October 13, 2017

When it comes to technology in the home, manufacturers are gradually learning about and catering to what would make life simpler, less stressful and healthier for consumers. At the 2017 Smart Kitchen Summit in Seattle, innovators, designers and manufacturers gathered to discuss how far we have to reach that goal.

View a gallery of smart kitchen start-ups and products HERE.

What We Need
Manufacturers know that cooking and particularly meal planning overwhelm many consumers, but innovations in the works might fix that. Start-ups, like the ones shown in the above gallery, are beginning to cater to these needs and may gradually become built-ins for the average kitchen.

Speakers at the summit discussed that what the average home cook still requires is for the kitchen to act like a sous chef. The refrigerator needs to understand what is inside it and be able to connect with a recipe app, which can help homeowners decide what they can make using the ingredients they have. The oven or microwave then must be aware of what is cooking inside of it and what recipe it is following; that way it can “assist” the cook with steps like turning or basting meat and warn the chef of over or undercooking.

What We Can’t Lose
One of the main questions speakers at the summit addressed was the role of creativity in the intelligent kitchen. Consumers who genuinely enjoy cooking fear the end of food innovation, but speakers like chef Tyler Florence argued that recipes are already dead.

“There needs to be a platform that speaks to you and you specifically,” said Florence in an exclusive interview with KBB. “With all of the different diets and preferences out there, following a straight recipe is not the way people cook in the kitchen anymore.”

Instead, both he and others working on cooking platforms argue that any artificial intelligence in the kitchen should instead complement and enhance the homeowner’s skillset. Humans will still be at the center of anything emotional and creative – including cooking.

What We’re Looking Forward To
The future kitchen, instead of completely eliminating the task of cooking, will be designed to allow us to live healthier and have more time for family and friends. In a culture that’s constantly busy and moving, this space will make daily life more manageable.

A home chef can learn more easily how to cook healthy foods with an oven that shows them how and a smart countertop that measures out their portions. Meanwhile, the advanced chef can grow further in their creativity with the unique features of a smart appliance, like a sous vide machine.

In addition, simple innovations like a sensor on a wastebasket can help consumers waste less. In-home planters can grow fresh vegetables and herbs year round with minimal effort, and users can spend more time with their families if they can monitor a grill from their phone. Despite the stress technology can cause, perhaps its role in tomorrow’s kitchen will be to provide a more relaxing, enjoyable home.