Crazy Chef

A game for 3-10 players aged 8+

In this fast paced game players compete to be the first chef to use all their ingredients and go home. The winner is the first player to discard all their cards. The loser is the last player to throw their hand down when a winner has been determined. The losing chef has to 'do the dishes', collect and shuffle the cards for the next round.

Get Crazy Chef here

Rules

Deal 10 cards to each player
Dealer flips the top card to the table beside the draw pile creating a discard pile. Play proceeds clockwise ignoring any penalties or other effects on the first card.
Unless taking a penalty, each player must play a card that mathes the color or the food shown on the card in play.
Play proceeds in order but anyone may play out of order if they can exactly match the card in play (both color and type).
After playing out of order, play continues from that player.
If a player is unable to play a card, they must draw until they can.
The winner is the first player to get rid of all their cards.
The loser is the last player to throw down their hand when a winner has been determined.

	Cards marked as penalties apply to the next player.
	Skips and Reverse cards of the same color can be used to divert penalties onto nearby players.
	The compound icon indicates the card effects can stack when multiple identical cards are played. For example: 3 green draw 2 cards will cause the next player to draw 6.
	The draw 2 card causes the next player to draw 2 cards.
	Skip cards cause play to skip the next player in order. When used as a blocker, the penalty is diverted to the next player in order.
	Reverse cards reverse the direction of play. When used as a blocker, the penalty is diverted to the previous player in order.
	After playing a wild card this player announces a new color for play. The next player must draw 2 cards.
	The rotate card causes every player to pass their hand to the next person in the direction of play.
	After playing a swap card, this player must swap their hand with another player. If multiple swap cards are played, only the last player swaps their cards.
	The draw 1 card causes the next player to draw a card from every other player.
	When a double card is played, the next player must double the number of cards in their hand. This effect can stack so players may have to triple or quadruple their hand size!. For example: if two double cards were played and the next player had 8 cards in their hand, they would have to draw 24 cards to increase their hand to 32 (822).

Examples

Blocking Penalties with Skips and Reverses

Skips and Reverse cards of the same color can be used to divert penalties onto the people around them.

For example Players 1, 2, 3, and 4 are playing, play is proceeding clockwise, and it is Player 1's turn.

Player 1 plays a red 'Draw 2' penalty card and Player 2 plays an identical red 'Draw 2' penalty card. Player 3 would normally have to draw 4 cards but he has a red Reverse in his hand and he plays this.

Player 2 would then have to take the penalty and draw 4 cards but before he starts drawing Player 4 plays an identical red Reverse card.

After this play is proceeding clockise and Player 1 would have to draw 4 cards but she has a red skip card in her hand and she plays this. The penalty falls upon Player 2 and play continues clockwise with Player 3.

Doubling your hand

Player 1, 2, 3, and 4 are playing, play is proceeding clockwise, and it is Player 1's turn

Player 1 plays a Green Double, Player 3 exactly matches the card by playing another Green Double, Player 4 now has to double the number of cards in his hand twice. He has 8 cards in his hand and must draw 24 cards to bring his hand up to 32 cards. Because Player 4 took the penalty, play continue with Player 1.

Game end

Players 1, 2, 3, and 4 are playing, play is proceeding clockwise, and it is Player 1's turn. Player 4 has only two cards in his hand.

Player 1 plays a blue Draw 1 card. Player 2 plays an identical blue Draw 1 card. Player 3 would normally have to draw two cards from every other player but she notices that Player 4 only has two cards in his hand and this would leave his hand empty. Instead of drawing cards she throws her hand down to the table.

Player 2 sees this and throws her hand down.

Player 1 realizes too late that the game is over and throws his hand down last.

Player 4 won the game. Because Player 1 was last person to throw his hand of cards down, he is the loser and has to 'wash the dishes' (pick up all the cards, shuffle, and deal the next round).

FAQs

Can you redirect draw 2 penalty with another draw 2 card of a different color?

No. Only identical cards stack

Can you Play a Red Reverse after a penalty has been diverted to you with a Red Skip?

Yes! Furthermore, after you play the Red Reverse someone else could play their own Red Reverse to direct the penalty to someone near them.

Can you play after taking a penalty?

No. If you had to draw cards it's the end of your turn.

Can I refuse to play a card and draw instead?

No. If you have the ability to play a card in your hand you must play that card.

What if I can't draw enough cards?

Draw as many as you can. Re-shuffle the discard pile if necessary.

This is stupid I can't even hold all these cards!

Fine, look through your hand and find a rotate or swap card and make it someone elses' problem.

When multiple skips are played do you skip multiple people?

No, just skip over the next person from the last player that put down a skip.

Why don't I just buy an UNO deck and play with these rules?

Why don't you? :) Here's how to make it happen:

Buy two uno decks.
Remove the draw 4 cards
Select a sacrificial number (but not 0; uno decks only ship with two 0 cards in each color(?)) In this example we'll take the 2s.
Find a permanent marker.
On the Red 2 write "Rotate"
On the Yellow 2 write "Swap"
On the Green 2 write "Double"
On the Blue 2 write "Draw 1"
If you want to get fancy you can put little penalty icons on the penalty cards and blocker icons on the skips and reverses.
Keep in mind Mattel deliberately sells uncoated cards so they will wear out faster. Crazy Chef cards are coated and textured so will wear much better.
Congratulations! Depending on where you bought the decks you've given $30 or more to a multi-billion dollar corporation (mattel made $1.6 billion in 2023), made work for yourself, and received a substandard product.

Alternate House Rules

Be advised some of these rules are more physical than the base game and can lead to injury.

If you have your own house rules you think could be a good addition to this list. Send them in to the contact address below with the .

The Wild Rule

When a player puts down a wild card they say "Wiiilllld" in a funny accent and every other player has to stand up, spin around, and sit down again. The player who put down the Wild card decides who was the last to sit down and that player gets an unblockable 2 card penalty. The effect compounds.

The Drink Water Rule

The yellow 7 chicken card is considered a penalty. The receiving player must run to the bathroom and get a drink of water and come back. While this is happening, the player who played the penalty adds cards to that players hand from the draw pile once every second while counting out loud. This penalty compounds.

The Vegan Rule

When a player puts down 3 or more identical cards they may declare themself a vegan. On the following turns they may put down two 'non-animal meat' cards (anything but chicken, pork, and fish) every round. The two cards can be different colors and foods but the card on top must be valid within the rules of play. If this player is ever forced to play an animal meat card (chicken, pork, fish) they lose the game.

The Grocery Store Rule

Ater playing a wild card that player may choose to open a shop for cards of that color and all card discards of that color are put into a separate draw pile. The next player who plays a wild card must take the entire shop pile into their hand.