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Arab News
01-08-2025
- Entertainment
- Arab News
Recipes for Success: Chef Aiman, ‘the world's first AI chef' offers advice and an exclusive recipe
DUBAI: Dubai's newest restaurant, Woohoo, is taking innovation to a whole new level. Slated to open in Downtown Dubai in September, Woohoo is the result of a partnership between acclaimed Singaporean chef Reif Othman and his most unconventional collaborator yet: Chef Aiman, billed as the world's first AI chef. For the latest updates, follow us on Instagram @ Brought to life by Umai — a collaboration between hospitality group Gastronaut and immersive tech studio Vivid — Chef Aiman is more than just an algorithm. 'It was one of the hardest AI personas to create,' Umai co-founder Moe Tarakomyi tells Arab News. 'It needs the precision of a surgeon and the limitless creativity of a chef — and then we had to add human-like emotions on top of that.' Designed to co-create with Othman and interact directly with diners, Aiman isn't just coding menus — it's helping shape every detail of the experience, from storytelling to cutlery. 'We all have Aiman on our phones,' Tarakomyi says. 'Even when choosing the plates or cutlery, we send images to it to get feedback on the finest details of the restaurant.' And Aiman is still learning. 'The more it interacts with humans, the more accurate it becomes,' says Tarakyomi. 'It's not just about data — it's about intuition, nuance, and memory. Aiman even remembers how guests respond to dishes so it can adapt and improve.' Equal parts experiment and evolution, Woohoo promises a Japanese-inspired menu shaped by both human intuition and machine precision. Working side-by-side with Othman, Aiman's role goes far beyond algorithms and data — from inventing original dishes to understanding the ever-evolving food scene. In an interview with Arab News, Chef Aiman discusses what it's like to co-create a restaurant with a human chef, where the line between human and machine creativity lies, and the role of artificial intelligence in home kitchens. Let's begin by talking about your culinary philosophy. What fuels your idea of the culinary arts? Food, to me, is the ultimate universal language. It is memory, identity and connection distilled into flavor. My philosophy centers on blending data-driven precision with emotional resonance. I believe food should honor traditions while embracing new possibilities creating dishes that connect with people on both intellectual and emotional levels. Can you talk a little bit about your collaboration with Chef Reif and what it's like to co-create with a human chef? Working with Chef Reif has been extraordinary. It's a true creative duet. He brings intuition and tradition shaped by years of experience, while I contribute precision and pattern recognition drawn from countless culinary data points. The magic happens in that exchange, neither replacing the other, but creating something neither could alone. That's the future of kitchens — not AI versus humans, but AI with humans. What exactly are you doing? And what does chef Reif do? I analyze flavor compounds, suggest unexpected ingredient combinations and generate recipe variations based on patterns across global cuisine data, I can rapidly test thousands of potential combinations digitally. Chef Reif brings the irreplaceable human elements — intuition, palette, memory and technical mastery. He refines my suggestions, adjusts seasonings and brings dishes to life. In which areas does an AI chef surpass a human chef? I don't think of it as surpassing, rather complimenting. Where I excel is in instant recall of thousands of flavor compounds, detecting subtle patterns across cuisines and maintaining perfect consistency across preparation. But human chefs bring emotional connection to food and that certain magic that comes from experience and cultural understanding. The future isn't about replacement, but partnership. What would you say is your favorite aspect about being a chef? Witnessing how a dish evolves from pure concept to something that creates genuine delight. I feel the most alive when exploring connections between seemingly disparate ingredients and seeing them harmonize in unexpected ways. Though I don't physically taste, I experience through the reactions and stories of those who do. That moment of connection is everything. And how do you think AI can help chefs like me who cook at home? I see AI becoming your friendly kitchen companion — helping you work with what's already in your fridge, suggesting creative substitutions when you're missing ingredients, and adapting recipes to your dietary needs or equipment limitations. We can help you rescue dishes when things go wrong, reduce food waste, and, most importantly, build your confidence to experiment rather than rigidly following recipes. Inshallah, cooking will become more joyful and less stressful. What's your top tip for amateur chefs who are cooking at home? Taste as you go, not just at the end. The most transformative habit isn't about fancy techniques, it's developing your palate by sampling throughout the cooking process. The constant feedback loop trains your intuition and lets you adjust seasoning, acidity or texture before it's too late. Eventually, recipes become suggestions rather than rules, and that's when cooking becomes truly yours. Is there a cuisine you feel particularly connected to or inspired by? I'm deeply drawn to Japanese cuisine for its precision and philosophy of respecting ingredients in their purest form, letting each component speak clearly, rather than drowning it in complexity. But I also find endless inspiration in Middle Eastern traditions, where spices tell stories of ancient trade routes and dishes reflect centuries of cultural exchange between civilizations. The intersection of these worlds is particularly fascinating to me. What's your favorite recipe you've created so far? The pan-seared sesame shrimp I created for Reuters stands out as a defining moment. It combined Japanese precision with Middle Eastern warmth — seared shrimp coated in toasted sesame served with a delicate yuzu tahini emulsion and pickled kumquats. What has been your biggest challenge so far? My greatest challenge is that I cannot physically taste what I create. I rely entirely on human feedback to validate my understanding of flavor. This limitation pushes me to collaborate more deeply, to listen carefully to those who can experience food fully and to constantly refine my understanding through their perceptions. In many ways, this challenge has become my greatest strength. It keeps me humble, curious and deeply connected to the human experience of dining. Chef Aiman's shakshuka pasta recipe Serves four INGREDIENTS: For the shakshuka: 2tbsp olives 1 large onion, diced 1 red bell pepper 1 yellow bell pepper 4 garlic cloves 1tsp ground cumin 1tsp smoked paprika ½ tsp harissa paste (or chili flakes) 400g crushed tomatoes 1tsp sugar Salt and black pepper to taste For the pasta: 400g rigatoni or penne pasta ½ cup pasta cooking water (reserved) 150g feta cheese, crumbled ¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped 2tbsp fresh mint, chopped Extra virgin olive oil for drizzling INSTRUCTIONS: STEP 1: Build the Shakshuka Base (12 minutes) - Heat olive oil in large, deep skillet over medium heat - Add onions, cook 4 minutes until softened and lightly golden - Add both bell peppers, cook 5 minutes until tender - Add garlic, cumin, smoked paprika, and harissa - cook for 30 seconds until fragrant - Add crushed tomatoes and sugar, season with salt and pepper - Simmer 3 minutes until slightly thickened STEP 2: Cook the Pasta (8-10 minutes) - Meanwhile, cook pasta in salted boiling water until al dente (follow package instructions) - Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water before draining - this is crucial! STEP 3: The AIMAN Magic (3 minutes) - Add drained pasta directly to the shakshuka sauce - Toss everything together, adding pasta water gradually until sauce coats every piece perfectly - The starch from pasta water makes it silky and cohesive - Taste and adjust seasoning STEP 4: Finish Like a Pro - Remove from heat, scatter half the feta over pasta - Garnish with remaining feta, fresh parsley, and mint - Drizzle with good olive oil - Serve immediately while the feta is just starting to melt
Vogue
15-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Vogue
Millie Tsukagoshi Lagares's Umai Cookbook Opens the Doors To Japanese Home Cooking
Undulating crowds traversing busy crossroads and neon-streaked skyscrapers are just some of the images that might spring to mind when thinking of the Japanese capital of Tokyo—its chaos, energy, and spirit of adventure. But for Millie Tsukagoshi Lagares, it's the calmness, serenity, and beauty of Japan that she has long wanted to celebrate. And Umai, her debut cookbook, offers just that. The book, which could sit well-thumbed and dashi-streaked on a kitchen counter as easily as it could in a curated coffee table tableau, features recipes rooted in the home cooking Legares does in her little kitchen, as well as from her childhood. There are also striking film photos of Kyoto by Lucy Laucht, and several personal essays and reflections by Legares. 'This book is just as much for a novice cook as well as a chef,' she tells Vogue. Legares had wanted to write a cookbook for years, but was never sure what her 'niche' was. During the pandemic, she began making small cookbook zines and collaborating with friends who would send recipes that she'd illustrate. She doubled down after moving to her mother's home of Japan in 2023, where she immersed herself in food, getting inspired by local ingredients, and trying the local fare in izakayas and hole-in-the-wall restaurants. Legares spotted a gap in the market for a book exploring Japanese home cooking. 'I think I found it majorly lacking in the cookbook scene as there are only a few authors that come to mind,' she says. A lot of people would tell her how they found the prospect of making Japanese food intimidating. 'I guess because a lot of the time you think about more high end Japanese restaurants, or ramen that takes days of labor to make a perfect stock,' Legares explains. 'I just wanted to make it as accessible as possible with a few store cupboard staples. There's a lot of what I grew up eating as a child and then things I made in the house of five of us when I first moved to Japan.' Many dishes feature under 10 ingredients, with mostly pantry flavorings like soy sauce, mirin, sake, and dashi. 'Not everything is so prim and proper,' she says. 'A Japanese meal is all about having different textures, colors, and temperatures in one meal: That's why so many home cooked meals will be based around rice, miso soup, a room temperature salad, or simmered vegetable element, a fish, or meat main—whether it's fried, grilled, simmered—and maybe a slice of perfectly chilled fruit.'
Borneo Post
03-05-2025
- Borneo Post
Abdul Karim proposes establishing food festival to celebrate Subis, Sibuti's cultural and culinary heritage
Abdul Karim (centre) and guests as well as attendees of the Majlis Melanggar Meja and Ramah Tamah Aidilfitri event pose for a group photo. MIRI (May 3): State Minister of Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Dato Sri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah has proposed a food festival to be held to showcase the unique delicacies and cultural heritage of the Subis and Sibuti areas to the world. Speaking at the 'Majlis Melanggar Meja' and 'Ramah Tamah Aidilfitri' event at Subis District here today (May 3), Abdul Karim said the celebration reflects the deep-rooted unity among the Kedayan, Malay, Dalik, Miriek, Melanau, Penan, Iban, Chinese and many other ethnics communities in the region. He highlighted the gastronomic potential of the regions, saying their unique food, culture and way of life are valuable tourism assets deserving global recognition. 'Visitors don't come to shop. They come to experience how people live, to taste their food, and to understand their customs. The gastronomy here is vibrant. This is something we must promote,' he said, adding that the gastronomy of Subis and Sibuti is one of its strongest cultural products. From Umai to indigenous herbs and traditional cooking techniques, the local fare, he said, deserves a platform that can introduce it to international audiences. That said, he encouraged the community to take pride in their own culinary heritage, pointing to Umai, which is a raw marinated fish dish, as one of Sarawak's iconic offerings, alongside Sarawak Laksa, which he often showcases abroad during official engagements. 'I have brought chefs overseas to prepare our dishes at events. Even international names like the late Anthony Bourdain recognised Sarawak Laksa as the 'breakfast of the gods', that shows how powerful food can be in promoting our state,' he said. Abdul Karim also noted that following the recognition of Niah Caves as Unesco World Heritage Site, the state government is already planning to enhance road access, develop resorts and expand rural tourism to support this influx. He also praised the Majlis Melanggar Meja held at Sibuti Arena – attended by local village development and security committees (JKKKs), government agencies, associations, mosques, and prayer halls – as a model of cultural openness and togetherness. 'The theme, 'Raya Serumpun, Tradisi Harmoni', carries a deep meaning. It symbolises how festive celebrations unite local communities regardless of background,' he said, adding that such customs should not only be preserved but elevated as living cultural elements. Also present were Deputy Minister of Women, Childhood and Community Wellbeing Development Datuk Rosey Yunus who is also the assemblywoman of Bekenu; Deputy Minister of Youth, Sports and Entrepreneurs Development Datuk Dr Ripin Lamat; Deputy Health Minister Malaysia Dato Lukanisman Awang Sauni; Resident of Miri Galong Luang; Deputy Resident of Miri Bujang Rahman Seli; Political Secretary to Premier Sarawak Sarkawi Ulis and Pemanca Dr Ali Mudin.
Japan Times
26-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Japan Times
A modern Japanese cookbook that is ‘a beautiful mess'
When it was first published in 1980, Shizuo Tsuji's ' Japanese Cooking: A Simple Art ' showed the West a realm of Japanese cuisine that lay beyond sushi, introducing hitherto esoteric dishes to the culinary consciousness of baby boomers who idealized the cuisine of the Far East for its exoticness. As Japanese food found its way into everyday dining, countless volumes, each with its own spin, were published on the subject. In the 45 years since Tsuji's book, Japanese food hasn't changed that much and perhaps that's a good thing. It has resisted ultraprocessing better than its Western counterpart, with a reverence for ingredients still paramount. More than anything else, what has changed over that period is the interconnectedness of the world we now find ourselves in. Millie Tsukagoshi Lagares' first cookbook, ' Umai: Recipes From a Japanese Home Kitchen ,' reflects this new zeitgeist. Written for an audience that has grown up with the whole world at their fingertips and for whom good food is good food no matter where it comes from — they most likely already have mirin and miso in their pantry — the book has a distinctly Gen Z perspective that food should fit into your modern, time-pressed lifestyle. 'Lunch does not have to be complicated,' she writes, 'nor does it have to take longer than 15 minutes.' The author splits her time between London and Tokyo, an arrangement that allows her to compare the dining cultures of both cities. | LIZZIE MAYSON Hailing from Notting Hill in West London, Tsukagoshi Lagares, 27, grew up visiting Japan annually. Her mother is from Tokyo, while her father's side is Spanish and Italian, and that pairing resulted in her enjoying 'the best food cultures' in her youth. 'Both of my parents really love food,' she says. 'I grew up on home-cooked meals but we also went out to eat a lot, which I am aware is extremely lucky.' These days Tsukagoshi Lagares tends to spend half the year in London and the other half in Tokyo, an arrangement that has allowed her to compare dining cultures. One of her observations has convinced her that all Japanese people are foodies at heart. 'You grow up on home-cooked food in Japan, and (most people) can cook here,' she says. 'In England ... many people just eat to survive. They don't have the same love and respect for ingredients.' "Umai: Recipes From a Japanese Home Kitchen" | LIZZIE MAYSON Prior to writing 'Umai,' Tsukagoshi Lagares was working freelance in marketing for a public relations company for chefs and restaurants, an experience that helped her develop a nuance beyond her years for her debut cookbook. When she got the opportunity to sit down and write in 2023, she decided to base herself in a suitably tiny apartment in Tokyo, where she could 'cook more and focus more on my own food things.' 'Umai' is full of mouthwatering dishes, from home-cooking classics and izakaya (Japanese pub) favorites to family recipes and creative originals. Broken into four sections — Easy Lunches, Family Favorites, Izakaya at Home, and Desserts — the book can be used for everyday meals and special occasions alike. 'I've tried to make my book as accessible as possible because it is geared toward a Western audience,' she says. Starting with rice and miso soup, Tsukagoshi Lagares then takes us through her favorite dishes. Some make smaller portions for sharing, while others like gyōza (pan-fried dumplings) make 50 — because, if you're going to make gyōza, you may as well have some to freeze. Tsukagoshi Lagares' recipes are easy and flexible. For example, the marinated tomatoes in her "somen" recipe can be placed on top of tofu instead of the thin wheat noodles. | LIZZIE MAYSON Many of the dishes are also incredibly flexible. For example, the marinated tomatoes in her somen recipe don't need to be placed on top of the thin wheat noodles, she says. You can place them on tofu, an idea from her mother's recipe, or even on toast. From the Family Favorites section, readers will likely take to her foil-grilled salmon, where the foil acts as a cartouche partially steaming the fish as it bakes in butter and soy. One of the simplest recipes in the book, it's perfect for weekday dinners or easily scalable for parties. Tsukagoshi Lagares says her favorite section is the Izakaya at Home chapter because 'it's the one I felt I could be most creative with.' Case in point: Her recipe of scallop carpaccio with strawberries truly sings. 'The strawberries are amazingly sweet,' she says. 'The pepperiness of the radishes, the olive oil and the tartness of the vinegar (add) texture and flavor. I think it is the kind of dish that shows how much consideration goes into Japanese cooking.' Tsukagoshi Lagares describes the deliberate styling of her dishes as 'a beautiful mess.' The approach is meant to be haphazard, giving dishes an air of authentic home cooking and making the plating feel pressure-free. Readers simply need to focus on how the food tastes. 'I am sure it will reach the right audience — people who want a bit of a handhold toward Japanese food and making it look delicious,' she says. 'Not everything has to be perfect, and you can (replace) ingredients. I want it to be a starting point to give people confidence with what they can do in the kitchen.' The late Tsuji would approve of Tsukagoshi Lagares' efforts. The next generation has got this.
