Google partners with Big Zuu to inspire Brits to embrace culinary creativity this Christmas.
This holiday season, Google has teamed up with renowned TV chef and rapper Big Zuu to showcase how Gemini, Google’s AI, can simplify festive meal planning and transform leftovers into innovative dishes. As Brits gear up for Christmas, this collaboration aims to alleviate holiday stress and inspire exciting culinary experimentation.
The Overbuying Dilemma
A recent survey commissioned by Google highlights a common festive challenge: overbuying food. Nearly half of Brits (44%) admit to purchasing excessive amounts of food due to “FORO”, the Fear of Running Out. This results in an abundance of leftovers, which many struggle to utilise creatively.
Despite the opportunity to get inventive with post-Christmas cooking, only 4 in 10 Brits experiment with new recipes during the Twixmas period. Instead, leftover staples such as turkey, potatoes, and vegetables often end up as repetitive dishes.
Big Zuu and Gemini are here to change that. Together, they aim to help families and friends mix it up this Christmas with AI-powered inspiration for diverse and exciting meals.
Gemini: A Game-Changer for Holiday Planning
Gemini isn’t just a recipe app, it’s a comprehensive holiday assistant. Using cutting-edge AI, Gemini enables users to generate original recipes based on the ingredients they have on hand. Whether through text input, voice commands, or image uploads, the app delivers customised meal ideas to suit various tastes and cuisines.
But Gemini’s capabilities extend beyond the kitchen. It can also help users plan festive celebrations, recommend unique gift ideas, and even create stunning tablescapes. This versatility is designed to ease the pressures of Christmas planning and make the season more enjoyable.
Big Zuu’s Creative Twixmas Menu
Big Zuu, known for his bold flavours and inventive dishes, has crafted a special menu to demonstrate the power of Gemini. His Twixmas recipes breathe new life into traditional Christmas leftovers:
- Turkey and Stuffing Pinwheels: A delightful appetiser made by spreading stuffing onto turkey slices, rolling them up, and securing them with toothpicks.
- Mini Roast Potato Bites: Leftover roast potatoes topped with cheese and chives, then baked until golden and crispy.
- Brussels Sprouts Elote: A festive twist on a classic Mexican street food, featuring roasted sprouts with chili powder, lime, and crema.
- Lebanese Potato and Cheese Fatayer (V): A vegetarian dish where mashed potatoes and cheese are wrapped in filo pastry and baked to golden perfection.
- Christmas Pudding Bread Pudding: A sweet and spiced dessert made with cubes of Christmas pudding, bread, and a custard mixture, served alongside cranberry sauce ice cream.
These recipes showcase the endless possibilities that Gemini can inspire, helping Brits turn leftover ingredients into gourmet creations.
Alleviating Festive Stress
Big Zuu expressed his enthusiasm for the partnership: For me, Christmas is all about the food. But let’s be honest, prepping meals and buying the right amount of ingredients for the big day can be a real headache especially when you’re cooking for family or mates. Many of us experience ‘FORO’ and end up with a lot of leftovers that we struggle to use up creatively.
That’s why I’m thrilled to collaborate with Google to inspire Brits to elevate their leftover creations this festive season using Gemini. Simply tell it what you’ve got in the fridge and what type of meal you’re looking to cook up, and boom, you’ll get AI-generated recipes that turn Christmas scraps into gourmet grub. With Gemini, try mixing it up over the holidays your wallet and belly will thank you.
Making Holiday Planning Smarter
Google’s Principal of Product Management, Serge LaChapelle, commented on Gemini’s versatility:
“Cooking for friends and family while using up leftover ingredients weighs on many minds over the Christmas period. What Gemini, Google’s AI, is particularly handy at doing is helping to inspire creativity—in the kitchen and beyond.
What to do with all those sprouts? Ask Gemini for different ways to create something delicious. Let it help you plan a Friendsmas party, a beautiful tablescape, and so much more to alleviate the stress this period can bring. Everyone can explore new possibilities with the Gemini app, now accessible on both iOS and Android.
Tips for a Stress-Free Christmas
To make the most of the festive season, Big Zuu shared his top five tips for planning and cooking:
- Plan Smart, Shop Smart: Avoid overbuying by using Gemini to calculate exactly how much food you need for your guests.
- Don’t Skimp on Spice: Transform ordinary leftovers with bold flavours like chilli powder and cumin to create exciting dishes.
- Mix It Up: Use Gemini to reimagine leftovers into gourmet meals such as turkey tacos or cheesy potato fatayer.
- Veggies Are King: Elevate humble vegetables by roasting or blending them into soups, making them the star of your meals.
- Be a Friendsmas Planning Pro: Let Gemini assist in planning your festive celebration, from menus to décor and even cocktail ideas.
New Traditions with Gemini
Google’s survey reveals that nearly a quarter (24.8%) of Brits are eager to try new traditions or recipes during Christmas. With over a quarter (27%) willing to use AI to plan their festivities, Gemini is poised to become a valuable tool for those seeking inspiration and efficiency during the holidays.
The Most Common Leftovers
Turkey tops the list of most common Christmas leftovers (48%), followed by potatoes (36%), vegetables (34%), stuffing (26%), and cheese (25%). Gemini empowers users to transform these staples into standout dishes, adding variety and flavour to post-Christmas meals.
Embrace Innovation This Christmas
With Gemini, Google and Big Zuu invite Brits to reimagine their festive traditions. From saving time in the kitchen to creating memorable celebrations, Gemini ensures that everyone can enjoy a stress-free, flavour-packed Christmas.