A control unit for assisting a user in orchestrating preparation of a meal comprising a plurality of dishes, based on recipes (160, 170) stored in a database on a common recipe format, by independent recipe authors (130, 140), wherein the control unit is configured to: offer a plurality of dishes to the user via a communication device, which dishes correspond to a respective recipe (160, 170) in the database; receive a selection of dishes forming the meal, selected by the user, via a communication interface; determine a required work intensity of the user, selected from at least three distinct work intensity levels, for each cooking step in a respective recipe (160, 170) associated with the received dish selection, based on information provided by the recipe author (130, 140); determine a maximum time limit, and a minimum time limit, of each step of the respective recipes (160, 170), based on information provided by the recipe author (130, 140); compose a time interval structure of the steps of the respective recipes (160, 170), based on the determined required work intensity of the user for each step and the determined maximum and minimum time limits, respectively, of each step; receive at least one input value, either from a sensor situated in a kitchen resource or from the communication device of the user; adapt the time interval structure of the recipe steps with regard to the received input value; and generate and transmit control signals to the communication device of the user, or to a kitchen appliance of the user for outputting the adapted time interval structure on the communication device or on the kitchen appliance; and as an output, control the action of the kitchen appliance of the user, based on information received from the user concerning when the meal is to be ready and further based on sensor values detected by the sensor. offer a plurality of dishes to the user via a communication device, which dishes correspond to a respective recipe (160, 170) in the database; receive a selection of dishes forming the meal, selected by the user, via a communication interface; determine a required work intensity of the user, selected from at least three distinct work intensity levels, for each cooking step in a respective recipe (160, 170) associated with the received dish selection, based on information provided by the recipe author (130, 140); determine a maximum time limit, and a minimum time limit, of each step of the respective recipes (160, 170), based on information provided by the recipe author (130, 140); compose a time interval structure of the steps of the respective recipes (160, 170), based on the determined required work intensity of the user for each step and the determined maximum and minimum time limits, respectively, of each step; receive at least one input value, either from a sensor situated in a kitchen resource or from the communication device of the user; adapt the time interval structure of the recipe steps with regard to the received input value; and generate and transmit control signals to the communication device of the user, or to a kitchen appliance of the user for outputting the adapted time interval structure on the communication device or on the kitchen appliance; and as an output, control the action of the kitchen appliance of the user, based on information received from the user concerning when the meal is to be ready and further based on sensor values detected by the sensor.