A method is provided for preparing a recipe with an automatic meal preparation apparatus. After a recipe is selected from a recipe database associated with the automatic meal preparation apparatus, the selected recipe is checked as a certified recipe for the automatic meal preparation apparatus. If certified, a user is directed to add prepared raw ingredients to a raw ingredients compartment in the user's apparatus. The presence of at least one spice/sauce cartridge needed for the recipe is checked. The apparatus then executes instructions of the recipe. These include heating, dispensing, and stirring and cooking steps. A method of sharing a recipe for an automatic meal preparation apparatus is also provided.
