Food.ru, the popular Russian media platform, has teamed up with X5 Tech and X5 Customer Experience teams to roll out an AI-powered assistant that helps users discover recipes through natural, informal queries. Instead of typing in rigid filters, this new tool understands descriptions of occasions, preferences, and dietary restrictions, matching them to dishes from a massive database of over 164,000 recipes. The assistant is already available on the Food.ru website as well as Android and iOS apps.
Unlike classic search engines that require specific criteria, you simply describe what you want-like the occasion, available ingredients, or diet limitations-and the AI assistant instantly generates a curated list of recipes complete with pictures, titles, and authors. This makes the entire process smoother and more intuitive. Within the first month, Food.ru reported a nearly twofold increase in session duration and page views compared to the traditional search, indicating that users are engaging more deeply with the platform.
How Food.ru’s AI assistant works and why it matters
The service parses natural language requests-imagine typing, ”quick air fryer meal” or ”recipes from movies.” Users can also specify ingredients, cooking methods, and even calorie counts. The AI assistant has found particular popularity among kids looking for simple, quick recipes they can make without adult help.
Maxim Sivokon, Food.ru’s director, explains that standard search tools often fall short when users aren’t sure what to cook or face dietary restrictions. The AI companion analyzes the context behind requests and quickly suggests fitting recipes, saving time and simplifying ”what’s for dinner right now” decisions.
Integration with retail chains and future plans
Looking ahead, Food.ru plans to tightly integrate the AI assistant with X5 Group’s grocery chains, Pyaterochka and Perekrestok. This will enable automatic creation of shopping carts based on chosen recipes. The service aims not just to recommend meals but also assist in cooking and plan multi-day menus considering budget and dietary needs.
Users will receive tailored product suggestions for ordering and advice on what’s easier to cook versus buy ready-made. This level of personalization is rare in Russia’s FoodTech scene and promises to elevate Food.ru into a next-level digital service focused on user convenience.
All in all, this AI assistant is far from a mere experiment-it’s a practical tool turning recipe discovery into an engaging chat with an intelligent helper, saving time and making meal decisions easier.
For the international tech crowd, this development highlights how AI applications in food tech are evolving beyond simple search filters into conversational, contextual assistants. While global players like Google and Amazon have tapped into recipe recommendations, localized AI assistants integrated with retail ecosystems show how the next frontier in food tech combines convenience, personalization, and e-commerce. It also sheds light on how Russian digital ecosystems like Food.ru and X5 Group are innovating to meet the culinary needs of diverse users, from busy parents to independent kids. This blend of AI, retail integration, and user-centric design could inspire similar initiatives worldwide as companies look to deepen customer engagement through smarter food discovery.