10 best dish diary apps: Top Picks for 2025

In the search for the 10 best dish diary apps, discerning food lovers, travelers, and health-conscious individuals require more than just a simple log. A truly great dish diary captures the full sensory experience of a meal: the ambiance of the restaurant, the texture of a perfectly cooked dish, and the memories associated with each bite. These applications serve a dual purpose, acting as both a personal food journal for culinary exploration and a tool for monitoring dietary intake. For many, they are instrumental in creating mindful eating patterns and fostering a deeper appreciation for food.

This comprehensive guide is designed to help you navigate the crowded market of food logging applications. We will provide a detailed, side-by-side comparison of the top platforms, moving beyond surface-level feature lists. Each review includes an honest assessment of its strengths and limitations, practical use-case scenarios, pricing details, and screenshots to give you a clear view of the user experience. Whether your goal is to meticulously track macros, chronicle your gastronomic adventures, or simply remember every delightful meal, this resource will help you find the perfect app for your specific needs. Our analysis highlights standout options like Savor, an app designed specifically for food lovers to remember every bite.

Beyond merely logging meals, dish diary apps are powerful tools for developing consistent healthy routines. For more ways to leverage technology in your wellness journey, consider exploring other platforms focused on building healthy habits. We’ve done the research to ensure you can make an informed decision and start documenting your culinary journey today.

1. Savor

Savor positions itself as the definitive digital diary for the serious food enthusiast, earning its top spot among the best dish diary apps for its laser-focus on the food itself. Unlike platform-centric apps like Instagram or venue-focused ones like Yelp, Savor prioritizes the plate. It solves the common "Forgotten Feast" problem, transforming your scattered camera roll of food photos into a powerful, searchable, and private archive of every memorable meal.

This dish-first philosophy is embedded in its core functionality. The app streamlines the process of logging a meal down to its essentials: snap a photo, assign a rating on its objective 10-point scale, and let its AI handle the initial organization. It automatically recognizes and tags dishes, cuisines, and locations, which you can later refine. This approach is ideal for culinary tourists and food bloggers who need to document meals quickly and accurately. While diligently tracking your meals, you might also find inspiration for new culinary adventures by exploring the 10 Best Places to Visit for Foodies.

Key Features & Use Cases

• Dish-Centric Database: Savor’s architecture is built around the dish, not the restaurant. This allows you to compare every carbonara you’ve ever eaten, side-by-side, regardless of where you had it. For a food critic, this is an invaluable tool for tracking culinary trends and a chef's consistency.
• AI-Powered Organization: The app’s AI-assisted tagging minimizes manual entry. Capture a photo, and Savor auto-categorizes it, creating an instantly filterable log. This efficiency is perfect for travelers documenting dozens of meals on a trip.
• Privacy-First by Default: Your culinary history is your own. All entries are private until you explicitly decide to share them. Furthermore, the app works offline and allows you to export your data, ensuring you always own your food history.

Who Should Use Savor?

Savor is designed for the meticulous food lover. If you're a food blogger, a frequent traveler dedicated to culinary tourism, or simply someone who wants to build a rigorous personal database of tasting notes, this app is built for you. It trades broad social features for deep, personal archival power. If you want to transform your food memories into actionable data, you can download Savor for iOS and start building your diary today. To see how it stacks up against other platforms, you can also explore a more detailed Savor food app review.

Feature	Savor	Typical Review Apps
Primary Focus	The individual dish	The restaurant or venue
Privacy	Private-by-default, selective sharing	Public-by-default
Data Ownership	User-owned, with export functionality	Platform-owned, often without export options
Use Case	Building a personal, searchable food archive	Public recommendations and social discovery
Offline Functionality	Yes, full offline access with sync later	Limited or non-existent

• Pros: Dish-first philosophy, robust privacy controls, fast AI-powered capture, powerful comparison tools, and offline access.
• Cons: Currently iOS-only (Android planned). As an MVP, some advanced features are still in development, and the AI may occasionally require manual correction.
• Pricing: Free to use core features (Freemium model). Premium features are planned for future release.
• Website: savortheapp.com

2. Apple App Store (iOS/iPadOS/watchOS)

While not a singular app, the Apple App Store is the essential starting point for iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch users seeking the best dish diary apps. It acts as a curated and secure marketplace, providing a trusted environment to discover, compare, and download leading food journaling tools like MyFitnessPal, Lose It!, and Cronometer. Each app listing offers a comprehensive overview, including user ratings, detailed reviews, up-to-date pricing with in-app purchase options, and crucial privacy labels that disclose data handling practices.

This centralized platform simplifies subscription management, allowing you to control all your app payments from one place. For foodies and travelers, this is the definitive source for finding specialized apps like Savor, which focuses on the qualitative experience of remembering every bite. The store's clear device compatibility information ensures you download an app that works seamlessly across your entire Apple ecosystem. Ready to find the perfect dish diary? You can get started right away and download Savor at https://apps.apple.com/us/app/savor-remember-every-bite/id6745561315.

Key Platform Insights

• Core Function: A secure distribution platform for discovering and managing iOS, iPadOS, and watchOS applications.
• Best For: Apple users who want a one-stop-shop to compare top-rated dish diary apps and manage their subscriptions securely.
• Noteworthy Feature: Integrated privacy labels provide transparent insight into how each app uses your data before you download.

Pros:

• Strong consumer protections and centralized billing
• Clear compatibility information for all Apple devices
• Verified user reviews help in making informed decisions

Cons:

• Refunds are subject to Apple's discretion
• App features can vary by region or subscription plan

Website: https://apps.apple.com/us

3. Google Play Store (Android)

As the official marketplace for Android devices, the Google Play Store is the primary hub for discovering nearly all major dish diary apps. It serves as a secure, centralized platform where users can browse, compare, and install leading food journals. The store provides detailed app pages with user ratings, developer information, and clear pricing for both one-time purchases and subscriptions, giving you all the necessary details before downloading.

The Play Store simplifies app management by handling all installs, updates, and payments through a single Google account. Its integration with modern Android features like Health Connect is a significant advantage, allowing apps to securely share nutrition and fitness data. For foodies looking to chronicle their culinary journeys, the store is the best place to find top-tier restaurant tracking apps and memory-focused tools. While the food memory app Savor is currently iOS-only, its Android version is planned, so keep an eye out for its arrival on the Play Store.

Key Platform Insights

• Core Function: A digital distribution service for Android, offering a vast library of applications, including the best dish diary apps.
• Best For: Android users seeking a secure and convenient way to find, manage, and pay for their food journaling apps.
• Noteworthy Feature: Health Connect integration allows seamless data sharing between various health, fitness, and nutrition applications.

Pros:

• Centralized management for subscriptions, payments, and app updates
• Broad compatibility across a massive range of Android devices
• Fast installations and easy communication with developers via reviews

Cons:

• Refund policies can be inconsistent and vary by the developer
• Obtaining a refund may require contacting either Google or the developer directly

4. MyFitnessPal

As one of the most established nutrition and food diary platforms, MyFitnessPal offers a robust, data-driven approach to logging meals. Its primary strength lies in an enormous food database, complemented by powerful tools like barcode scanning and recipe importation, which simplify the process of tracking calories and macronutrients. The platform is accessible via web and mobile apps, ensuring seamless synchronization across all your devices.

While many of its core quantitative features have moved to paid tiers, MyFitnessPal remains a powerful tool for those focused on the nutritional specifics of their diet. For foodies and travelers more interested in the qualitative experience of a meal, an app like Savor provides a more specialized journal for remembering every bite. If you're deciding between these approaches, you can learn more about how MyFitnessPal stacks up as a food diary app. The Premium+ plan further expands its utility with a meal planner and grocery lists.

Key Platform Insights

• Core Function: A comprehensive platform for tracking nutrition, calories, and macronutrients with a vast food database.
• Best For: Users focused on detailed nutritional data, weight management, and macro-based dietary goals.
• Noteworthy Feature: An extensive, user-generated food database combined with a fast barcode scanner for quick logging of packaged foods.

Pros:

• Mature ecosystem with frequent updates and broad device support
• Extensive food database and multiple logging tools
• Strong community features for support and motivation

Cons:

• Key features like the barcode scanner are now behind a paywall
• Has a publicly noted history of a significant data breach

Website: https://www.myfitnesspal.com

5. Lose It!

Lose It! has established itself as a leader in the food tracking space by focusing on speed, simplicity, and weight management. Its platform is engineered for fast, efficient meal logging, utilizing features like an extensive food database, a quick-add barcode scanner, and AI-powered photo recognition to minimize the time spent on data entry. This makes it an excellent choice for individuals who prioritize quantitative tracking, such as calories and macros, over detailed qualitative journaling.

While Lose It! excels at the numbers, foodies and travelers wanting to capture the story behind a meal might find it less fulfilling. For a more experiential approach focused on remembering every flavor and moment, Savor provides a dedicated space for qualitative notes and photos. Nonetheless, Lose It!’s integration with wearables and its built-in intermittent fasting timer offer a comprehensive toolkit for users with specific health and fitness goals. For a different kind of food diary, you can download Savor at https://apps.apple.com/us/app/savor-remember-every-bite/id6745561315.

Key Platform Insights

• Core Function: A streamlined calorie and macronutrient tracker designed for rapid daily meal logging and weight management.
• Best For: Individuals focused on weight loss who need a quick and efficient way to track food intake and monitor fitness goals.
• Noteworthy Feature: AI-powered food recognition allows users to log meals simply by taking a photo, significantly speeding up the journaling process.

Pros:

• Quick, streamlined logging UX geared for daily use
• In-app community support and frequent promotional offers
• AI photo and voice logging simplifies data entry

Cons:

• Web experience is limited and less actively developed
• Pricing and promotional offers can fluctuate by user/region

Website: https://www.loseit.com

6. Cronometer

Cronometer is a precision-focused nutrition tracker that stands out for its emphasis on micronutrients and data accuracy. It appeals to users who want to go beyond simple calorie counting to understand their intake of vitamins, minerals, and other essential nutrients in granular detail. The platform uses a lab-analyzed and verified food database, providing a higher level of confidence in the nutritional information compared to community-sourced entries found in other apps.

This makes it an excellent quantitative tool, but for those who also want to capture the qualitative experience of their meals, pairing Cronometer with an app like Savor is ideal. While Cronometer meticulously tracks the what, Savor helps you remember the why and how of each dining experience. Cronometer offers a free tier, a Gold subscription for individuals, and a Pro version for dietitians and trainers, making it a versatile choice among the best dish diary apps.

Key Platform Insights

• Core Function: Detailed tracking of micro- and macronutrients using a professionally verified food database.
• Best For: Health enthusiasts, athletes, and anyone working with a professional who requires precise nutritional data.
• Noteworthy Feature: Comprehensive reporting that provides deep insights into nutrient trends, with options to export data for further analysis.

Pros:

• High accuracy and deep nutrient detail for serious trackers
• Robust reporting and data export capabilities
• Professional-grade tier available for dietitians and trainers

Cons:

• User interface can feel technical compared with mainstream apps
• Some community reports of support issues for the paid Gold tier

Website: https://cronometer.com

7. MyNetDiary

MyNetDiary distinguishes itself with a clean, user-friendly interface and a robust feature set that appeals to both beginners and seasoned food trackers. It excels at detailed nutrient tracking, offering a massive, verified food database alongside a fast barcode scanner and a convenient recipe import tool. The platform is known for its responsive customer support and strong U.S. user base, making it a reliable choice for logging daily meals and monitoring health goals.

This app integrates seamlessly with wearables like the Apple Watch, providing at-a-glance progress updates. While MyNetDiary is excellent for quantitative data like macros and calories, those focused on the qualitative experience of dining might pair it with an app like Savor to capture the story, ambiance, and flavor profile of each meal. MyNetDiary handles the "what," while Savor beautifully documents the "why" and "how." Start documenting your food memories today by downloading Savor at https://apps.apple.com/us/app/savor-remember-every-bite/id6745561315.

Key Platform Insights

• Core Function: A comprehensive food and exercise tracker with a verified database, macro tracking, and coaching features.
• Best For: Users seeking a data-driven dish diary with a polished interface, strong community support, and frequent value-driven promotions.
• Noteworthy Feature: An extensive, photo-rich food database with verified entries, which increases the accuracy and speed of logging.

Pros:

• Good value with frequent promotions often reported by users
• Simple onboarding process and consistently high iOS ratings
• Strong integration with Apple Watch and other fitness wearables

Cons:

• Promotional deals can differ between the app and web checkout
• Pricing and offers can be dynamic based on region or app store

Website: https://www.mynetdiary.com

8. Lifesum

Lifesum stands out as a highly polished and visually engaging nutrition tracker that extends beyond simple calorie counting. It guides users with structured diet plans, such as keto and high-protein, making it one of the best dish diary apps for those who need clear direction. The platform is not just about logging what you eat; it's about building healthier habits through its integrated habit trackers, recipe library, and insightful weekly progress reports.

The app simplifies the logging process with a robust barcode scanner and, more recently, AI-assisted guidance to streamline data entry. While Lifesum excels at quantitative tracking, users focused on the qualitative aspects of their dining experiences, like capturing the story behind a meal, might find Savor to be a more specialized tool. However, for a holistic approach to diet and meal planning within an attractive interface, Lifesum is a top-tier choice available on iOS, Android, and Apple Watch.

Key Platform Insights

• Core Function: A visually-driven meal planner and nutrition tracker offering structured diet plans, habit tracking, and detailed food logging.
• Best For: Individuals seeking a guided approach to nutrition with pre-built meal plans, recipes, and a user-friendly interface.
• Noteworthy Feature: Integrated diet plans and habit trackers provide a holistic framework for achieving specific health and wellness goals.

Pros:

• Easy to use and visually engaging interface
• Built-in meal ideas and structured plan templates
• Cross-platform availability including Apple Watch support

Cons:

• Many advanced features are gated behind a Premium subscription
• Some users report subscription or restore glitches requiring support

Website: https://www.lifesum.com

9. YAZIO

YAZIO positions itself as a user-friendly calorie and macro tracker designed for simplicity and speed. It streamlines daily food logging with an intuitive interface and offers a standout AI-powered photo feature, allowing users to snap a picture of their meal for an instant estimate of portions, calories, and macros. This makes it a compelling option among dish diary apps for those who prioritize quick data entry over meticulous manual input.

The platform extends beyond simple tracking, providing a library of recipes, meal-planning content, and convenient widget support for at-a-glance progress monitoring on your home screen. While YAZIO excels at quantitative nutritional tracking, users seeking a qualitative journal to remember the sensory details of their meals should explore Savor. Savor focuses on capturing the story, taste, and experience behind each dish, complementing YAZIO’s data-centric approach.

Key Platform Insights

• Core Function: An AI-enhanced calorie and macronutrient counter with meal planning and recipe content.
• Best For: Individuals seeking a visually appealing and fast way to log nutritional information, especially with the help of photo recognition.
• Noteworthy Feature: AI photo meal tracking provides rapid, automated estimates of a meal's nutritional content from a single picture.

Pros:

• Straightforward interface and competitive pricing promotions
• High user ratings in many international markets
• Extensive multilingual support and device compatibility

Cons:

• Most advanced features, including recipes, are locked behind a PRO subscription
• AI photo estimates can require manual correction for accuracy

Website: https://www.yazio.com

10. FatSecret

FatSecret is a well-established calorie counter and food diary that offers robust, free core features, making it a reliable choice among dish diary apps. Its platform is built around a comprehensive food database, weight tracking, and a supportive community, providing all the essential tools for logging meals and monitoring nutritional intake. The platform also offers a unique professional integration, allowing users to share their data directly with registered dietitians or coaches using FatSecret Professional.

This focus on both community and professional support sets it apart. While its interface may feel more traditional compared to newer apps, its strength lies in its proven, no-cost tracking system. For users who prioritize qualitative meal memories over quantitative data, an app like Savor offers a more specialized experience focused on capturing the story behind every dish. FatSecret’s optional Premium subscription unlocks meal plans and advanced planning tools for those needing more structured guidance.

Key Platform Insights

• Core Function: A free food and calorie diary with community features and optional professional dietitian integration.
• Best For: Individuals seeking a completely free, long-standing tool for nutritional tracking with the option for community or professional support.
• Noteworthy Feature: FatSecret Professional allows seamless data sharing between clients and dietitians for guided health journeys.

Pros:

• Generous free tier with a long track record
• Active community forums provide motivation and support
• Option to connect with a health professional

Cons:

• Interface is more basic and less modern than competitors
• Premium pricing varies and is only shown in-app at checkout

Website: https://www.fatsecret.com

11. Carb Manager

For individuals following specific low-carb or ketogenic diets, Carb Manager serves as a highly specialized dish diary app. It moves beyond simple calorie counting to focus intensely on macronutrient tracking, especially net carbs, making it an indispensable tool for maintaining ketosis. The platform features an extensive food database optimized for keto-friendly items, along with dedicated meal plans, thousands of recipes, and a built-in intermittent fasting timer to support a comprehensive low-carb lifestyle.

Unlike apps focused on general health or the qualitative experience of food, such as Savor, Carb Manager is a data-driven tool designed for a targeted dietary goal. Its integration with fitness trackers and health devices, including some glucometers and ketone monitors, allows users to consolidate all relevant metabolic data in one place. This makes it one of the best dish diary apps for anyone who needs to closely monitor their body’s response to a low-carbohydrate diet, providing detailed analytics and progress reports to guide their journey.

Key Platform Insights

• Core Function: A comprehensive macro and net-carb tracker with meal planning and recipes for low-carb and keto diets.
• Best For: Individuals committed to a ketogenic or low-carb lifestyle who need precise macro and net-carb monitoring.
• Noteworthy Feature: Integration with select glucose and ketone meters provides a holistic view of metabolic health.

Pros:

• Tailored to low-carb/keto users with simpler carb insights
• Extensive library of diet-specific recipes and meal plans
• Regular promotions on annual plans via app stores

Cons:

• Less ideal for users who are not following a low-carb approach
• Some advanced features and content are behind a Premium subscription

Website: https://www.carbmanager.com

12. WeightWatchers (WW)

WeightWatchers (WW) combines its renowned, science-backed Points system with a comprehensive in-app food diary, making it a powerhouse for structured eating. The platform is designed around a holistic weight-health program, where the dish diary serves as the central tool for tracking daily intake against a personalized Points budget. It includes practical features like a barcode scanner, photo logging, and an extensive restaurant search function to simplify tracking on the go.

The platform also provides over 11,000 recipes and a ZeroPoint foods list, which helps users make satisfying choices without meticulous tracking. While WW excels at quantitative, goal-oriented logging, users focused on the qualitative experience of their meals might pair it with an app like Savor to capture the memorable details of each dish. WW further distinguishes itself with a supportive digital community and optional Clinic tiers for medical weight-loss care. Ready to log your food memories? Download Savor at https://apps.apple.com/us/app/savor-remember-every-bite/id6745561315.

Key Platform Insights

• Core Function: A guided weight-health program using a Points-based system integrated with a full-featured food diary.
• Best For: Individuals seeking a structured, science-based framework for food logging that is supported by a large community and expert resources.
• Noteworthy Feature: The integrated Points system simplifies decision-making by distilling complex nutritional information into a single, easy-to-understand number.

Pros:

• Structured, science-based framework combines tracking and guidance
• Extensive recipe database and restaurant food information
• Frequent promotional pricing on Digital memberships in the U.S.

Cons:

• Best value often requires longer-term commitment plans
• WW Clinic and medical tiers are higher-priced and have separate medication costs

Website: https://www.weightwatchers.com

Top 12 Food Diary Apps — Feature Comparison

Product	Core features	Target audience	Unique selling points	Price / Platform
Savor	One‑tap Snap & Save, 10‑pt Smart Scoring, AI dish recognition, Time Machine, Instant lists, selective sharing	Food obsessives, travelers, critics, bloggers	Dish‑centric (plate first), privacy‑first, side‑by‑side dish comparisons, exportable personal archive	Freemium; iOS launch (Android planned)
Apple App Store (iOS/iPadOS/watchOS)	App marketplace, integrated billing/subscriptions, reviews, privacy labels	iOS users & developers	Trusted distribution, centralized subscriptions, platform privacy labels	Free to use (handles purchases)
Google Play Store (Android)	App marketplace, billing, Health Connect support, updates	Android users & developers	Broad device coverage, Health Connect interoperability, fast installs	Free to use (handles purchases)
MyFitnessPal	Massive food DB, barcode & recipe logging, macro tracking, cross‑device sync	Calorie counters, weight‑loss users	Largest database, mature ecosystem, many logging tools	Free + Premium / Premium+ (web, iOS, Android)
Lose It!	AI photo & voice logging, barcode scanner, fasting timer, wearables	Users wanting fast daily logging	Streamlined UX, quick logging workflow	Freemium (iOS, Android, Apple Watch)
Cronometer	Micro/macro tracking, verified DB, advanced reports, exports	Precision trackers, dietitians, researchers	High accuracy, deep nutrient detail, professional tier	Free + Gold/Pro (web, iOS, Android)
MyNetDiary	Macro tracking, barcode, recipe import, Apple Watch support	Value‑focused iOS users, beginners	Clean interface, responsive support, good promotions	Freemium (iOS, Android)
Lifesum	Diet templates, recipes, habit tracking, AI logging	Users wanting meal plans and visuals	Visually polished UI, structured plan templates	Freemium with Premium (iOS, Android)
YAZIO	AI photo logging, meal plans, widgets, multilingual support	Easy daily trackers, international users	Simple UX, competitive pricing/promotions	Freemium / PRO (iOS, Android)
FatSecret	Core food diary, community, recipe logging, pro workflows	Budget users, community seekers, dietitians	Solid free tier, active community, professional options	Free + Premium (web, iOS, Android)
Carb Manager	Net‑carb/keto tracking, meal plans, device integrations	Low‑carb / keto users	Keto‑centric database, glucometer/ketone integrations	Freemium / Premium (iOS, Android)
WeightWatchers (WW)	Points program, food diary, barcode/photo logging, community	Users seeking structured, supported weight loss	Science‑backed Points system, clinic/medical tiers	Subscription (Digital + Clinic tiers)

Final Thoughts

Navigating the landscape of the 10 best dish diary apps reveals a diverse ecosystem, each tailored to a specific type of user, from the calorie-conscious individual to the globetrotting food connoisseur. Our detailed exploration has shown that while many platforms excel at nutritional tracking, the true art of food journaling often gets lost in a sea of macros and micronutrients. For the dedicated foodie, food blogger, or traveler, simply logging calories is not enough; the goal is to capture the essence of a culinary experience.

We've seen how apps like MyFitnessPal and Cronometer offer robust, scientifically-backed nutritional databases, making them ideal for health-focused users. Meanwhile, platforms like Lifesum and YAZIO provide a more lifestyle-oriented approach, blending diet plans with activity tracking. However, these tools primarily treat food as fuel, a set of numbers to be optimized. This perspective overlooks the sensory details, the cultural context, and the personal memories that make a dish unforgettable. This is where Savor excels, offering a dedicated space for those who cherish the story behind every meal.

The key takeaway is that the "best" app is entirely subjective and depends on your primary motivation for keeping a food diary. Your selection process should begin with a clear understanding of your goals.

How to Choose Your Ideal Dish Diary App

To make the right choice, consider the following factors:

• Primary Goal: Are you tracking for health, for memory, or for professional content creation? If your focus is on nutrition and weight management, a calorie-centric app is your best bet. If you want to document culinary journeys and remember every flavor, an experiential app like Savor is the perfect choice. You can download Savor at https://apps.apple.com/us/app/savor-remember-every-bite/id6745561315 to get started.
• User Experience: The best tool is one you will actually use. Evaluate the app's interface. Is it intuitive and enjoyable, or cluttered and complicated? A clean, visually appealing design can make the daily ritual of logging meals a pleasure rather than a chore.
• Data Entry Method: Consider how you prefer to log your food. Do you want quick barcode scanning and database lookups, or do you need the flexibility to write detailed notes, add multiple photos, and tag specific flavor profiles? The friction involved in data entry can make or break your journaling habit.
• Community and Sharing: For food bloggers and reviewers, the ability to easily export and share entries is critical. Look for features that allow you to share your culinary discoveries on social media or a personal blog with high-quality images and well-formatted text.

Ultimately, choosing from the 10 best dish diary apps requires a balance between functionality and personal philosophy. If you view food as an experience to be cherished and remembered, your needs will differ significantly from someone who views it purely as a component of their fitness regimen. The most effective tool will align seamlessly with your purpose, empowering you to document your food story in the way that feels most authentic to you.

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Ready to move beyond simple calorie counting and start capturing the full story behind every meal? Savor is designed specifically for food lovers who want to remember every bite. Ditch the nutritional databases and focus on the flavors, textures, and memories that make dining special. Download Savor from the App Store today and transform your food log into a rich culinary journal.