The Connected Kitchen: A Major Disrupt!
‘Ding!’ Went the notification bell and a calm but astute voice followed after, ‘Your dinner is ready! Would you like me to play some music to suit the mood?’ You instantly know it’s all you’ve been waiting for. Yes, not the urge to play Elton John, but the idea of a scrumptious and a readymade meal that requires minimal effort from you.
A Smart Kitchen-wakening
Historically, innovation and cooking have long walked hand-in-hand. Cooking and building a better kitchen experience has always been the frontier of how we have advanced towards consumer needs. We discovered the use of fire for cooking and invented the microwave that could heat our food in seconds. We even found ways to store food longer and invented frozen and canned foods that could be stored for months. But since the invention of the microwave, we’re still yet to stumble across something that changes the whole experience drastically. An experience that requires minimal effort yet knows exactly what’s healthy for you, suggest things you like and creates a more personalised experience.
The future of cooking is clear, It’s automated. Not because every advancement we make involves automating a task, but because we’re headed towards a new path of technological convergence that will finally disrupt how we interact with information and ultimately, how we cook.
The Kitchen And Beyond
Recent advancements and innovation in cooking have gotten everyone excited about the possibilities of building the ultimate smart kitchen. We’re already seeing the break of IoT advancing in kitchen innovation with the introduction of personal assistants, smart devices, and intelligent apps that can assist you with the whole kitchen experience. Here’s some of the best kitchen tech we found that could essentially prove to be a game changer.
- Moley Robotics created a fully automated, intelligent cooking robot that is capable of creating meals. The robot features an arm set and can record and replicate cooking actions in real time. The module is trained using artificial intelligence and executes the same movements with precision and flair. Although it comes with a hefty price tag, the future of connected cooking undoubtedly looks bright.
- The Jetsons could push a few buttons on the ‘Food-a-Rac-a-Cycle’ machine, and in an eye wink, you’d see all kinds of food ready to be eaten. We haven’t made it that far, but Foodini is one of the first 3D food printers to print all major types of real foods using real, fresh ingredients. Currently, the device can only print the food (and it has to be cooked later, of course!) but a future model is in works that would print, prepare and cook the food item. Imagine having the ability to ‘print’ your own pizza, burger or even ravioli!
- Thermomix surprised us with their appliance, or should we say ‘Super twelve-in-one appliance’? The Thermomix can do everything from weighing, mixing, chopping, milling, kneading, blending, steaming, cooking, beating, precise heating, stirring and emulsifying. It also features a guided cooking function that assists users through the whole cooking process with their proprietary ‘Recipe Chip’ that connects with the machine and sets everything from function, time and temperature for every step of the recipe.
- Samsung redefined the refrigerator with the new Samsung Family Hub 3.0 series. The refrigerator features a 21.5’ touchscreen, a smart assistant built-in for entertainment, note taking, news and other voice assistant features. But here’s the game changer, it can be the ultimate food curator too! It can whip recipes based on items available and can even manage shopping lists or order new groceries. Samsung’s approach to IoT with Samsung SmartThings essentially brings in the ‘connected’ here. The fridge bundles up as the hub for the ultimate smart home. View home cameras, control lights, mirror content to your TV.. all from the fridge!
We’re just starting off in the era of the connected kitchen and we’re almost at the brink of horizon. From preparation to plating, fitness to well-being and shopping to pantry management; the smart kitchen will handle it all. Ultimately, the real purpose of a smart kitchen is to bring everyone together around the table to enjoy the most delicious meal, effortlessly.
Let us know your thoughts about building the ultimate Smart kitchen at support@chefling.net
