Genie grants dishes in under a minute

An idea, born from hunger during a late-night working session, has come to fruition as a device that can deliver your choice of food to the plate in less than a minute. Described by Reuters as a real-life version of Star Trek’s ‘replicator’ (which synthesises meals onboard the mythical starship), the Genie can produce an unlimited variety of meals using pods that contain natural dehydrated ingredients.

The machine, which is similar in size and appearance to a coffee maker and operates via a mobile app, has been developed by Israeli entrepreneurs Ayelet Carasso and Doron Marco from White Innovation company.

“The dish can be anything; it can be a meal like chicken with rice, like couscous with vegetable or an amazing Ramen, or even a chocolate soufflé or any other dessert that you want,” Carasso explains.

“We’re using only natural ingredients; we’re not using any preservatives or anything that people add to their meals,” she added.

The ingredients in the pods are freeze dried in 140 g portions in recyclable containers and have a shelf life of between one and two years. Once the meal has been selected, at the push of a button on Genie’s mobile application, the device begins mixing, shaking and adding any required liquids from tubes attached to the back of the machine, which bakes or cooks the desired dish at the appropriate temperature.

The idea began when Carasso and Marco struggled to find restaurants that delivered to their office during a late-night working session. And while the team doesn’t expect the Genie to replace dining out, they say it will challenge chefs to produce a good meal in a pod or small container.

The device is expected to retail for several hundred US dollars. Marco said the team is holding talks with the Israeli military, where Genie’s pods could produce fresh, nutritious meals on demand for ground forces or aboard ships at sea