Australia’s first artificial intelligence-generated restaurant concept, Luminary, will open as a week-long pop-up at North Sydney’s Rafi, starting 29 July.
The concept was the winning entry to a competition held by the Australian hospitality group that owns Rafi earlier this year. The entry was chosen from hundreds and will now welcome diners for a real-life dining experience for a limited time.
AI-generated scenes at Luminary
Luminary: the AI-generated restaurant
The concept was created by Perth woman Stefanie Wee, who used AI tools ChatGPT and Canva AI image generator to expand on the theme of ‘the art of illumination’. AI-generated menus, lighting and interior design will now be adapted to a restaurant space to serve a menu based on the elements.
The menu has been adapted by experienced human chefs however: Applejack’s Director of Culinary, Patrick Friesen, and Rafi’s Executive Chef, Matias Cilloniz will collaborate to represent the five elements in their dishes, for example, water – scallop with ponzu, sea grapes, caper leaves and seaweed; earth – roasted onion with pine nuts, lavosh and Pyenganna Cheddar; and fire – grilled lamb backstrap with mint salsa verde and alchemy of quince mostarda.
An imagined tuna dish generated using Canva
To generate the Luminary concept Wee entered prompts such as ‘high-end’, ‘experimental’ and ‘unique’ into ChatGPT. The results were then used to generate visual images of the concept with Canva. These images were then brought to life in the Rafi restaurant space by interdisciplinary media art ensemble Reelize Studio using lighting, haze and LED technology to create a unique atmosphere.
The annual Kita festival, Malaysia’s food and gastronomy symposium and series of events returns to Kuching, Penang, Kuala Lumpur and Singapore in September and October.