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/ Courtesy of UNOX Korea

As artificial intelligence (AI) weaves its way into daily life, chefs are increasingly embracing AI technologies to streamline cooking processes and optimize kitchen operations.

The National Restaurant Association Show, the largest food service trade show in the United States, highlighted on its website on July 5 that a younger generation of chefs and restaurateurs is actively leveraging AI to combat labor shortages and enhance inventory management efficiency.

Among essential kitchen appliances, the oven is emerging as a primary frontier for rapid AI integration. Because high-capacity ovens ensure uniform cooking and largely dictate electricity consumption, labor costs, and prep times, they represent a key area where AI can drive massive efficiency gains. By delegating repetitive, routine cooking tasks to AI systems, chefs can reclaim the valuable time and energy needed to focus on creative culinary innovation and new menu development.

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/ Courtesy of UNOX Korea

The adoption of AI-powered ovens is also expanding across domestic restaurants in South Korea, with Unox—a brand utilized in fine dining establishments including the Michelin-starred restaurant Soigné—standing out as a prominent player. According to Unox, its smart oven lineups, the CHEFTOP-X and BAKERTOP-X, feature Digital.ID, an AI-driven operating system. This technology allows chefs to repeatedly execute a cooking program once it has been established. Furthermore, the Individual.ChefUnox feature actively incorporates and updates real-time cooking feedback from users, helping maintain consistent culinary quality. Other features that demonstrate practical AI utility include Hey UNOX, which enables voice-controlled oven operation; OPTIC.Cooking, which utilizes cameras to recognize ingredients and automatically initiate the cooking process; and SMART.Energy, which optimizes energy consumption. "Through AI, the food service industry can enhance both productivity and culinary quality, allowing chefs to focus on more creative endeavors," a Unox Korea representative stated.

Meanwhile, UNOX, which provides smart kitchen solutions to the food service market, announced that it recorded 79 million euros (approximately 117 billion won) in revenue for the first quarter of this year, marking a 3% increase year-on-year. The company's order intake also demonstrated strong growth momentum, surging 18% to reach 90 million euros.

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/ Courtesy of Unox Korea

                                                                                                           Lee Jang-won