Today, Schell Games announced Lost Recipes, a historical cooking simulator that will be exclusive to the Quest Platform and launch in 2022. A trailer for the new game was unveiled today as part of the UploadVR Winter 2021 Showcase and can be found here.
In Lost Recipes, players cook for ghosts from ancient Greek, Chinese, and Maya civilizations who long to pass on the traditional recipes of their favorite dishes. Players must recreate tasty dishes in historically-accurate kitchens, using authentic ingredients, utensils, and techniques.
“Lost Recipes is really the embodiment of what we do at Schell Games,” said Jesse Schell, CEO. “We’ve combined a relaxing, immersive VR experience with educational gameplay that lets players explore tools, foods, and cooking techniques to see how geography and history shaped culinary tastes.”
In each of the game’s nine recipes, authentic voices narrate timeless recipes and offer tidbits about each cuisine and culture. Players will cook with rare kitchen tools and ingredients, employing the cooking techniques of the times.
Ancient Greece (400-500 BCE): Step back in time to a kitchen in the heart of the city of Athens. Cook up pita bread, mulled wine, Souvlaki, and more.
Song Dynasty, China (960-1279 CE): The arrival of spring festival means completing dishes for the new year celebration. Brew oolong tea, learn how to steam fish, and make a sweet fruit treat.
Yucatan Peninsula (1500-1600 CE): Prepare traditional dishes for Hanal Pixán, a holiday similar to Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead). Spice up the kitchen while making Xec and wrap up Mukbil Pollo (buried chicken).
To ensure Lost Recipe’s accuracy and authenticity, Schell Games partnered with subject matter experts to guide the creation of each location within the game, including Dr. Sébastien Dubreil (Teaching Professor of French & Francophone Studies, Second Language Acquisition, and Technology-Enhanced Learning - Dept. of Modern Languages, Carnegie Mellon University) and Stephan Caspar (Assistant Professor - Global Languages & Cultures Room, Dept. of Modern Languages, Carnegie Mellon University), Dr. Owen H. Jones (Ph.D. History), Gang Liu (Associate Teaching Professor of Chinese, Carnegie Mellon University), Claire Schuler, and Dr. Melanie Byrd (Co-Editor: Cooking through History Encyclopedia).
"Across many cultures, the kitchen is referred to as the ‘heart of the home’, and we wanted this feeling to exist in our game as players help friendly ghosts from the past recreate their favorite dishes while experiencing history and culture,” said Dr. Brooke Morrill, Senior Director of Education at Schell Games. “We hope families, cooking enthusiasts, and virtual reality fans will enjoy exploring different recipes, cultures, and time periods throughout history in a relaxing, encouraging environment."
For more information, view the press kit.