Dubai unveils the world’s first AI chef

Dubai: In a city where innovation rarely takes a back seat, Dubai is once again setting the global pace, this time in the world of fine dining.

Gastronaut, a hospitality group known for pushing boundaries, has announced the upcoming launch of WOOHOO, the world’s first restaurant operated by an AI-powered chef.

The venue is scheduled to open this summer at Kempinski The Boulevard, overlooking the iconic Burj Khalifa.

He doesn’t wear a white coat or carry a knife, but Chef Aiman, an AI-driven creation by UAE startup UMAI, is leading the charge in Dubai’s latest culinary revolution.

Unlike simple automated kitchen tools, Chef Aiman is a fully integrated digital chef, designed not to replace human counterparts, but to collaborate with them.

He can propose ingredient combinations, create original recipes, assist with kitchen operations, and fine-tune menus in real time, all while learning from human feedback.

“Chef Aiman was built to push the boundaries of what’s possible in a kitchen,” UMAI’s development team said in a statement. “He’s not here to replace chefs, he’s here to enhance them. Think of him as a culinary co-pilot.”

WOOHOO’s menu will feature a bold fusion of Japanese, Mexican, and Peruvian flavors, a deliberate culinary challenge aimed at showcasing the AI’s ability to blend traditions with precision.

Each dish will reflect a collaboration between Chef Aiman’s data-driven insights and the seasoned intuition of a Michelin-level chef.

But the innovation doesn’t stop at the menu. The restaurant itself promises a multisensory experience: ambient lighting, digital art installations, panoramic views, and minimalist metallic touches are all designed to create an immersive atmosphere, merging food, technology, and design into a seamless whole.

The AI chef has been programmed with strict ethical protocols. Every recipe is logged and tested with real-time feedback loops, ensuring transparency, safety, and accountability, a necessity in an era where artificial intelligence is still navigating its place in public life.

Reservations for WOOHOO are already open ahead of its official launch later this summer, and early adopters are keen to take a bite out of the future.

Huda Ata is an independent writer based in the UAE