I Spent a Day Following AI Recipes and It Was Both Delicious and Freaky
This article originally appeared on Outside
I was first introduced to the AI technology, ChatGPT, a few months ago - literally, I introduced myself through the computer.
"Hello! My name is Mallory!" I typed into the ChatGPT message box.
It seemed appropriate to start off politely, especially when I was about to ask the AI robot for help. Having read all about AI's skills and capabilities, I wanted to know if it could write up a day's worth of thorough, accurate, and delicious recipes for me to try.
"Hello, Mallory! How can I assist you today?" ChatGPT responded to my inquiry right away.
And the experiment began.
What is ChatGPT?
ChatGPT, launched in November 2022, is an artificial intelligence model developed by OpenAI. Its conception was spurred on by the idea that AI will eventually increase workflow efficiency. In fact, a 2021 State of Conversational Marketing report states that 74 percent of corporations think AI tools will streamline productivity.
ChatGPT can be used for a plethora of applications (customer service, outlining, resume-building, and more), but it might surprise you to know AI could one day improve America's food system. In 2021, a team of researchers from Cornell University, UC Davis, UC Berkeley, and the University of Illinois created The AI Institute for Next Generation Food Systems (AIFS). The institute’s goal is to develop an AI tool that will be nearly perfect at yielding healthy crops. The hope is that it would develop and implement the ideal planting, growing, and harvesting process.
My ask of AI was slightly less ambitious.
Asking AI to Write Recipes
The basics of ChatGPT are this: type your request into the message box and wait for a response. My plan was to test the AI's culinary intelligence by asking it to write recipes that I could make that day for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
Breakfast
If I was going to test ChatGPT, I wasn't going to make it easy. For breakfast, I was craving eggs, but also had a bit of kimchi leftover from last night's dinner. So I asked ChatGPT to write me a breakfast recipe that included both eggs and kimchi.
Here's what it gave me:
Kimchi Fried Rice with Eggs
Ingredients
– 2 cups cooked white rice, preferably leftover and chilled
– 1 cup kimchi, roughly chopped
– 2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
– 1 small onion, diced
– 2 cloves garlic, minced
– 1/2 cup frozen peas and carrots
– 2 Tbsp. soy sauce
– 2 green onions, thinly sliced
– 2 eggs, beaten
– Salt and pepper to taste
– Optional toppings: sliced avocado, chopped cilantro, sesame seeds
Instructions
1. Heat the vegetable oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat.
2. Add the diced onion and minced garlic and saute until fragrant and softened, about 2-3 minutes.
3. Add the chopped kimchi and frozen peas and carrots and stir to combine. Cook for 2-3 minutes until the vegetables are tender.
4. Add the chilled rice and soy sauce to the skillet and stir to combine. Cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the rice is heated through and slightly crispy.
5. Move the rice to one side of the skillet, and pour the beaten eggs onto the other side. Cook the eggs, stirring occasionally, until they’re scrambled and fully cooked.
6. Once the eggs are cooked, stir them into the fried rice.
7. Season the fried rice with salt and pepper to taste.
8. Garnish with sliced green onions and any optional toppings you like.
9. Serve the Kimchi Fried Rice with Eggs hot and enjoy!
How It Tasted
The recipe was a little more time-intensive than my usual breakfast but given that this was an experiment, I went with it. ChatGPT had me use one pan for everything, which I might not have done were I not following its instructions to a T. For example, I cooked the rice-kimchi mixture on one side of the pan and the eggs on the other side, carefully trying to keep them separate until it was time to combine everything.
If I had it my way, I would have used two pans--or at a minimum--wouldn’t have worried about keeping the eggs apart.
But in the end, the dish was spicy, savory, and overall a delicious way to start the day. I would make it again, but might use less kimchi (a little goes a long way) or use another pickled vegetable instead for variety.
Lunch
Since breakfast went off without a hitch, I wanted to throw ChatGPT a more difficult challenge. While my lunches usually include salads, I opted to ask for something hot. I asked the AI to write me a recipe including brown sugar, chicken breast, and tomatoes.
Here's what it gave me:
Brown Sugar Glazed Chicken with Tomato Salad
Ingredients for Chicken:
– 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
– 2 Tbsp. olive oil
– 2 cloves garlic, minced
– 1/4 cup brown sugar
– 1/4 cup soy sauce
– 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
– Salt and pepper to taste
Ingredients for Tomato Salad:
– 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
– 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
– 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
– 2 Tbsp. olive oil
– 1 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
– Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions:
1. Preheat the oven to 375degF (190degC).
2. In a bowl, whisk together the olive oil, garlic, brown sugar, soy sauce, apple cider vinegar, salt, and pepper.
3. Place the chicken breasts in a baking dish and pour the brown sugar glaze over them, making sure they are evenly coated.
4. Bake the chicken for 20-25 minutes or until cooked through, basting occasionally with the glaze.
5. While the chicken is cooking, make the tomato salad. In a bowl, combine the cherry tomatoes, red onion, parsley, olive oil, red wine vinegar, salt, and pepper. Toss to combine.
6. Once the chicken is cooked, remove it from the oven and let it rest for a few minutes.
7. Serve the Brown Sugar Glazed Chicken with the Tomato Salad on the side. Enjoy!
How It Tasted:
I rarely touch the brown sugar in my kitchen cabinet, that's why I suggested it to ChatGPT. The result? A sweet, tangy chicken dish. The combo of brown sugar and vinegar paired well and the salad was simple to make. Again, AI had met my challenge. If I was to change anything, it would be to use less soy sauce (perhaps a tablespoon) because the recipe already calls for salt to taste.
Dinner
Maybe it's just human nature, but I really wanted to trip AI up. For dinner, I asked for a recipe that included peanut butter, artichokes, and sausage.
Peanut Butter and Artichoke Pasta with Sausage
Ingredients
– 8 oz. penne pasta
– 2 Tbsp. olive oil
– 1/2 pound sausage, sliced
– 1 can (14 oz.) artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
– 2 cloves garlic, minced
– 1/2 cup chicken broth
– 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
– 1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
– Salt and pepper to taste
– Optional toppings: chopped parsley, grated parmesan cheese
Instructions
1. Cook the pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Drain and set aside.
2. In a large skillet, cook the sausage over medium-high heat until browned and cooked through, breaking it up into smaller pieces with a spoon as it cooks.
3. Add the minced garlic and red pepper flakes to the skillet and saute for 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
4. Add the chopped artichoke hearts to the skillet and stir to combine.
5. In a separate bowl, whisk together the peanut butter and chicken or vegetable broth until smooth.
6. Add the peanut butter mixture to the skillet and stir to combine. Cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is heated through and slightly thickened.
7. Add the cooked pasta to the skillet and toss to coat the pasta with the sauce. If the sauce is too thick, add a splash of additional broth to thin it out.
8. Season the pasta with salt and pepper to taste.
9. Serve the Peanut Butter Sausage and Artichoke Pasta hot, garnished with chopped peanuts and parsley if desired. Enjoy!
How It Tasted:
This was the toughest recipe of the day--and it was pretty much a disaster. The peanut butter took a while to completely dissolve into the broth, and even then there were still pieces floating about. Thankfully, the hunks melted completely after tossing the mixture into the skillet.
True to the task, AI created a dish, but it wasn't a cohesive (or even decent) one. The reality is that peanut butter and artichokes should never land in a dish together. ChatGPT is smart enough to generate a recipe, but it's not attune to what actually tastes good.
All in all, ChatGPT served up a pretty decent menu for the day. While it's not a match for the talented chefs and culinary masterminds of the world, it was a fun experiment that landed me two meals that I'll likely make again.
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