Ask AI for a food-and-wine pairing menu for a special gathering
Spectrum News reports that Jennifer Johnson, 72, longtime co-owner of Johnson Estate Winery in upstate New York, barely touched the ChatGPT app her daughter put on her phone at first. Now she uses it to create food-and-wine pairing menus for special events, and she calls it "a revelation."
What they did
Her daughter installed the ChatGPT app on her phone. In the beginning she didn't really use it, and she still says she doesn't lean on it much: "I use it as an accessory." Over time she learned to use it to come up with food-and-wine pairing menus for special events at the winery.
How it went
"It's been a revelation," she told the reporter, describing how fast it is and what it can do. She uses it to help generate ideas, not to do her thinking for her, and she hopes using it as a tool keeps her own brain working. Her husband and co-owner Fred Johnson says it is "useful around the edges," handy for quick first drafts, though he doesn't fully trust it.
Worth knowing
Treat an AI menu as a starting point and use your own taste and experience. Check each recipe before you cook for a crowd, ask guests about allergies and dietary needs, and have good non-alcoholic choices on hand. If you're buying wine, confirm what's actually available and the price at your store, since AI suggestions can name bottles or vintages that don't exist.
Try it yourself
Copy this into ChatGPT (or any AI assistant). Replace the parts in [brackets] with your own details.
I'm hosting [occasion] for [number] guests in [season]. I'd like [number] courses or small plates, and I'm comfortable cooking [skill level]. Guests' needs: [e.g., one vegetarian, one nut allergy]. Suggest a menu with a wine pairing for each dish, using common, easy-to-find styles of wine rather than specific bottles, plus a non-alcoholic pairing for each. Give one line on why each pairing works and a rough prep plan for the day. Then give me two alternate menus so I can mix and match.
Source: Reported by Mark Goshgarian, Spectrum News 1, Oct 18, 2026. Read the original →
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