A method of operation in a processor-based food preparation guidance system, the method comprising: receiving, via a user computing device, a request for preparation guidance for a food product; responsive to the received request, causing at least one of a first set of at least two graphical prompts to be displayed by the user computing device, each of the graphical prompts in the first set of at least two graphical prompts depicting a respective gradation of at least one first characteristic of the food product, the respective gradations being different from one another; receiving, via the user computing device, a selection related to at least one of the gradations of the at least one first characteristic of the food product; responsive to the received selection, causing, by at least one processor, a cooking program to be generated, the cooking program including at least one of instructions or data usable by a cooking appliance to perform a cooking process for the food product, wherein the cooking appliance is an immersion circulator; and controlling, by the at least one processor, a cooking appliance to perform the cooking process which cooks the food product according to the cooking program; wherein the method further comprises: obtaining, by the at least one processor, at least one parameter measurement indicative of a characteristic of the cooking process during the controlling of the cooking appliance; and determining, by the at least one processor, at least one of an update to the cooking program or a cooking projection parameter relating to the cooking process based at least in part on the obtained at least one parameter measurement. receiving, via a user computing device, a request for preparation guidance for a food product; responsive to the received request, causing at least one of a first set of at least two graphical prompts to be displayed by the user computing device, each of the graphical prompts in the first set of at least two graphical prompts depicting a respective gradation of at least one first characteristic of the food product, the respective gradations being different from one another; receiving, via the user computing device, a selection related to at least one of the gradations of the at least one first characteristic of the food product; responsive to the received selection, causing, by at least one processor, a cooking program to be generated, the cooking program including at least one of instructions or data usable by a cooking appliance to perform a cooking process for the food product, wherein the cooking appliance is an immersion circulator; and controlling, by the at least one processor, a cooking appliance to perform the cooking process which cooks the food product according to the cooking program; wherein the method further comprises: obtaining, by the at least one processor, at least one parameter measurement indicative of a characteristic of the cooking process during the controlling of the cooking appliance; and determining, by the at least one processor, at least one of an update to the cooking program or a cooking projection parameter relating to the cooking process based at least in part on the obtained at least one parameter measurement. obtaining, by the at least one processor, at least one parameter measurement indicative of a characteristic of the cooking process during the controlling of the cooking appliance; and determining, by the at least one processor, at least one of an update to the cooking program or a cooking projection parameter relating to the cooking process based at least in part on the obtained at least one parameter measurement.