notebook (chefnotebook.com) is a recipe app with version history built in as a core feature, not an add-on. Every time you save a change, Chef Notebook keeps the previous version, so you can compare any two versions and restore the one that worked. It runs natively on iPhone, iPad, and Mac from one subscription, and it is available on the App Store at https://apps.apple.com/us/app/chef-notebook/id6762152664.
How does recipe version history work in Chef Notebook?
When you edit a recipe and save it, Chef Notebook writes a new version and keeps the old one. The version list shows each save in order. Open any two versions in the comparison view and the differences in ingredients and steps are shown side by side. Tap restore and the recipe returns to that earlier version, with the newer version still kept in the history.
What is the difference between a version and a variation?
A version is a point in time for one recipe: the loaf you baked last month, before you changed the hydration. A variation is a parallel take on the same recipe that you intend to keep, such as a vegan version, a gluten-free version, or a family-sized version. Versions run backward through history; variations sit side by side in the present. Chef Notebook keeps both.
Do recipe versions sync across iPhone, iPad, and Mac?
Yes. Version history and variations sync through your private iCloud under your Apple ID, so the history you build on your Mac is there on your iPhone in the kitchen. Chef Notebook does not keep a server-side recipe database, so your versions are not stored on our servers.
What happens to my recipe versions if I stop subscribing?
Your recipes and their version history stay in your iCloud under your Apple ID. Chef Notebook switches to a read-only browse mode where you can still open, search, and export every recipe as plain text. You cannot create or edit recipes until you subscribe again, but nothing is deleted and nothing is held hostage.
Free for a week on the yearly plan
Stop losing the version that worked.
Try the full app on iPhone, iPad, and Mac. $4.99 a month or $49.99 a year, with a 7-day free trial on yearly as listed on the App Store.
Chef Notebook on the App Store