AI in professional kitchens - PT.1

Whether it's commercial kitchens, catering companies or restaurants, the challenges are not getting any less. Factors such as a shortage of skilled labour, inflation and rising costs as well as the increasing demands of guests are causing lasting problems for the industry.

AI can utilise its unbeatable advantages in the professional kitchen. As a specialist field of computer science, it imitates the cognitive performance of humans by identifying and organising patterns and information in the data fed to it.

This form of intelligence is either based on predefined algorithms or develops further through the principle of machine learning. In terms of professional kitchens, this means indispensable support in the following areas, among others:

AI technology therefore helps to increase the operational efficiency of companies by automating repetitive processes and reducing manual effort and costs. It can also identify and rectify errors, ensuring that tasks are consistently completed to a standardised level of quality. In this way, companies strengthen their market position - now and in the future.

Chatbots integrated into websites have become an integral part of B2C communication. Telephone and voice assistants follow a similar principle. They relieve employees and personalise the guest experience. Many of them mimic a human conversation in an amazing way, sometimes in completely different settings.

Voiceplug can be used, for example, in online ordering processes as well as in telephone conversations and drive-throughs. The company promises 90 per cent fewer abandoned calls and between 15 and 20 per cent fewer recurring orders within a month.

The tidio app is also expected to generate more sales, among other things by using its voice-based Lyro chatbot to process up to 70 per cent of customer enquiries independently.

Entering the sales area, selecting the menu, paying independently - the principle of self-service is becoming increasingly important in times of staff shortages, and no longer just in fast food restaurants. Artificial intelligence is also helping to further optimise processes in communal catering, supermarkets, cafés and the like.

B.PRO GmbH, an expert in catering solutions for communal catering and food distribution, has developed the complete modular FRESH & GO concept in this context. It guarantees consumers all-day hot food to go. All it takes is nine square metres and one employee. AI then comes into play during the payment process, as B.PRO relies on the visioncheckout product from auvisus. With the help of AI-based meal recognition, visioncheckout records all items on the tray and books them into the checkout system.

The advantages: shorter queues, faster checkout processes, higher guest satisfaction.

Automation is the key to saving human, time and financial resources and utilising them more effectively elsewhere. B.PRO GmbH is constantly expanding its commitment to kitchen automation and is driving forward the topic of AI in this context.

The CSS-compact cutlery sorting machine from B.PRO subsidiary Brimato for example, sorts up to four different types of cutlery per hour, totalling 3,500 pieces. The secret of its speed lies in the visual analysis of the cutlery items using artificial intelligence.

Whether sorting machines, smart ovens, intelligent cooling systems, combi-steamers, energy-efficient dishwashing systems, front cooking solutions or warming appliances - modern kitchen equipment already features AI technologies in many cases.

Meaningful data is the basis for ensuring the future viability of various sectors of the professional catering industry. Thanks to AI, data can be analysed in order to create a stock forecast, for example of future food requirements. It also makes it possible to monitor stock levels in real time and trigger automatic ordering. Bottlenecks and surpluses are avoided. Tools such as Delicious and Precitaste enable optimised work processes, cost reductions, savings in storage capacity, control of KPIs and the reduction of food waste.

The latter is also a real benefit in terms of climate protection. After all, out-of-home catering is responsible for around 1.7 million tonnes or 14% of all food waste in Germany. According to previous findings, up to 35% of food prepared for the out-of-home market ends up as waste. Tools that use AI want to change this. These include KITRO, for example, which uses artificial intelligence software to identify and quantify every discarded ingredient. Winnow follows a similar principle by providing an analysis platform for commercial kitchens. Aiperia uses artificial intelligence to ensure greater sustainability in food retail.