One does not live by bread alone, it is true; one also needs the side dish, and the art of making it cheaper, tastier, and healthier, I say and maintain, is true art. Let us rehabilitate the sense of taste and not be ashamed to satisfy it honestly, but in the best way possible, as she (Artusi) gives us the precepts.
(Olindo Guerrini, 1896)

Food and Technology. Robot Chefs and Our Kitchen

In the age of Artificial Intelligence, food and its preparation—ancient and deeply rooted aspects of our existence—are undergoing an epochal technological transformation. Until a few decades ago, the kitchen was the exclusive domain of human creativity, with its rituals, rhythms, and traditions. Today, however, Artificial Intelligence appears capable of changing the ways we research, select, combine, integrate, and prepare our meals. From the design of robot chefs to the creation of personalized diets, and through the monitoring of individual tastes and dietary preferences, Artificial Intelligence presents itself as a guide—if not even a teacher—to our traditional chefs, with the ambition of replacing our legendary grandmothers and their inviolable culinary secrets.

Before reading some interesting studies and publications that inspired this reflection, I had never imagined Artificial Intelligence acting through the form of a robot equipped with apron, ladles, and pots, immersed in the fumes, vapors, and smells of the stove. These readings further increased my curiosity, my desire to deepen my knowledge of the subject, and ultimately to discover the positive contributions that the presence of a Robot Chef in the kitchen might bring.

Many questions arise spontaneously: what happens to our relationship with food when technology enters the kitchen? How can the scientific precision of a Robot Chef adapt to the creative pleasure of cooking? And finally, what impact might it have on our relationship with nutrition?

Are we talking about household Robot Chefs available for every family kitchen, Michelin-star Robot Chefs working in restaurants, or Robot Chefs employed as workers in large industrial food production chains?

“…Once the idea of a robot chef was confined to science fiction, but today it is an increasingly close reality. Some large restaurant kitchens have already introduced robots such as Flippy, a robotic assistant that prepares hamburgers with consistent precision, or Sally, a device capable of assembling customized salads for customers. These robots are equipped with sensors, cameras, and advanced software that allow them to precisely measure every ingredient, monitor cooking times, and ensure maximum food safety…”

Should we therefore think that culinary art will become an exact science, where human error is reduced to a minimum?

Certainly, for large restaurant chains, Artificial Intelligence applications represent an opportunity to improve efficiency and reduce costs. But can robotic technical precision extend to domestic kitchens as well?
Let us imagine a robot preparing breakfast or daily meals exactly as we wish. This might seem like an innovation capable of reducing our effort, but can a robot truly replace the love and passion that a person puts into cooking?

At the foundation of traditional cuisine, methods and techniques alone are not enough. As Master Artusi teaches us, they must blend with human intuition and sensitivity—two dimensions upon which the human ability to find the perfect taste depends, whether to satisfy a momentary desire or to invent a dish from forgotten ingredients in the pantry or refrigerator.

What has always distinguished the “best” chef, whether domestic or professional, is precisely the ability to improvise, modify, experiment, and even revolutionize an ancient recipe.A robot acts because it is programmed with algorithmic precision, based on standardized information—perfectible, certainly, because robots also learn—but can human creativity, intuition, and passion truly be encoded, transferred to a machine equipped with a chef’s hat and ladles, and programmed?
Avoiding prejudice or preconceived opinions, it is necessary to investigate this “culinary revolution” in order to understand its opportunities and limits, and above all to understand how Artificial Intelligence might reinvent our nutrition and the traditional processes and techniques of food preparation. After all, it should not be forgotten that during the Second Industrial Revolution, the link between science and production was initially guided by brilliant craftsmen aiming to reduce human labor. Later, in the second half of the nineteenth century, innovations largely resulted from the work of scientists. From scientific successes emerged the cultural movement of positivism, according to which humanity, thanks to scientific progress, would experience increasing well-being and prosperity.

Artificial Intelligence and Personalized Nutrition

Making the effort to move beyond a purely “romantic” vision of cooking, let us consider Artificial Intelligence as a guiding tool for nutrition.Through the analysis and processing of personal data (gender, age, weight, physical activity level, allergies, and genetic information), Artificial Intelligence can identify personalized diets designed to protect and promote health.The possibility of personalizing nutrition represents a revolution compared to generic diets, which often failed because they did not consider individual characteristics.Artificial Intelligence enables the development of tailored nutrition plans aimed at improving physical performance, mental health, and overall well-being.Yet, this innovation also raises ethical and practical questions. Does extreme personalization risk turning food into a purely mechanical process? Could algorithm-based diets negatively affect our relationship with food, transforming it into a rigid and spontaneity-free practice?The answer is simple: Artificial Intelligence can suggest personalized nutritional paths, but the final decision—the freedom to choose—belongs only to human beings.

De Gustibus and Algorithms of Taste

De gustibus non est disputandum (“there is no disputing about tastes”), said the ancient Romans. Yet today Artificial Intelligence seems to dominate even our tastes and culinary preferences.Through data collected from online profiles, purchasing habits, and reviews left on platforms and e-commerce sites, sophisticated algorithms learn what we like to eat and develop recipes capable of satisfying our preferences.These algorithms not only detect preferences but also predict our desires. An AI system might suggest recipes based on ingredients already in our refrigerator or propose surprising combinations.But how much space does this leave for discovery and improvisation?Cooking has always been a place of experimentation, error, attempts, and genius. If everything is predetermined, we risk losing the magical dimension of food—the ability to surprise ourselves and discover new flavors.

Creativity, Intuition, and Emotion in the Technological Kitchen

While Artificial Intelligence evolves rapidly, the essence of culinary art remains unchanged.Food pleasure is not only the result of perfect taste or aesthetic presentation but also an emotional and sensory experience.Cooking is a form of expression, relaxation, and even therapy.Technology can make food preparation easier and more precise, but it risks weakening the emotional bond we have with food.Perhaps the solution lies in balance: Artificial Intelligence should assist, not replace, humans.Chefs, mothers, and grandmothers may need to learn programming—to teach robots the art of cooking.

Multicultural Cuisine and Robot Chefs

From an anthropological perspective, food is a marker of cultural identity.Artificial Intelligence can optimize processes and reduce waste, but human intelligence uniquely preserves cultural meaning.Every dish tells a story and represents a community.Artificial Intelligence can generate recipes based on data, but it lacks symbolic and cultural depth.

Robot Chefs and the Food Industry

Artificial Intelligence is revolutionizing the food industry by automating production, ensuring quality, safety, and traceability. Robot chefs can monitor storage conditions, reduce waste, and improve efficiency.They may soon prepare food autonomously via apps.

Artificial Intelligence and Food Marketing

Artificial Intelligence enables predictive models of food consumption and preferences.
This allows restaurants and industries to create personalized menus and healthier products.
It may also help combat malnutrition and develop sustainable food solutions.

Conclusion

Artificial Intelligence can guide, assist, and improve—but the final decision, creativity, and cultural meaning of food remain human.