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AI flavor translator: A universal language to satisfy curiosity and connect cultures
The challenge: Facing mystery foods around the world and at your table.
This article is part of the eBook: Everyday AI guide: Practical genAI life hacks from real users, a free download from We Love Open Source.
Exploring international markets, trying global recipes, navigating picky eaters and super tasters, or sitting down at a new restaurant often leads to the same moment of curiosity and uncertainty: What does this actually taste like? You see an unfamiliar dish or ingredient — injera, mole, natto, durian — but can’t imagine its flavor. Our curiosity often turns into avoidance.
Could AI act as a flavor translator, making unfamiliar foods instantly relatable — the same way a language translator bridges people across cultures?
A simple way to translate flavors
Take a photo or type the name of the food into ChatGPT, then use a structured prompt. Instead of dry, dictionary-like answers, you’ll get tasteful comparisons that connect mystery foods to familiar flavors.
Note: A simple beauty of this prompt is it will work in most any vendor and model of large language models (LLMs). It would need to be multimodal to accept a photo, but if you are just typing in the name of the food and the prompt, you should expect flavorful results with most any GenAI tool.
Flavor translation prompt structure
“This is [PHOTO or FOOD NAME]. Translate the flavor and texture into familiar comparisons. Include analogies to everyday foods, texture description, best uses or pairings, and closest substitutes.”
Pro tip: Save your flavor prompt
When traveling or exploring new foods, you don’t want to retype the same structure hundreds of times. Save it as a reusable shortcut — either as a pinned note in your phone, a keyboard shortcut, or a saved custom instruction inside your AI tool. That way, you can simply paste or invoke it every time you encounter an unfamiliar beverage or food.
Examples of AI flavor translations
Durian → “This is Durian. Translate the flavor and texture into familiar comparisons. Include analogies to everyday foods, texture description, best uses or pairings, and closest substitutes.“
Response: “Custard-like sweetness with notes of banana, almond, and onion; creamy, custard-like texture; best used in smoothies or pastries; substitutes include jackfruit, banana, or mango.”
Injera → “This is Injera. Translate the flavor and texture into familiar comparisons. Include analogies to everyday foods, texture description, best uses or pairings, and closest substitutes.”
Response: “Like a pancake meets sourdough — spongey and tangy; texture is absorbent and perfect for scooping stews; best paired with Ethiopian curries; substitutes include sourdough crepes or thin flatbreads.”
Food as a universal language
Language translation helps us communicate; food translation helps us connect. Every unfamiliar dish is an invitation — to taste, to learn, and share. With AI as your flavor translator, hesitation turns into discovery, and mystery meals become shared experiences. No matter where we come from, food remains our most universal language.
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