Omakase-Off

Chef's choice exploration - when you're not sure WHAT to build, explore different approaches in parallel.

Part of Test Kitchen Development:

• omakase-off

• Chef's choice exploration (different approaches/plans)

• cookoff

• Same recipe, multiple cooks compete (same plan, multiple implementations)

Core principle: Let indecision emerge naturally during brainstorming, then implement multiple approaches in parallel to let real code + tests determine the best solution.

Three Triggers

Trigger 1: BEFORE Brainstorming

When: "I want to build...", "Create a...", "Implement...", "Add a feature..."

Present:

Before we brainstorm the details, would you like to:

1. Brainstorm together - We'll explore requirements and design step by step
2. Omakase (chef's choice) - I'll generate 3-5 best approaches, implement them in parallel, and let tests pick the winner

Trigger 2: DURING Brainstorming (Indecision Detection)

Detection signals:

• 2+ uncertain responses in a row on architectural decisions

• Phrases: "not sure", "don't know", "either works", "you pick", "no preference"

When detected:

You seem flexible on the approach. Would you like to:

1. I'll pick what seems best and continue brainstorming
2. Explore multiple approaches in parallel (omakase-off)

Trigger 3: Explicitly Requested

• "try both approaches", "explore both", "omakase"

• "implement both variants", "let's see which is better"

Workflow Overview

Phase Description

0. Entry Present brainstorm vs omakase choice

1. Brainstorm Passive slot detection during design

1.5. Decision If slots detected, offer parallel exploration

2. Plan Generate implementation plan per variant

3. Implement Dispatch ALL agents in SINGLE message

4. Evaluate Scenario tests → fresh-eyes → judge survivors

5. Complete Finish winner, cleanup losers

See references/detailed-workflow.md for full phase details.

Directory Structure

docs/plans/<feature>/ design.md # Shared context from brainstorming omakase/ variant-<slug>/ plan.md # Implementation plan for this variant result.md # Final report

.worktrees/ variant-<slug>/ # Omakase variant worktree

Slot Classification

Type Examples Worth exploring?

Architectural Storage engine, framework, auth method Yes

Trivial File location, naming, config format No

Only architectural decisions become slots for parallel exploration.

Variant Limits

Max 5-6 implementations. Don't do full combinatorial explosion:

• Identify the primary axis (biggest architectural impact)

• Create variants along that axis

• Fill secondary slots with natural pairings

Critical Rules

• Dispatch ALL variants in SINGLE message - Multiple Task tools, one message

• MUST use scenario-testing - Not manual verification

• Fresh-eyes on survivors - Required before judge comparison

• Always cleanup losers - Remove worktrees and branches

• Write result.md - Document what was tried and why winner won

Skills Orchestrated

Dependency Usage

brainstorming

Modified flow with passive slot detection

writing-plans

Generate implementation plan per variant

git-worktrees

Create isolated worktree per variant

parallel-agents

Dispatch all variant subagents in parallel

scenario-testing

Run same scenarios against all variants

fresh-eyes

Quality review on survivors → input for judge

finish-branch

Handle winner (merge/PR), cleanup losers

Example Flow

User: "I need to build a CLI todo app."

Claude: [Triggers omakase-off] Before we dive in, how would you like to approach this?

1. Brainstorm together
2. Omakase (chef's choice)

User: "1"

Claude: [Brainstorming proceeds, detects indecision on storage]

You seem flexible on storage (JSON vs SQLite). Would you like to:

1. Explore in parallel - I'll implement both variants
2. Best guess - I'll pick JSON (simpler)

User: "1"

[Creates plans for variant-json, variant-sqlite] [Dispatches parallel agents in SINGLE message] [Runs scenario tests on both] [Fresh-eyes review on survivors] [Presents comparison, user picks winner] [Cleans up loser, finishes winner branch]