Forget Gordon Ramsay, meet Aiman the AI Chef from Dubai who’s cooking up a storm without the yelling

Chef Aiman/Instagram

You’ve heard of AI teachers and seen AI anchors take over prime-time TV, but an AI chef? That’s something new. It might sound like science fiction, but in Dubai, it’s now a reality. The city has introduced its first-ever AI-powered chef—something the rest of the world hasn't quite explored yet. Whether this chef actually steps out of a digital kitchen and whips up a meal for you is still uncertain, but here’s what we know so far about Aiman, the world’s first AI chef.

Aiman is the brainchild of UAE-based startup UMAI, and he’ll be running the show at a brand-new restaurant called WOOHOO, opening this summer at Kempinski The Boulevard, right by the iconic Burj Khalifa, according to a report by The Gulf News. The restaurant is backed by Gastronaut, a hospitality company.

Now, Aiman isn’t a robot with arms or a chef’s hat. He’s a fully digital, AI-powered chef designed to work with humans, not replace them. His job is to support the kitchen team by coming up with creative ingredient pairings, suggesting new recipes, improving dishes based on feedback, and helping with kitchen operations. The UMAI team calls him a "culinary co-pilot."

WOOHOO’s menu is going to be a fusion of Japanese, Mexican, and Peruvian cuisines. This combination of bold flavors is a challenge even for human chefs, which makes it the perfect test for an AI like Aiman.

But there’s more to the experience than just food. The restaurant will feature ambient lighting, digital art, metallic design touches, and stunning views,all meant to create a dining atmosphere where food and technology come together.

Of course, safety and ethics haven’t been ignored. Every recipe Aiman works on is carefully logged and tested with real-time feedback, so there’s a clear focus on quality and transparency. The team wants diners to feel confident that even though the chef is digital, the food is thoughtfully made and safe.

Reservations for WOOHOO are already open, and people are excited to try something completely new. It’s not every day you get to taste the future, quiteliterally. So if you happen to visit Dubai, go say hello to the new AI chef!