diff --git a/cmd/recipe.go b/cmd/recipe.go
index f488e6d..a8bb0ad 100644
--- a/cmd/recipe.go
+++ b/cmd/recipe.go
@@ -8,6 +8,8 @@ import (
 
 	"github.com/spf13/cobra"
 
+	"gmgauthier.com/grokkit/config"
+	"gmgauthier.com/grokkit/internal/grok"
 	"gmgauthier.com/grokkit/internal/recipe"
 )
 
@@ -31,33 +33,32 @@ func init() {
 func runRecipe(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
 	nameOrPath := args[0]
 
-	// 1. Resolve recipe path (your exact rules)
 	recipePath, err := resolveRecipePath(nameOrPath)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
 
-	// 2. For now we pass empty params (we'll add --param later)
+	// TODO: add --param support later; for now YAML defaults work
 	params := make(map[string]any)
 
-	// 3. Load & parse
 	r, err := recipe.Load(recipePath, params)
 	if err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("failed to load recipe: %w", err)
 	}
 
-	// 4. Run it
-	runner := recipe.NewRunner(r)
-	if err := runner.Run(); err != nil {
-		return err
-	}
+	// respect -m/--model flag + config exactly like every other command
+	flagModel, _ := cmd.Flags().GetString("model")
+	model := config.GetModel("recipe", flagModel)
 
-	return nil
+	client := grok.NewClient()
+
+	runner := recipe.NewRunner(r, client, model)
+	return runner.Run()
 }
 
-// resolveRecipePath implements exactly what you asked for
+// resolveRecipePath implements exactly the rules you specified
 func resolveRecipePath(nameOrPath string) (string, error) {
-	// explicit path?
+	// explicit path wins immediately
 	if strings.Contains(nameOrPath, "/") || strings.HasSuffix(nameOrPath, ".md") {
 		if _, err := os.Stat(nameOrPath); err == nil {
 			return nameOrPath, nil
@@ -65,7 +66,7 @@ func resolveRecipePath(nameOrPath string) (string, error) {
 		return "", fmt.Errorf("recipe file not found: %s", nameOrPath)
 	}
 
-	// normalise name
+	// normalise to .md
 	if !strings.HasSuffix(nameOrPath, ".md") {
 		nameOrPath += ".md"
 	}
@@ -79,7 +80,7 @@ func resolveRecipePath(nameOrPath string) (string, error) {
 		}
 	}
 
-	// 2. Global XDG fallback
+	// 2. Global XDG fallback with confirmation
 	global := filepath.Join(os.Getenv("HOME"), ".local", "share", "grokkit", "recipes", nameOrPath)
 	if _, err := os.Stat(global); err == nil {
 		fmt.Printf("Recipe %q not found in project.\nFound globally at %s\nUse this one? [y/N] ", nameOrPath, global)
diff --git a/internal/recipe/loader.go b/internal/recipe/loader.go
index d081679..c8fb992 100644
--- a/internal/recipe/loader.go
+++ b/internal/recipe/loader.go
@@ -20,13 +20,13 @@ var (
 )
 
 // Load reads a recipe from disk and fully parses it.
-func Load(path string, params map[string]any) (*Recipe, error) {
+// Load reads a recipe from disk and fully parses it.
+func Load(path string, userParams map[string]any) (*Recipe, error) {
 	b, err := os.ReadFile(path)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
 
-	// split frontmatter
 	parts := bytes.SplitN(b, []byte("---"), 3)
 	if len(parts) < 3 {
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("missing YAML frontmatter")
@@ -37,7 +37,20 @@ func Load(path string, params map[string]any) (*Recipe, error) {
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("yaml parse: %w", err)
 	}
 
-	// simple template render on the whole body (so {{.package_path}} works everywhere)
+	// Apply defaults from YAML if user didn't supply them
+	if r.Parameters == nil {
+		r.Parameters = make(map[string]Parameter)
+	}
+	params := make(map[string]any)
+	for name, p := range r.Parameters {
+		if v, ok := userParams[name]; ok {
+			params[name] = v
+		} else if p.Default != nil {
+			params[name] = p.Default
+		}
+	}
+
+	// render templates with defaults applied
 	tpl, err := template.New("recipe").Parse(string(parts[2]))
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
@@ -47,6 +60,10 @@ func Load(path string, params map[string]any) (*Recipe, error) {
 		return nil, err
 	}
 
+	if err := tpl.Execute(&rendered, params); err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+
 	body := rendered.String()
 
 	// extract steps
diff --git a/internal/recipe/runner.go b/internal/recipe/runner.go
index d8e2427..ad663fd 100644
--- a/internal/recipe/runner.go
+++ b/internal/recipe/runner.go
@@ -1,25 +1,77 @@
 package recipe
 
-import "fmt"
+import (
+	"fmt"
+	"strings"
+
+	"gmgauthier.com/grokkit/internal/grok"
+)
 
 type Runner struct {
 	Recipe *Recipe
+	Client *grok.Client
+	Model  string
 }
 
-func NewRunner(r *Recipe) *Runner {
-	return &Runner{Recipe: r}
+func NewRunner(r *Recipe, client *grok.Client, model string) *Runner {
+	return &Runner{Recipe: r, Client: client, Model: model}
 }
 
 func (r *Runner) Run() error {
 	fmt.Printf("🍳 Starting recipe: %s v%s\n\n", r.Recipe.Name, r.Recipe.Version)
 
+	var previousResults []string
+
 	for _, step := range r.Recipe.Steps {
 		fmt.Printf("Step %d/%d: %s\n", step.Number, len(r.Recipe.Steps), step.Title)
-		// TODO: here we will send step.Instructions (plus Objective/Expected) to the LLM
-		// and handle the response according to Expected output
-		fmt.Println("   → (LLM call coming soon)")
+
+		// Build a clear, self-contained prompt for this step
+		prompt := fmt.Sprintf(`You are an expert sous-chef executing a recipe with precision.
+
+Recipe Overview:
+%s
+
+Previous step results (for context):
+%s
+
+=== CURRENT STEP ===
+Objective: %s
+Instructions: %s
+Expected output format: %s
+
+Execute the step now. Be concise and follow the expected output format exactly.`,
+			r.Recipe.Overview, // we'll extract this too if you want, or leave as-is
+			strings.Join(previousResults, "\n\n"),
+			step.Objective,
+			step.Instructions,
+			step.Expected)
+
+		// Use the same streaming client as every other command
+		messages := []map[string]string{
+			{"role": "system", "content": "You are a precise, no-nonsense coding sous-chef."},
+			{"role": "user", "content": prompt},
+		}
+
+		response := r.Client.Stream(messages, r.Model)
+		fmt.Println() // extra newline after streaming finishes
+
+		previousResults = append(previousResults, fmt.Sprintf("Step %d result:\n%s", step.Number, response))
 	}
 
+	// Final summary step
+	fmt.Println("Final Summary")
+	finalPrompt := fmt.Sprintf(`You just executed the entire recipe. Here is the full history:
+
+%s
+
+%s`, strings.Join(previousResults, "\n\n"), r.Recipe.FinalSummaryPrompt)
+
+	messages := []map[string]string{
+		{"role": "system", "content": "You are a precise, no-nonsense coding sous-chef."},
+		{"role": "user", "content": finalPrompt},
+	}
+	r.Client.Stream(messages, r.Model)
+
 	fmt.Println("\n✅ Recipe complete.")
 	return nil
 }