The intersection of technology and culinary art has reached a fascinating milestone with Samsung’s announcement of Samsung Food during CES 2025. Inspired by the mouthwatering dishes showcased in popular television shows like “Big Night” and “Julie & Julia,” Samsung is introducing a feature that aims to convert viewers’ cravings into actionable cooking experiences. This innovative function leverages the company’s advanced AI capabilities to identify dishes on screen and connect users to suitable recipes, thus enabling them to replicate these culinary delights at home.
Samsung’s foray into food-related tech isn’t entirely new. The company acquired Whisk — a food app with similar functionalities — in 2019 and revamped it to Samsung Food in 2023. This app on mobile platforms offers robust features such as meal planning and step-by-step cooking guidance. While the mobile version allows users to upload photographs of food for recipe recommendations, it comes with a subscription model costing $7 per month for premium features. The transition from app to television is an intriguing advancement, but it presents a more streamlined and limited scope tailored for a large screen experience.
One of the standout features of Samsung Food on their latest TV models, including the QN90F, QN80F, and QN70F, is its grocery and takeout delivery tracking capability. Users can place orders through the Samsung Food app on their mobile devices and monitor delivery status directly on their TVs. Moreover, the app shines in its ability to create shopping lists based on the contents of one’s fridge, promising to streamline the preparation process. Samsung describes this as “the ultimate AI sous chef,” a claim that fuels excitement while inviting scrutiny on its practicality.
Excitement about AI technology should, however, be tempered with realistic expectations. While Samsung Food’s screen-to-recipe function is undeniably interesting, skepticism looms as similar features from other apps have had less-than-stellar performances. For instance, SideChef’s AI recipe generator occasionally falls short, and prominent tools like ChatGPT struggle with culinary instructions, often leading to nonsensical results. This raises concerns about whether Samsung’s offering will truly revolutionize home cooking or fall victim to the same pitfalls that have plagued existing technology.
It’s essential to recognize that while technology can assist in the cooking process, it cannot replace the skill and care that goes into preparing a meal. For individuals who find cooking an arduous task, the promise of an AI sous chef might not be enough to overcome inertia. As enticing as it may sound to replicate the perfect dish seen on television, the gap between desire and execution remains. For those who are enthusiastic about cooking — like aspiring bakers of the iconic kouign amann from “The Great British Bake Off” — Samsung’s innovative features could reignite culinary experimentation in the kitchen.
While Samsung Food presents a compelling future for tech-driven culinary experiences, its true impact will depend on user interaction and the broader capabilities of existing AI technology. Whether it can transform our viewing experiences into satisfying kitchen adventures remains to be seen.