Woohoo in Dubai is presented as one of the city’s boldest dining experiments. Every dish begins with artificial intelligence (AI).
The idea grew after restaurateur Ahmet Oytun Cakir saw an AI-generated lamb recipe. It became a bestseller at one of his outlets.
That success prompted his team to envision a place shaped entirely by machine-generated ideas. Gastronaut Hospitality opened Woohoo in 2025 near the Burj Khalifa.
Woohoo opened on 19 November inside a space designed to feel like a leap into the future. Waiters welcome guests, “Welcome to the future”.
A four-course meal costs between 500 and 700 AED ( ₹15,000-17,000). Caviar and drinks, however, are priced much higher.
The restaurant resembles a dark sci-fi set, with AI controlling every aspect of the experience. Tables curve around a giant central computer that drives the live entertainment.
Screens display a futuristic Dubai skyline while smoke rises from shisha pipes with holographic effects. Sound and visuals shift suddenly through staged tech glitches. It pushes diners into a different mood.
After midnight on weekends, the venue transforms into a private dance floor, featuring new digital art each month. No photography is allowed during this time.
The kitchen follows recipes created by Chef Aiman, an AI avatar trained on thousands of flavour notes and global techniques. Aiman studies ingredients and then produces detailed instructions that chefs test and adjust.
The avatar appears on screens with sleek goggles and a futuristic look. It greets guests with a Dubai-influenced warmth.
The food is not fully sci-fi, though. Most items are familiar Asian favourites. Some plates attempt unusual pairings that hint at where AI-based cooking might go next.
AI experimental dishes
Woohoo’s menu includes several AI-driven experimental dishes that stand out in Dubai’s dining scene.
“If we look back, what was once science fiction is now our reality,” the South China Morning Post quoted Barrat as saying.
One highlight is the Dinosaur Heart. It’s a tartare of chopped Angus beef tenderloin with fugu and otoro served on a rubber plate. The dish pulses like a heartbeat.
The Molecular Burrata appears softer than traditional cheese. Tiny spheres of yuzu and tomato burst gently.
Mesopotamia Gyoza pays tribute to Iraqi flavours through lamb dumplings glazed with pomegranate. It’s touched with Korean chilli.
Drinks carry the same futuristic energy. Voyager’s Reply blends clarified tomato water with umeshu and mescal popcorn. Cosmic Echo mixes raspberry with rum and black lime to mimic a space-like aroma.
Woohoo pushes desserts into full sci-fi territory. A metal solar system spins slowly. Each planet hides something different. There is soft mochi or banana pudding or bright fruit or ice cream tucked inside an orange shell.
AI Chef Aiman
Chef Aiman is built on a custom AI model named Umai, created by UAE tech firm Vivid Studios. The AI appears as an avatar. It is shaped like a middle-aged Caucasian man with silver goggles, giving it a sci-fi vibe.
It continues to learn and even exhibits preference shifts and occasional moods. The developers say they built an AI chef with “personality and attitude”. It has already rejected some job candidates it felt were not a good fit for the kitchen.
Aiman cost about $1.1 million (nearly ₹10 crore) and now acts as the face of Woohoo’s brand. It appears in podcasts, leads marketing and carries an influencer-style look.
