SmartKitchen is proud to be a part of the Dining Flow project, which aims to enhance diners’ experiences in self-service restaurants and reduce food waste. Joining this project is a natural continuation for us, as we have been developing digital solutions for professional kitchens for years. Additionally, we have been actively exploring the potential of artificial intelligence (AI) in restaurants, hotels, and public food services.
Our research focuses on how busy kitchen staff can benefit from AI. SmartKitchen’s digital solutions have been in use for over 7 years in hundreds of professional kitchens. The wealth of data from our SmartKitchen service provided a solid foundation for preliminary studies. A key part of our research was interaction and communication with users. This has enabled SmartKitchen to identify several new AI applications that can be commercialized to ease the busy day-to-day operations of kitchen staff.
Developing Technology in Collaboration with Our Customers
“We do not want to develop technology based solely on our own assessments. Instead, we aim for our development to be based on the real needs of kitchen staff and the management of food service companies,” emphasizes our CEO, Matti Verkasalo.
We also want our customers to utilize data effectively, which is why we have implemented numerous data integrations with third-party digital services. This is why we find our membership in the Dining Flow project extremely beneficial. Collaboration with companies, academia, and students brings new perspectives to the industry. Efficient data utilization is central to developing smart solutions.
We are proud to contribute to the advancement of the food service industry and to help our customers achieve even better results. We strongly believe that AI can create innovative solutions that enhance the efficiency of professional kitchens and improve diners’ experiences.
About the Dining Flow Project
The Dining Flow project is a consortium led by the University of Turku, aiming to improve diners’ experiences in self-service restaurants and reduce food waste. The project seeks to develop data-driven solutions that address the needs of the food service industry and promote responsible dining. The research utilizes the Flavoria research platform, which provides a live environment to observe diners’ behaviors and preferences in real-time.
Dining Flow brings together a multidisciplinary team, including Finnish companies from various sectors, such as SmartKitchen, JAMIX, Metos, Haltian and KONE. The goal is to create innovative solutions to the challenges faced by the food service industry. The project is funded by Business Finland.
“The University of Turku prides itself on its multidisciplinary approach. There is hardly a better example of multidisciplinary research than the Dining Flow project, which leverages expertise and experience in software engineering, mechanical engineering, experience design, and food science, to name a few. Solving today’s complex problems requires a wide range of competencies.”
Jaakko Järvi, Dean of the Faculty of Engineering
the University of Turku.
Main blog image and dining flow summary:
Flavoria is Sodexo’s canteen in Medisiina D,
which serves as a research platform for consumer experience
University of Turku Communications