Artificial intelligence is heading to the kitchen — and not just to take your order. A Michelin-starred chef in Chicago is creating a full tasting menu with the help of AI.
A futuristic spin on fine dining
Chef Grant Achatz, known for his work at Michelin-starred restaurant Next, is utilizing ChatGPT to create a nine-course tasting experience. The New York Times reports each dish will be crafted by a different AI-generated “chef.”
But it’s not as simple as asking for a recipe. Achatz provided the chatbot with detailed backstories for each AI persona, including one named Jill. He gave her an imaginary profile, including work history, a family background and culinary inspirations. Then, he asked ChatGPT to suggest dishes Jill might create based on her fictional life experience.
A new kind of ‘chef’
According to Achatz, Jill is a digital prodigy trained under culinary legends like Ferran Adrià, sushi master Jiro Ono and French haute cuisine pioneer Auguste Escoffier.
“She is young and, while experienced, does not yet have the understanding of how to blend them seamlessly,” he told the Times. “I want it to do as much as possible, short of actually preparing it.”
Price tag and public reaction
Despite the innovation, not everyone is convinced about the use of AI in the kitchen.
A Reddit user commented, “He’s found a way to pay even lower wages!” Others questioned why customers would spend hundreds on a meal designed by a machine.
A dining experience at Next can cost anywhere between $135 and $315, according to the restaurant’s information on restaurant booking site Tock.
Achatz’s personal journey
This experimental approach may feel bold, but Achatz is no stranger to overcoming culinary obstacles.
In 2007, he was diagnosed with stage four tongue cancer at the height of his career. As reported in a Medium feature, the radiation and chemotherapy treatments caused him to lose his sense of taste — a devastating blow for any chef.
Instead of stepping away from the kitchen, he leaned on his team and learned to trust them with his culinary creations.
AI’s growing role in restaurants
AI in the food industry isn’t entirely new. McDonald’s acquired AI startup Apprente in 2019 to help automate drive-thru service. AI-powered robots have also been used to deliver food in some restaurants.
Achatz’s collaboration with ChatGPT goes further — inviting artificial intelligence to play a creative role in shaping the future of high-end cuisine.
