AI's Impact on Cooking: A New Culinary Experience
I enjoy cooking immensely and see it as a challenging pastime, always searching for new and intricate dishes to prepare. Lately, I found myself fascinated by the idea of creating a multi-course meal for a group of people with various dietary restrictions. However, until recently, I had my doubts about the usefulness of smart cooking technology, believing it was meant for those who were inexperienced in the kitchen and needed help from a machine.
This perception started to change in the past year as I encountered cooking appliances equipped with AI and machine learning. While AI won't magically turn you into a fantastic cook or remove the work required for food preparation, it can significantly improve your cooking experience. These advances aren't only for beginners – experienced chefs can also benefit from it!
AI ensures perfect cooking temperatures
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So many people shy away from cooking due to fear of messing up, especially when it comes to proteins. It's simple to make a salad, but getting the timing right for more complicated dishes can be nerve-wracking – how do you avoid under or overcooking your food? Have you ever been unsure if a protein is fully cooked or not? I know friends who struggle with this, and it can cause them to either undercook their meals fearfully, or overcook them to ensure safety.
This is where thermal probes like the Combustion come in handy. Combustion is a smart thermometer probe that can be used in a wide range of cooking situations, from grills to boiling pots, sous vide, or any other heated surface. It has eight sensors, both internal and external, giving it precise information about what you're cooking. Next, AI and algorithms are used to determine when it's perfect to remove the food from the heat. This means you can focus on other tasks while the app and probe handle the timing, significantly reducing the amount of time you have to spend monitoring your food. Better yet, AI can ensure your food meets the USDA's recommended safety standards, putting your mind at ease. Even as an experienced chef, I appreciate this feature - it's a fantastic way to guarantee dat your food is cooked safely and consistently.
Similar to Combustion, there are other smart temperature probes on the market. The ThermaPro, which I have not had the chance to test, also offers similar temperature tracking. However, it did not impress me much during my research.
Combustion Predictive Thermometer$199.99 at AmazonShop NowShop Now$199.99 at Amazon
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AI reduces food waste
Another challenge when it comes to cooking is keeping track of what you have in your fridge and pantry. I often lose track of the items I have and end up buying duplicate ingredients or wasting food approaching its expiration date, particularly when it comes to fresh produce. Companies are addressing this issue. Samsung's most recent fridges, part of its Bespoke line, feature a "Food AI" system. Using internal cameras, this fridge can recognize up to 33 items inside and provide recommendations on what else you may need. What's more, it can also suggest recipes based on the ingredients it detects.
Although I have not tested the Bespoke fridge, its large LCD screen and clean algorithm should make it easy to identify the contents of your fridge through the app, which means you'll never need to guess your inventory at the supermarket again.
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AI helps you decide what to cook
Advanced AI technology is taking cooking even further. These days, voice assistants are being integrated into many cooking devices. Using them, you can provide a list of ingredients, a particular feeling, a craving, or just let it question you, and it will provide suitable meal suggestions.
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Even if you don't own a smart appliance capable of carrying on a conversation, there are plenty of apps available to provide you with suggestions. Services such as DishGen, MealsAI, and MealPractice all use AI models, like Gemini, to offer recommendations based on the language you input, whether that's a group of ingredients or a preference-based request.
Cooking with AI isn't just practical and efficient, but can also be a great deal of fun and save you time!
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Smart ovens are becoming more popular, and I've been using the Brava, an expensive toaster oven with built-in intelligence, for a few months now. From the oven's graphical interface, you can search for any ingredient, and it will suggest various recipes. Select one, and you'll be guided on how to place the food on the tray, where to put the tray, and even how to insert a thermometer probe. Then you simply press a button and leave it alone. The oven will send you a live video of the food cooking, monitor its progress, and turn off automatically when it's done.
Unlike traditional ovens, the Brava uses light technology instead of heating elements. It targets specific foods with heat as needed, in a small, concentrated space. This means cooking times are significantly shorter, sometimes up to twice as fast. Last week, I made sweet potato fries in just eight minutes from raw potatoes.
Currently, the Brava uses minimal AI technology, but it's not hard to envision AI helping companies with their appliances in the future. They could analyze the data gathered from their ovens to create more recipes and refine the ones already available. However, Brava product manager Zac Selmon pointed out that this is challenging due to the sheer number of variables involved, such as ingredients, environment, and the cook themselves. Therefore, they still use human chefs alongside data engineers.
What impressed me most about the Brava is that it eliminates the need to monitor your food while it cooks. It streamlines the process, cutting cooking time in half or more. I've even gifted smart thermometers to friends, and they've found them helpful in their own households. They feel more comfortable cooking with better cuts of meat and taking risks. In the future, AI technology will likely make meal preparation even easier, allowing you to manage it from a distance while spending more quality time with your loved ones. While a gadget may not transform you into a cook, it can certainly make your experience more enjoyable.
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Brava Oven Chef's Choice Set $1,495.00 at Amazon$1,695.00Save $200.00Shop NowShop Now$1,495.00 at Amazon$1,695.00Save $200.00
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Source: lifehacker.com
