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Food has a way of taking us back in time. A familiar aroma or a single bite can bring back memories. For some, it may be their Nani’s dal fry; for others, their mother’s achaar — a taste passed down through generations. Yet, no matter how many times we try to recreate these dishes, they rarely taste quite like the originals. Unfortunately, with busy schedules, long commutes and the demands of everyday life, finding time to cook a meal is not always easy. The pandemic, however, offered an opportunity, and people did return to their kitchens, dusted off family recipes and learnt to cook meals they would otherwise have ordered online. But as offices reopened, so did the daily grind. For professionals, it became a herculean task to fit cooking into their busy routines. This is where AI-powered cooking assistants have found an opening, according to Mahek Mody, the founder of upliance.ai, a provider of smart cooking appliances. “People want to eat home-cooked food, but there are two things we need to do to get people to cook at home. First, make it convenient. Second, make it interesting,” Mody said, adding that by combining automated cooking functions with guided recipes and software that can be updated or improved over time, advanced cooking appliances are making home cooking less time-consuming and more accessible. In India, a growing set of players, including established brands such as Wonderchef and Philips, is betting on this proposition. Their products range from guided cooking machines to more automated devices that handle multiple steps of a recipe. But the opportunity is still in its nascency. While these appliances promise to bridge the gap between wanting home-cooked food and having the time to prepare it, their relatively high prices raise questions about the size of the addressable market, who will pay for them, and whether they can move beyond early adopters to become a fixture in Indian kitchens. Let’s find out... India’s Smart Kitchen Shift From the perfect tadka to that secret family ingredient, every Indian kitchen has its own way of doing things. For automated cooking to catch on, these appliances must get the Indian palate right. This is where AI, data and machine learning can help. At upliance, the company uses generative AI to translate recipes into instructions that its appliance can execute. For instance, its YouTube recipe feature breaks down a cooking video into steps and maps them to the device’s capabilities, from chopping ingredients to adjusting cooking sequences. AI also helps identify cooking styles and adapt recipes to Indian preferences. Customers can also access recipes through the company’s app and leave a voicemail if something goes wrong while cooking. The team responds to their queries and uses ratings and feedback to improve recipes over time. “A general-purpose AI chatbot can explain how to cook something, but it cannot necessarily send instructions to a physical device that performs the cooking. Connecting AI-generated instructions to the appliance is the distinction we are trying to create,” Mody said. Machine learning helps the appliance respond to variations during cooking. He said data from several lakh tadka preparations has helped the company refine its algorithms. However, not everyone in the category believes such capabilities should automatically be labelled AI. The founder of Wonderchef, Ravi Saxena, argued that many features marketed as AI-powered are based on connectivity, memory or basic analytics. “Wonderchef’s appliances, too, can download recipes from the internet. There is a limited role for AI in improving our products, and we do not want to exaggerate that role,” Saxena said. The company also analyses usage patterns to improve cooking instructions. If users consistently boil a dish for 18 minutes instead of the recommended 15, the company can spot the trend and adjust the recipe accordingly. The appliances can also track how users vary ingredient quantities while cooking. According to him, these improvements do not necessarily require AI. AI In The Kitchen: What’s Driving Adoption? According to MarkNtel Advisors Research, India’s smart kitchen appliances market is estimated at $800 Mn-$1.48 Bn in 2026. Cooking appliances account for approximately 48% of the market. AI-powered cooking assistants and automated kitchen appliances, including products from upliance and Wonderchef, also fall within this broader segment. Besides, new-age brands such as Nosh, Posha, On2Cook and Geek Robocook are also betting on the emerging segment. Meanwhile, legacy players like Philips are entering the space, with the company launching its automated, all-in-one smart cooking device, Philips OneChef, in India earlier this year. But Wonderchef’s Saxena believes the category is still some way from a tipping point. He compared it with air fryers — a category that took seven years to gain widespread adoption. Automated cooking appliances will similarly need consumer education, while excessive complexity and higher prices in the name of AI could deter buyers. Repeat usage offers one sign of whether these products are becoming part of everyday kitchens. Saxena says Wonderchef’s Roti Magic is used daily by its buyers, Chai Magic around three times a day, and Chef Magic roughly three times a week. Similarly, upliance reported that more than 7,000 Indian households have cooked 6.68 Lakh meals on its platform since December 2022. The Conundrum As of now, the segment is plagued with white-labelled products, which has its own demerits. Factors such as inconsistent cooking results, the need for manual intervention and cleaning hassles raise questions about the hands-free convenience these appliances promise. According to Saxena, at ₹30,000 or more, buyers expect consistent results and convenience, not another appliance gathering dust in the kitchen. Ravi of upliance said that many products in the industry may look similar but fail to deliver on their promises and compromise on pillars like post-sale services while pushing up customer acquisition costs, giving a bad name to peers offering real innovation and satisfactory aftersales. “The base of this problem is white labelling,” he said. Mody also argued that having an IP can open the room for improving it over time, unlike selling a fixed third-party product. While the technology and price point may appeal to a specific segment of Indian consumers, reaching a wider market remains a challenge. At the same time, high upfront costs could limit adoption, making affordability and the ability to deliver consistent value crucial to scaling the category. Archana Jahagirdar of Rukam Capital proposes a solution — designing regionally suitable cooking assistants that provide functional value and are available at affordable prices. “But the success of AI-powered cooking assistants will ultimately depend on how well brands balance convenience, affordability and reliability,” she said. All in all, while technology can make home cooking easier, winning over Indian households will require more than smart features. Products must cater to regional tastes, deliver consistent results and offer value for money to move beyond early adopters and become everyday kitchen essentials. THE STARTUP SPOTLIGHT | HOW EATNACK IS PUTTING A HEALTHY SPIN ON SNACKING EatNack sells health-focused snacks and convenient meal options, positioning itself around the idea of combining taste, nutrition and convenience. It uses processes such as freeze-drying and steam-roasting to retain taste and nutrients while avoiding artificial additives. Its portfolio spans snacks such as masala almonds, lime-and-mint peanuts and seasoned cashews, alongside ready-to-eat meal options. It has 11–20 SKUs across its product range that clock an average MRR of ₹3.5 Lakh. Marketplaces contribute to 70% of sales, offline channels account for 25%, and its own website generates the remaining 5%. The brand is now targeting institutional and hospitality customers, alongside opportunities in export markets like Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the UAE and Mauritius. The Deep Dive ECOMMERCE BUZZ UC Hungry For More Funds: The home services company’s board has approved a proposal to raise up to ₹2,500 Cr through equity and convertible securities to strengthen InstaHelp’s market position and make new business investments. It reported a 208% YoY jump in net loss to ₹182.5 Cr in Q2 FY27. Flipkart Group Cuts Losses: Walmart-backed Flipkart Group’s consolidated operating revenue grew 18.2% YoY to ₹1.45 Lakh Cr in FY26, while net loss narrowed 2.1% to ₹8,468 Cr and gross margins rose 23%. Shopify To Bring Shop Pay To India: Ecommerce major Shopify is preparing to launch its accelerated checkout service, Shop Pay, in India by Q1 2027. It will leverage its existing relationships with D2C brands for a ready merchant base. Udaan’s FY26 Revenue Rises 13%: B2B ecommerce unicorn Udaan’s operating revenue increased 12.6% YoY to ₹5,134 Cr in FY26 from ₹4,561 Cr, while its net loss narrowed 19.4% to ₹851.5 Cr from ₹1,055.4 Cr. Traya Eyes ₹300 Cr: The D2C haircare startup is in talks to raise around ₹300 Cr from Belgium-based investment firm Verlinvest at a proposed valuation of ₹2,500 Cr-₹3,000 Cr, possibly comprising both primary and secondary components. DealShare’s CEO Quits: Kamaldeep Singh has stepped down to lead EV battery-swapping company Indofast Energy. The exit comes as the ecommerce startup explores a potential sale to online pharmacy Truemeds, amid a prolonged business turnaround and leadership churn The Operator Question When a consumer is willing to spend ₹50,000 on an AI-powered cooking assistant, what factors determine their choice between legacy appliance players and newer AI-first brands, and how can brands differentiate themselves beyond price? In conversation with Inc42, Nosh founder Yatin Varachhiya said that at ₹50,000, consumers will choose a product that gives them clear, distinct value. Such a product should be able to solve an everyday need by cooking complete meals independently, allowing people to enjoy cuisines from around the world using ingredients they know and trust. Beyond price, many differentiate through true autonomy, everyday convenience, and an experience that consumers cannot get from a traditional kitchen appliance.
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