China’s First AI-Aid Training Base Meets Growing Demand for Chefs
The culinary industry in China is facing a dilemma with the shortage of skilled chefs. Despite being an honorable and high-paid profession, the demanding nature of the job has deterred many young people from pursuing a career in the kitchen. To address this challenge, Lee Kum Kee (LKK), a renowned Chinese multinational enterprise, has collaborated with Xianglu Technology, an emerging robotics company, to establish China’s first artificial intelligence (AI) chef education base. This pioneering initiative aims to train future chefs using advanced AI and robotics technology.
LKK, known for its internationally exported sauces, revealed that the labor shortage in the restaurant industry in China reached a staggering 10 million in 2023. This shortage has compelled Chinese enterprises to innovate and find new ways to meet the demand for skilled chefs. LKK’s partnership with Xianglu Technology aims to bridge this gap by providing systematic AI chef training to students in two partner schools: Beijing Jinsong Vocational High School and Sichuan Province Chengdu Finance & Trade Vocational School.
Under the LKK Hope Chef Public Welfare Program, over 100 students are undergoing comprehensive AI chef courses, which cover cutting-edge technology trends, principles and practices of AI stir-frying robots, and AI recipe development. Students who successfully pass the assessment will be awarded an intelligent chef certification issued by Xianglu, validating their expertise in utilizing AI and robotics in the kitchen.
Xiang Jun, director of the tourism service cluster at Beijing Jinsong Vocational High School, emphasized the importance of embracing the AI wave in the culinary industry. He mentioned that the predominantly post-2000s trainees are highly receptive to this combination of tradition and modernity, signifying the potential of AI in transforming the field of gastronomy.
In addition to providing training and certification, LKK and Xianglu have also established a platform for industry-academia-research cooperation in the AI chef sector. This cooperation aims to foster collaboration between industry professionals, educational institutions, and researchers to further advance the application of AI and robotics in the culinary field.
Ben Zheng, the overseas business chief of Xianglu Technology, highlighted the increasing prevalence of intelligent equipment in the catering industry, stating that the year 2023 is considered the first year of the kitchen intelligent century. Xianglu’s own intelligent stir-frying robot, MSS, has already gained popularity among 1,500 catering businesses across China. By incorporating such intelligent automation in the kitchen, catering businesses have witnessed an 84% increase in efficiency.
The integration of AI and robotics in the culinary industry not only enhances productivity but also addresses the ongoing staffing challenges. Companies like Poyang Lake Ecological Catering have witnessed the benefits of utilizing intelligent tools alongside skilled chefs, allowing for a balance between human creativity and automation.
Lai Jieshan, the director of corporate affairs at LKK China, acknowledged the recruitment difficulties faced by the catering industry and the necessity of equipping chef trainees with the skills to adapt to the digital transformation. She expressed hope that the LKK Hope Chef Program, through the use of AI stir-frying robots, will significantly improve production efficiency and alleviate the labor shortage in the catering industry.
As the digital wave continues to reshape the culinary landscape, this collaboration between LKK and Xianglu seeks to cultivate new talent and promote Chinese food culture worldwide. By merging tradition and technology, they aim to empower the next generation of chefs to embrace innovation and cater to the evolving needs of the industry. With this groundbreaking initiative, the Chinese food industry is poised to thrive in the era of culinary intelligence.
