Complete Rules
Basic Game Setup
Like a lot of card games, players gather around a central Draw Pile and discard pile (called The Pantry). Something like this:
Each player works to collect and complete Meal Cards to earn coins. You may play a Meal Card from your hand into the space in front of you, and immediately start assembling the required Dish Cards to complete the Meal.
Watch out!
Other players are out to spoil you, and they can play Action cards onto any meal in progress.
Getting Started
Make Meals
Match meal cards with Dish cards
Spoil Others' Meals
Play Action cards to get in the way
Be the Best!
Cook your way to the most coins
Place the entire deck in the middle of the table (take out the rules cards first). After deciding who goes first (we like letting the youngest or the oldest go first), that player starts the game.
The winner is the player that can earn the most coin by the end of the game. See: Winning for complete details.
Taking a Turn
Each turn follows three basic phases. For quick reference, keep the How to Play/Pitmaster Turn card out on the table. On each turn:
- Draw - from the Draw or Pantry pile
- Play - onto any Meal cards, or use Action cards
- Recycle - discard into The Pantry pile
Phase One: Draw
At the start of your turn, draw up to 7 cards into your hand. If The Pantry pile is available, you may also draw from it.
Be smart!
Draw your cards from the Draw Pile or Pantry Pile one-at-a-time. You never know if you'll pull a card that will suddenly change your luck. Good pitmasters are versatile!
Always start your turn with 7 cards.
If you don't like your 7 cards, you may discard your entire hand, into The Pantry, face up, and draw 7 new cards, ending your turn immediately.
Phase Two: Play
During your turn, you can play any number of cards. You can play Meal cards in the space in front of you, Dish cards under the Meal, and Action cards to add coins to your own Meals or to sabotage the Meals of others.
On the table, you may only be working on 3 active Meals at one time. If you complete or drop a Meal, you may start on a new Meal in the empty slot.
Your goal is to complete Meals worth the most coin. See: The Anatomy of a Meal for more information.
Phase 3: Recyle
Place any unwanted cards back into The Pantry, face-up, next to the Draw Pile. Any player can draw from this pile, so stack carefully! The more cards you discard, the more cards you'll be able to draw at the start of your next turn.
When you're done with your turn, tell the next player so they can start their turn.
Anatomy of a Meal
Let's take a look at a finished Meal card, complete with multiple Action cards, good and bad, attached:
Take note of a few things:
- Collect all three dishes, Smoked Chicken, Bacon Rib, and Grain-bow Salad, as listed at the bottom of the Meal card.
- You, or a friendly player, played a +1 coin Action card.
- An opposing player played a -1 coin Action card.
- The final Meal is worth 3 coins.
Once a Meal is final, it is safe from future Action cards. Gather the cards and turn the Meal sideways, to mark it complete.
Winning
The game is over when any player completes 3 Meals. The winner is the player that has earned the most coins on their completed Meals. Only Meals that are complete with all Dishes can be tallied.
Take note of any Action cards that may add or subtract coins from your Meals.
Mogul Mode!
Instead of playing to 3 Meals, this mode is a race to 10 coins, regardless of how many Meals it takes. Got what it takes to be the top earner?
Action Cards
Use Action cards to turn up the heat! Target other players, give yourself more Coin, block to play defense. When an Action card is played, discard it to the bottom of The Pantry card pile.
