How to ChatGPT: Dining with AI

This piece is part of a new series by Effie Webb, The Know’s multimedia journalist, about all the weird and wonderful ways we can use AI in our day-to-day lives. From everyday office tasks and life admin to meal planning and working out, the possibilities are quite literally endless….

Let’s chat chatbots…

Artificial intelligence (AI) seems to be making the headlines every day at the moment, from how it could impact upcoming elections to how tools such as ChatGPT can be used to write a Valentine’s Day message - or even a breakup text (!).  

But there seems to be a prevailing myth that it’s only the “tech bros” who are embracing bots such as ChatGPT or Gemini. In reality, a recent poll of our readers revealed that over 70% have used ChatGPT - some turning to it daily, others just starting to experiment. 

My ChatGPT ‘origin story’ happened in April last year, while semi-listening to a BBC News podcast. Part way through the episode, the presenter revealed that the opening script had been written completely by ChatGPT - and I did a double-take. Up until then, I’d brushed off AI as something pretty inaccessible and abstract, whose benefits were reserved for software engineers and investment bankers. I couldn’t have been more wrong, and the podcast opened my eyes to just how much we can do with AI.  

And whether you love it, hate it or have (very understandably) avoided it completely, AI isn’t going anywhere. So, we may as well make the most of chatbots -  and I think cooking is a good place to start.

But wait - how do you even download a chatbot?!

While there are plenty of chatbots out there, OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Google’s Gemini are by far the most popular. They’re both free to use, and don’t require any fancy software to download - it’s as simple as typing them into your search engine, making an account and you’re good to go.

As someone who’s experimented with both ChatGPT and Gemini, I’m team ChatGPT because it's slightly more intuitive and - in my experience at least - more forgiving of typos.

Starting off with everyone’s favourite - food.

We’ve all been there: you stumble in from a long day at work, open the fridge to make dinner and are faced with near-empty shelves, scratching your head about what sort of semi-acceptable dinner you can cobble together. Penne alla hummus, anyone? No, me neither.

Deciding what to cook after a long day - every single day - is a slog. I couldn’t help but wonder if ChatGPT had a solution - and, spoiler alert, it most definitely does.

Turns out, you can plug in any ingredients you have going and it will muster up a recipe, even from the most eclectic mix of ingredients that might have otherwise ended up in the bin.

Here’s an example:

Disclaimer: This was not the contents of my fridge that evening. I’m making the point that ChatGPT can work with even the most random of food combinations.

“Okay,” I hear you ask, “isn’t this pretty similar to finding a recipe online?”.

Yes and no. It’s the same to the extent that if you’re looking for a specific recipe -  say, a chicken casserole - then both Google and ChatGPT will feed you a step-by-step guide and a list of ingredients. The thing that sets ChatGPT apart is that you can tailor your recipe based on exactly how many people you’re cooking for, or for any dietary requirements (allergy gang, I haven’t forgotten you). 

Still not convinced? To illustrate how you might use it and personalise ChatGPT, I’ve cooked up three different personas to show how ChatGPT can make meal prep and cooking that bit easier…

1. The vegan

As a former vegan, I’m familiar with the struggle of (i) the constant barrage of questions about how you can’t possibly be getting enough protein or iron, (ii) thinking of new meals without getting repetitive and (iii) adapting traditionally non-vegan foods and recipes without compromising on flavour. 

Maybe you’re vegan, or maybe you’re cooking for a vegan. Either way, pull up ChatGPT and try entering these prompts to get you started:

• ‘I’m cooking dinner for me and my flatmate who’s vegan - what should I make with [insert whatever you have in your fridge]?’ 

• ‘I’m vegan - make me a 5-day meal plan to serve one, with enough for leftovers for lunch’

If the fictional vegan flatmate hates tofu? No problem - just give ChatGPT as much information as possible:

2. The culinary explorer on a budget

If, like me, you’re a foodie who loves experimenting with new cuisines but can’t afford eating out (or ordering in) on the regular - or if you can’t find the time to leaf through cookbooks - you’re in luck. If there’s a certain cuisine you've got your eye on, just let ChatGPT know:

• ‘Give me three recipes, and the ingredients I’ll need to buy, for three different cuisines to serve one (or two, then you’ve got a lunch for the next day) - i’m on a budget so no expensive spices please.’

Or if you’ve got food in the fridge to use up, you could ask…

• ‘I’m hosting a dinner party and want to make something Moroccan but on a budget, what should I cook with [insert whatever you have in your fridge]?’

3. The family of four with the fussy eater

Perhaps one of the best things ChatGPT offers over an online recipe is adaptability - both in terms of quantity and in substituting one food for another. This is great for fussy eaters. If you’re a tomato-and-aubergine-hater but fancy a moussaka, let’s say, ChatGPT will find a way around it…

• ‘I’m making a moussaka for a family of four - give me a recipe and list of ingredients that doesn’t have aubergine or tomato…’

A final note

Maybe this sounds too good to be true; maybe you’re sceptical, or just not really bothered. And if your reaction is “I don’t need a chatbot to tell me what to cook, I'm perfectly capable of rustling something up on my own” -  that’s totally valid. 

In my opinion, ChatGPT isn’t a replacement for creativity in the kitchen, but instead a helpful -  albeit virtual - sous chef for the times you can’t be bothered to think up a dinner.

Cooking is an art, not simply a data-gathering exercise, and I suspect that demand for human-led innovation in the culinary space isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. But that’s a topic for a different day…

Over to you - would you trust AI to plan your meals?

This was written by ChatGPT (only joking, it was written by Effie).