There’s more to AI than meets the Ribeye

By Luke LaBree 🔎
CMO, Dennis Food Service

Artificial Intelligence is revolutionizing industries across the board, and the restaurant business is no exception. From the front door to the kitchen, AI is serving up a feast of innovations that are transforming how we think about food service.

Let’s dive into the world where silicon meets sizzle, and explore how AI is becoming as essential to modern restaurants as a well-honed chef’s knife.

Imagine a customer walks into a restaurant, one of several on the street, and wants to place an order but a crowd of customers is blocking their path to the counter. Instead of turning to leave, and try their luck at the next establishment, they turn to see a touch-screen kiosk and easily place an order.

A restaurant receives never-ending phone calls about the daily specials, reservation availability, and whether or not dogs are welcome. An AI answering service can handle these and more complex questions effortlessly.

A restaurant wants to update its website with fun images highlighting a new promotion. Generative AI helps create detailed and customized imagery to complement their signature dishes.
A chef wants to add a twist to one of their favorite recipes. AI suggests unique ingredient pairings they can explore.

A bar manager needs to plan additional staffing for an upcoming festival. AI helps schedule bartenders and barbacks effortlessly, and even sends reminders to the staff’s smartphones about the upcoming shift changes.

I’m not describing the future, these are all AI-powered solutions being used by foodservice businesses today… and yes, here in New England. This article highlights opportunities for AI-powered solutions to find a place in professional foodservice operations, specifically:

• Voice-assisted ordering and chatbots for customer service
• Visual AI tools for creating unique marketing content
• AI-powered recipe generation and flavor pairing suggestions
• Smart kitchen appliances for fast, consistent cooking results
• Labor optimization and scheduling tools

In the culinary world, a chef’s knife is an indispensable tool. Today, artificial intelligence is on its way to becoming equally essential, with new technologies poised to transform nearly every aspect of the restaurant industry. From the front of the house to the heart of the kitchen, AI is sharpening operations, enhancing creativity, and elevating the dining experience.

AI-powered solutions are being created for the restaurant industry with the same fervor as other industries. And while AI-generated Elvis voices and celebrity deep fakes might make the news, the point remains–AI can be a useful tool in the kitchen too. Just as a well-honed blade is a faster and more efficient cutting implement, AI is creating new efficiencies and carving out new possibilities for chefs and the dining industry. And it’s worth mentioning, both are safest when handled with care and discipline.

At the front of the house, voice-assisted ordering and chatbots like Slang.ai offer convenience for busy operators. On the last Friday of July, literally as I was writing this article, Chef Daron Goldstein of Provender Kitchen+Bar in Ellsworth, Maine, stopped by my office. He recently started using Slang.ai to handle incoming calls. Daron had nothing but praise for the questions it was capable of answering. Slang’s AI learned 99% of the answers by reading the Provender website. “Customers can use it to place takeout orders or make reservations as naturally as if they were speaking to you or I”, he added. AI-powered chatbots are shockingly capable of handling inquiries and answering questions. These technologies aren’t just gimmicks; they’re reducing wait times and freeing up staff to focus on creating memorable dining experiences. There’s a small trade-off said Goldstein, “The few takeout orders I might lose because someone doesn’t want to use the AI–that’s a small price to pay for a kitchen and waitstaff that can focus completely on preparing food and serving the customer.” There is a way to get through to the human staff at Provender, but Chef Goldstein says “people must not use it, because the phone never rings. The phone might not be ringing but he noted that they’re as busy as ever and that the weight it’s taken off his team is incredible.

Visual AI tools have made it wildly easy to create the exact image you need. Tools like Copilot Designer (free from Microsoft) can generate Monet-style paintings of your signature dish, turn your deli team into roll-slicing Samurais, or create stunning graphics for your digital menu board. Generative image creation is a free tool that provides restaurants with a powerful way to create a visual identity that’s as unique and appealing as their food.

In the kitchen, AI is proving to be a capable e-sous. Let’s Foodie is inventing recipes on the fly, transforming any ingredients you provide into viable dishes. I low-balled it with a few products you’d want to use within a certain period; Black Angus ground beef, artisan sub rolls, cheddar cheese, romaine lettuce, tomatoes, and garlic. It gave me complete instructions for ‘Black Angus Beef and Cheddar Subs.’ I’ve provided the unedited recipe below. At Dennis Food Service we’ve curated a library of hundreds of recipes, all built around foodservice operations and products. I’m starting to wonder if we need to keep updating it.

Restaurants don’t want recipes, maybe inspiration, but worldwide professional kitchens all share a common ambition–flavor. An uniquely named website called LogicBalls has an offering that even seasoned chefs may want to consider. I provided it with “ribeye” as my ingredient, and “Korean” as my flavor profile and it fired back with six Korean flavor pairings that complement ribeye steak. I’ve listed the unedited response below. What I didn’t explore but I am considering for our new Corporate Chef, is their Pro account which promises human-like interaction. There also appears to be a voice mode.

Even the cooking process itself is getting an AI upgrade. At the consumer level, smart appliances like the June Oven can adjust cooking parameters on the fly, “ensuring consistent results even for the most delicate dishes”. Samsung has started rolling out its Bespoke AI Kitchen Appliances with incorporated AI designed to simplify meal planning and preparation. Take a stroll around the floor of the National Restaurant Association Show in Chicago and you’ll see a plethora of professional-grade AI-equipped technology ready to revolutionize your kitchen. Are AI appliances affordable? That’s subjective to your needs and expectations, but sticker shock is likely for a few more years. For context, the first flat-screen TVs, DVD players, and mobile phones were absurdly priced by today’s standards. As with everything else, technology advancement and user adoption will drive down prices until eventually it will become hard to find “dumb” appliances.

In the next decade you will see more widespread use of AI-powered tools and robotic foodservice equipment such as fry-cooks, automated pizza kiosks, and R2D2-style servers delivering food to tables. Time will tell if AI becomes as versatile and indispensable as a chef’s knife in the kitchen. Hopefully, as these technologies evolve and find their place in the restaurant industry, they’ll cut through challenges and help carve out a future where human interaction, genuine creativity, and customer satisfaction are given more time and attention. Because behind these innovations and optimizations the heartbeat of foodservice will remain uniquely human.

As we’ve seen, AI is already making significant inroads in the restaurant industry, from front-of-house operations to back-of-house efficiency. While it’s not a replacement for the human touch that makes dining out special, it’s a powerful tool that can enhance the experience for both staff and customers. As with any new technology, the key will be finding the right balance – using AI to handle repetitive tasks and provide insights, while allowing human creativity and hospitality to shine. The future of dining looks to be a perfect blend of high-tech efficiency and good old-fashioned human warmth. Bon appétit!

7 more AI tools you can wield like a knife in the kitchen!

1. Voice-Assisted Ordering: OpenTable offers voice-enabled reservations and ordering services for restaurants. Customers can book tables and place orders using voice commands, enhancing convenience and accessibility. For example, a customer could say, “Hey, can I get a classic cheeseburger with fries?” The voice assistant would respond, “Certainly! One classic cheeseburger with fries. Anything else?” and then accept payment. This streamlines the ordering process and reduces wait times.
2. Chatbots: Sendbird.com is a versatile chatbot that can handle customer inquiries and reservations, and provide real-time responses. It’s customizable for restaurant-specific needs, improving customer service efficiency. For instance, when a customer asks, “What’s today’s special?” the chatbot can instantly reply with, “Today’s special is grilled salmon with lemon dill sauce.” This quick response enhances customer satisfaction and reduces the workload on staff.
3. Visual AI Tools: Getting to know generative image creation from free resources like Crayon AI Art Generator and Night Cafe Studio can enhance your restaurant’s online presence, helping creating unique and eye-catching visuals that set your establishment apart. These AI-generated images can be used to create social media posts and ads, print materials and signs, BOH instruction, you could even create artistic interpretations of your food as artwork for diners to enjoy.
4. AI-Powered Kiosks: A few years back Verifone invested in AI with the acquisition of Zivelo, a maker of self-service AI-powered kiosks. Their AI technology is designed to provide personalized experiences while streamlining customer service and operational efficiency. The kiosks take orders, process payments, and offer intelligent recommendations. During peak hours, customers can quickly place orders without waiting in line. For example, a customer could select “Build Your Own Pizza” on the kiosk, and the AI would guide them through choosing crust type, toppings, and sauce, potentially upselling additional items based on their selections.
5. Ingredient Pairing for Chefs: Culinary enthusiasts can register for a free account at FoodPairing.com, which comes with 50 free recommendations for foods and 50 drinks. helping chefs create harmonious flavor combinations. From their website, “Each time you select an ingredient our algorithms calculate possible aromatic matches… use our tool to find complementary pairings, while you as a chef create the perfect balance between Taste and Texture.”
6. Labor Optimization: Platforms like 7shifts offer AI-driven advancements for automated scheduling, labor forecasting, employee engagement, task management, and even compliance management with local regulations. For example, 7Shifts AI helps create optimized schedules by analyzing historical data, employee availability, and labor laws. This reduces the time managers spend on scheduling and ensures shifts are covered efficiently.
7. Cooking Assistance: If a $1,300 toaster oven isn’t your cup of tea, Seergrills has launched an AI-powered smart grill that promises to cook a perfect steak in a fraction of the time. The Perfecta grill is touted as an innovative, AI-powered grilling device designed to deliver chef-level results quickly and efficiently. It’s capable of cooking over 50 types of food in various modes, including grill, oven, pizza, rotisserie, and chef modes. As it says on their website “From ribeyes to pizza, cook all your favorites in 3 minutes or less.” Would cooking one perfect medium-rare ribeye steak at a time work for your operation? What if it was cooked in 110 seconds, and you needed zero training to use it? Maybe the ROI for a $2500 grill is in the electricity bill, as the Perfecta promises 50% energy savings.

Recipe from Let’s Foodie
Black Angus Beef and Cheddar Subs:

Ingredients:

• 1 pound of black angus ground beef
• 4 artisan sub rolls
• 1 cup of cheddar cheese cubes
• 1 head of romaine lettuce, chopped
• 2 tomatoes, sliced
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• Olive oil
• Salt
• Pepper

Instructions:

1. Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).
2. In a pan over medium heat, add a drizzle of olive oil and minced garlic. Cook until fragrant.
3. Add the ground beef to the pan and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook for about 8-10 minutes, until the beef is fully cooked and browned.
4. While the beef is cooking, slice the sub rolls in half and place them on a baking sheet.
5. Sprinkle cheddar cheese cubes on one half of each sub roll.
6. Once the beef is cooked, spoon it onto the other half of the sub rolls.
7. Place the sub rolls in the oven and bake for about 5 minutes, until the cheese is melted and the rolls are slightly toasted.
8. Take the sub rolls out of the oven and top the beef with chopped romaine lettuce and sliced tomatoes.
9. Optional: drizzle some olive oil on top for extra flavor.
10. Serve hot and enjoy your delicious Black Angus Beef and Cheddar Subs!

Pairings from LogicBalls
Some Korean flavor pairings that complement ribeye steak well include:

• Gochujang (Korean red chili paste) and soy sauce marinade: This combination adds a spicy and savory kick to the rich flavor of ribeye steak.
• Sesame oil and garlic: A simple yet flavorful marinade made with sesame oil and minced garlic can enhance the natural taste of the ribeye steak.
• Kimchi: The tangy and spicy flavors of kimchi can add depth and complexity to the overall taste of the ribeye steak.
• Bulgogi sauce: A traditional Korean marinade made with soy sauce, sugar, garlic, and sesame oil, bulgogi sauce can infuse the ribeye steak with a sweet and savory flavor profile.
• Doenjang (Korean fermented soybean paste) and ginger: A marinade made with doenjang and grated ginger can add a unique umami flavor to the ribeye steak.
• Green onion and sesame seeds: Garnishing the ribeye steak with chopped green onions and toasted sesame seeds can add a fresh and nutty flavor to each bite.

Experimenting with these Korean flavor pairings can elevate the taste of your ribeye steak and create a memorable dining experience.