Test Kitchen
Parallel implementation framework with two gate skills:
| Skill |
Gate |
Trigger |
test-kitchen:omakase-off |
Entry |
FIRST on any build/create/implement request |
test-kitchen:cookoff |
Exit |
At design→implementation transition |
Flow
"Build X" / "Create Y" / "Implement Z"
↓
┌─────────────────────────────────────┐
│ OMAKASE-OFF (entry gate) │
│ Wraps brainstorming │
│ │
│ Choice: │
│ 1. Brainstorm together │
│ 2. Omakase (3-5 parallel designs) │
└─────────────────────────────────────┘
↓
[Brainstorming / Design phase]
↓
Design complete, "let's implement"
↓
┌─────────────────────────────────────┐
│ COOKOFF (exit gate) │
│ Wraps implementation │
│ │
│ Choice: │
│ 1. Cookoff (2-5 parallel agents) │
│ 2. Single subagent │
│ 3. Local implementation │
└─────────────────────────────────────┘
↓
[Implementation]
Key Insight
Skills need aggressive triggers to work. They can't passively detect "uncertainty" or "readiness" - they must claim specific moments in the conversation flow.
- Omakase-off: Claims the BUILD/CREATE moment (before brainstorming)
- Cookoff: Claims the IMPLEMENT moment (after design)
When Each Triggers
Omakase-off (Three Triggers)
Trigger 1: BEFORE brainstorming
- "I want to build...", "Create a...", "Implement...", "Add a feature..."
- ANY signal to start building something
- Offers choice: Brainstorm together OR Omakase (parallel designs)
Trigger 2: DURING brainstorming (slot detection)
- 2+ uncertain responses on architectural decisions
- "not sure", "don't know", "either works", "you pick", "no preference"
- Offers to explore detected slots in parallel
Trigger 3: Explicitly requested
- "try both approaches", "explore both", "omakase"
- "implement both variants", "let's see which is better"
Cookoff
- "Let's implement"
- "Looks good, let's build"
- "Ready to code"
- Design doc just committed
- ANY signal to move from design to code
Omakase Mode (Skip Brainstorming)
If user picks "Omakase" at the entry gate:
- Quick context gathering (1-2 questions)
- Generate 3-5 best architectural approaches
- Implement ALL in parallel
- Tests pick the winner
- Skip detailed brainstorming entirely
Best for: "I'm flexible, show me options in working code"
Cookoff Mode (Parallel Implementation)
If user picks "Cookoff" at the exit gate:
- Each agent reads the same design doc
- Each agent creates their OWN implementation plan
- All implement in parallel
- Compare results, pick winner
Best for: "I want to see different implementation approaches"
Key Distinction
|
Omakase-off |
Cookoff |
| Gate |
Entry (before/during brainstorming) |
Exit (after design) |
| Question |
HOW to explore? |
HOW to implement? |
| Parallel on |
Different DESIGNS |
Same design, different PLANS |
| Triggers |
Build request, indecision detection, explicit |
"let's implement" signal |
| Skips |
Brainstorming (optional via short-circuit) |
Nothing - always after design |
Slot Detection (During Brainstorming)
When omakase-off delegates to brainstorming, it passively tracks architectural decisions where user shows uncertainty:
Detection signals:
- "not sure", "don't know", "either works", "both sound good"
- "you pick", "whatever you think", "no preference"
- User defers 2+ decisions in a row
Slot classification:
| Type |
Examples |
Worth exploring? |
| Architectural |
Storage engine, framework, auth method |
Yes - different code paths |
| Trivial |
File location, naming, config format |
No - easy to change |
At end of brainstorming:
- If architectural slots exist → offer parallel exploration
- If no slots → hand off to cookoff for implementation
1---2name: test-kitchen3description: This skill should be used when implementing features with parallel exploration or competition. Triggers on "build", "create", "implement", "try both approaches", "compare implementations". Routes to omakase-off (entry gate for design exploration) or cookoff (exit gate for parallel implementation).4---56# Test Kitchen78Parallel implementation framework with two gate skills:910| Skill | Gate | Trigger |11|-------|------|---------|12| `test-kitchen:omakase-off` | **Entry** | FIRST on any build/create/implement request |13| `test-kitchen:cookoff` | **Exit** | At design→implementation transition |1415## Flow1617```18"Build X" / "Create Y" / "Implement Z"19 ↓20┌─────────────────────────────────────┐21│ OMAKASE-OFF (entry gate) │22│ Wraps brainstorming │23│ │24│ Choice: │25│ 1. Brainstorm together │26│ 2. Omakase (3-5 parallel designs) │27└─────────────────────────────────────┘28 ↓29[Brainstorming / Design phase]30 ↓31Design complete, "let's implement"32 ↓33┌─────────────────────────────────────┐34│ COOKOFF (exit gate) │35│ Wraps implementation │36│ │37│ Choice: │38│ 1. Cookoff (2-5 parallel agents) │39│ 2. Single subagent │40│ 3. Local implementation │41└─────────────────────────────────────┘42 ↓43[Implementation]44```4546## Key Insight4748**Skills need aggressive triggers to work.** They can't passively detect "uncertainty" or "readiness" - they must claim specific moments in the conversation flow.4950- **Omakase-off**: Claims the BUILD/CREATE moment (before brainstorming)51- **Cookoff**: Claims the IMPLEMENT moment (after design)5253## When Each Triggers5455### Omakase-off (Three Triggers)5657**Trigger 1: BEFORE brainstorming**58- "I want to build...", "Create a...", "Implement...", "Add a feature..."59- ANY signal to start building something60- Offers choice: Brainstorm together OR Omakase (parallel designs)6162**Trigger 2: DURING brainstorming (slot detection)**63- 2+ uncertain responses on architectural decisions64- "not sure", "don't know", "either works", "you pick", "no preference"65- Offers to explore detected slots in parallel6667**Trigger 3: Explicitly requested**68- "try both approaches", "explore both", "omakase"69- "implement both variants", "let's see which is better"7071### Cookoff72- "Let's implement"73- "Looks good, let's build"74- "Ready to code"75- Design doc just committed76- ANY signal to move from design to code7778## Omakase Mode (Skip Brainstorming)7980If user picks "Omakase" at the entry gate:811. Quick context gathering (1-2 questions)822. Generate 3-5 best architectural approaches833. Implement ALL in parallel844. Tests pick the winner855. Skip detailed brainstorming entirely8687Best for: "I'm flexible, show me options in working code"8889## Cookoff Mode (Parallel Implementation)9091If user picks "Cookoff" at the exit gate:921. Each agent reads the same design doc932. Each agent creates their OWN implementation plan943. All implement in parallel954. Compare results, pick winner9697Best for: "I want to see different implementation approaches"9899## Key Distinction100101| | Omakase-off | Cookoff |102|-|-------------|---------|103| **Gate** | Entry (before/during brainstorming) | Exit (after design) |104| **Question** | HOW to explore? | HOW to implement? |105| **Parallel on** | Different DESIGNS | Same design, different PLANS |106| **Triggers** | Build request, indecision detection, explicit | "let's implement" signal |107| **Skips** | Brainstorming (optional via short-circuit) | Nothing - always after design |108109## Slot Detection (During Brainstorming)110111When omakase-off delegates to brainstorming, it passively tracks architectural decisions where user shows uncertainty:112113**Detection signals:**114- "not sure", "don't know", "either works", "both sound good"115- "you pick", "whatever you think", "no preference"116- User defers 2+ decisions in a row117118**Slot classification:**119| Type | Examples | Worth exploring? |120|------|----------|------------------|121| **Architectural** | Storage engine, framework, auth method | Yes - different code paths |122| **Trivial** | File location, naming, config format | No - easy to change |123124**At end of brainstorming:**125- If architectural slots exist → offer parallel exploration126- If no slots → hand off to cookoff for implementation