The restaurateur spoke about the prospects of robotization and the introduction of AI in restaurants

Automated burger cooking lines, pizza robots, drones and "smart woks" are becoming more common in restaurants - robotization allows you to speed up processes and reduce costs. At the same time, artificial intelligence (AI) is able to suggest new culinary combinations and predict trends. Khatuna Kolbaya, a restaurateur and co-owner of Saperavi Cafe and Wai Me!, told Izvestia about the prospects for introducing new technologies.

"A modern kitchen is not only a chef, but also a whole team: hot and cold cooks, sous chefs, line chefs, technologists, dish pickers and even dishwashers. Each of these positions requires a different level of engagement, flexibility, and creativity. That is why routine and standardized processes are most often amenable to automation — slicing, stirring, frying according to a set time," she noted.

At the same time, the expert explained that in conditions of high workload, sudden changes in orders, the need to "save" the dish or adapt it to the special requirements of the client, only a person is able to make non-standard decisions in real time.

"A robot will not replace intuition, experience and the ability to improvise. Therefore, in the foreseeable future, robotics will become an assistant rather than a substitute. Machines will take on the same type of difficult tasks, and people will be left with what requires skill, flair and passion for business," Kolbaya suggested.

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At the same time, she drew attention to the fact that AI can analyze recipes, calculate the perfect balance of salt and spices, generate an unexpected sauce, or calculate the logistics of a kitchen. However, such technologies will not replace the chef.

"However, a chef is not just a source of recipes. He is a leader, a conductor, an artist and a psychologist all rolled into one. He builds a kitchen team, is responsible for quality control, inspires staff, comes up with ideas, adjusts serving, manages supplies, and even communicates with guests. The machine, with all its computing power, is not yet able to reproduce such a multi—layered and emotionally intense role," the restaurateur emphasized.

In her opinion, artificial intelligence will become a powerful tool in the hands of chefs: it will help them make decisions faster, test recipes, and save time and resources.

Earlier, on March 6, it was reported that the majority of creative specialists surveyed actively use neural networks in their work. At the same time, 43% of respondents resort to them on a regular basis, according to the results of a study by the Moscow Creative Industries Agency and MTS AI. Artists, designers, representatives of the advertising and fashion industries most often use neural networks to generate ideas and new concepts. AI also helps with analyzing the target audience and market trends and predicting behavior and further changes in the industry.