In an era when the pizzaiolo’s craft is revered, a local pizza joint, Tony & Alba’s Pizza & Pasta, takes a dive into the unknown, employing artificial intelligence to conjure up a recipe for their June ‘Pizza of the Month’. You might ask, “Can a computer be a master of the culinary arts?” It seems so, as Al Vallorz, the owner, found himself short of inspiration and decided to let ChatGPT, a sophisticated AI developed by OpenAI, take the helm.
Imagine the scene: Vallorz, one hand on the dough, the other on his smartphone, requesting a Father’s Day themed pizza from the AI. Within moments, the AI spins up a concoction: Pizza sauce, mozzarella cheese, pepperoni, sausage links, bacon, Memphis barbecue sauce, red onions, and cilantro. Notably, it cleverly sidesteps the classic pineapple debate and remains neutral on the crust thickness issue.
Vallorz found the outcome rather intriguing, theorizing that the inclusion of meat and barbecue sauce came from the AI’s understanding of Father’s Day traditions — dads at the barbecue, naturally. He faithfully adhered to the recipe, throwing in a touch of Italian flair with pancetta instead of regular bacon.
Co-owner Diana Salciccia Vallorz declared it a “futuristic pizza,” and so it was dubbed “The Jetsons,” though patrons often refer to it simply as the AI pizza. The response? Predictably diverse. Young folks are lured in by the novelty of AI, while the older customers often need a crash course in what AI even means. Regardless, the pizza seems to please most who try it, even securing a nod of approval from Alba Salciccia, the restaurant’s founder and a known pizza traditionalist.
The AI creation made its debut on May 25 and will stick around through Father’s Day and the remainder of June, or as long as there’s demand and the ingredients are stocked up. However, July’s pizza will be a human affair, with Diana calling the shots on toppings for her birthday month.
As for the future of ChatGPT at Tony & Alba’s, the Vallorz couple agrees that AI lacks the human touch. Al envisions it assisting with phone orders during peak times, with perhaps a rotating cast of celebrity voices to spice things up. Alba interjects with a request for a Dean Martin voice, a personal favorite. But when it comes to the notion of AI taking over recipe creation, Al dismisses it, reassuring that there’s no substitute for a paesano in the kitchen, delivering not just great food, but a memorable experience as well.
Source: mercurynews.com
