A different view by Jaime Porta

If you asked me where AI is going to make the biggest difference in the next 10 years, I’d probably give you a very corporate-sounding answer: healthcare, manufacturing, logistics. But there’s another world being quietly transformed, one much closer to home: your kitchen.

And for those of us who love to cook (and even more, love to eat), this revolution is already simmering. From recipe generation to fully automated cooking appliances, artificial intelligence is changing not just how we cook, but how we think about cooking. For companies like Thermomix, long positioned as pioneers of kitchen innovation, this shift could be both an opportunity and a wake-up call.

AI in the Recipe World: Creativity at Scale

AI is already being used to create new recipes by analyzing thousands (or millions) of existing ones. These models don’t just mix ingredients; they understand flavor combinations, dietary needs, regional cuisines, and user preferences. Some platforms even let you type in whatever’s left in your fridge, and get a dinner idea in seconds.

The goal? To remove the friction between “What’s for dinner?” and something actually delicious. Models like GPT or proprietary food-tech algorithms can now:

• Combine ingredients in novel ways based on flavor profiles, cuisines, and user preferences
• Adjust recipes based on dietary restrictions, available ingredients, or nutritional goals
• Suggest complete meal plans and shopping lists optimized for cost, health, and time
• Learn from user feedback to improve future recommendations

Platforms like Plant Jammer or DishGen are already offering this, while large language models are being used to customize recipes based on nutritional targets, time available, or even mood. In short: AI doesn’t just replicate recipes. It reimagines them.

Smarter Kitchens, Smarter Devices

Thermomix has always been ahead of the curve, combining cooking functions with smart recipes and guided cooking. But the future is moving fast.

This shift isn’t just a concept, it’s already well underway. Across the globe, companies are blending culinary creativity with advanced tech. Take Plant Jammer, for example. Their AI helps people build recipes using whatever’s in the fridge, creating balanced dishes based on flavor science. DishGen goes a step further, letting users describe a meal idea or dietary need in plain language and generating a recipe from scratch, tailored, creative, and even a little surprising. Meanwhile, kitchen appliances are getting a serious upgrade. Samsung’s Bespoke AI Oven can recognize what you’ve placed inside and automatically suggest the right temperature and cooking mode. The June Oven does something similar on your countertop, recognizing over fifty types of food and adjusting the cooking process on its own. Then there’s Nymble’s Julia, a sleek countertop robot that follows recipes with precision and minimal input from you. And for those dreaming big, Moley Robotics has created a fully robotic kitchen capable of preparing entire meals autonomously, mimicking a chef’s movements with mechanical arms.

These aren’t sci-fi prototypes. They’re products you can already buy, or will soon be able to. And they mark a clear shift: from passive appliances to active kitchen companions that learn, adapt, and help us cook better, faster, and smarter.

All of this creates a fully connected kitchen where cooking is easier, more personalized, and even more creative.

Implications for Businesses

So what could happen to those companies that sell cookinhg appliances?

They’re in a great spot, but they also need to keep evolving. The next level of competition won’t just be about hardware quality or recipe variety. It will be about:

• Personalization: dynamic recipes that adapt to your ingredients and tastes
• Integration: syncing with calendars, apps, and dietary needs
• AI Feedback: learning from your cooking history to suggest what’s next
• Voice and Visual: guided experiences that are hands-free and intuitive

That’s not a distant future, it’s the next upgrade cycle. And whether you’re a Thermomix fan or a startup eyeing the market, the message is clear: the kitchen is the next frontier for smart experiences.

AI Won’t Replace the Joy of Cooking, But It’ll Change the Game

Now, to be clear: I don’t think AI will replace the joy of cooking. That moment of improvising with what you have, or the ritual of making a paella for friends, that stays. But it will make the process smarter, more fun, and more accessible.

And who knows? Maybe that dream of making the perfect espresso art with a little AI coaching isn’t too far off.