Is it not a fascinating world we now live in where the aroma of sizzling pork chops can coexist with the hum of advanced technology? Over the past few years, SA Pork has been on a culinary escapade, slicing through the myriad of fresh pork cuts available to our South African consumers. Our secret spice? A collection of mouth-watering recipes whipped up by a group of talented recipe developers and chefs whose recipes are not just a feast for the eyes when they strike a pose for the camera, but they will make your taste buds dance.
The past six months have been an interesting journey at SA Pork. We have been playing matchmaker, pairing pork with the charm of artificial intelligence (AI). The goal? To crank up productivity, pinch those pennies where we can, speed up our workflow, and let AI sprinkle a little of its innovative seasoning over our processes.
When August rolled around, we had a lightbulb moment. Why not let AI try its hand at recipe generation? And who better to put these high-tech recipes to the test than the culinary entertainer, Hope Malau, DRUM magazine’s seasoned television celebrity chef and recipe creator for SA Pork.
I asked Hope if he would fancy taking a crack at developing one AI-assisted recipe out of the five he had to create. With a twinkle of curiosity, he donned his apron and agreed. Hope got chatty with Google’s conversational prodigy, Bard, with the prompt, “Hi Bard, can you suggest a pork mince recipe with Cape Malay influence and South African flavour, and make it affordable?” Bard instantly replied. But Hope, being the culinary innovator he is, threw in a curveball. “Can you add a Kasi twist to it?” And voila, the final recipe was generated.
The cameras rolled as Hope brought his AI-sprinkled recipe to life. The dish, once plated and photographed, looked like it belonged on the cover of a magazine, its deliciousness almost leaping off the page. Hope, however, did have some notes for our AI assistant … a bit more oil for the fry-up, a splash more water for the mince to mingle in, and a generous hand with the seasoning.
This adventure taught us that while AI can be a whizz at innovating in the kitchen, the human touch is irreplaceable when it comes to the final taste test. Because, be honest, machines cannot savour the flavours they help create. That final seasoning sprinkle, that last taste before serving – it is the human touch that changes a recipe from good to great.
At SA Pork, we are not hanging up our hats just yet! We are diving deeper into this AI avenue and have enlisted another team of culinary wizards to continue this delicious experiment. Stay tuned and let us embark on this AI-powered culinary journey together. Who knows what tasty turn we will take next?
Lekker eet!
