Generating dish descriptions
Use AI to write compelling descriptions with tone and style control.
How it works
The AI description generator writes clear, natural-sounding descriptions for your menu items. It uses your item's name, ingredients, your restaurant's cuisine type, and style to produce contextually appropriate copy.
- Select an item in the editor to open the item inspector panel.
- Click the AI button (sparkle icon) next to the description field.
- Review and accept: The AI generates a description in a few seconds. You can accept it as-is, edit it, or regenerate for a different version.
The description is tailored to your restaurant's identity, so a fine-dining Italian restaurant gets different language than a casual burger joint.
Tone and style
The AI adapts its writing style based on your restaurant profile:
- Cuisine type: Japanese restaurants get descriptions that reference umami and preparation techniques. Italian restaurants see words like "al dente" and "house-made."
- Restaurant style: Fine dining produces elegant, evocative language. Casual spots get friendly, approachable copy.
- Ingredients list: If you've added ingredients to the item, the AI weaves them naturally into the description.
- High Margin flag: Items marked as High Margin get longer, more persuasive descriptions designed to increase appeal.
Tip: Add ingredients for better results
The more context you give the AI, the better the output. Adding key ingredients (even just 3–4 words) to the ingredients field makes a noticeable difference in the quality of generated descriptions.
Bulk descriptions
If you have many items without descriptions, the Sous Chef panel offers a bulk generation feature:
- Open the Sous Chef tab (chef hat icon in the editor sidebar).
- Check the Health tab: If items are missing descriptions, you'll see a card highlighting the issue with a count of affected items.
- Click "Write descriptions": The AI generates descriptions for all items that are missing them. You can review and edit each one before accepting.
It's the fastest way to populate a new menu with descriptions.
Editing AI output
AI-generated descriptions are a starting point. You can and should edit them to match your voice:
- Accept and edit: After the AI generates a description, it appears in the description field. Edit it like any other text.
- Regenerate: If you don't like the result, click the AI button again for a fresh version.
- Mix and match: Use AI for some items and write others yourself. There's no requirement to use AI for everything.
Tips & frequently asked questions
Can the AI write in other languages?
The AI primarily writes in English. If your item name is in another language, the AI will typically reference the original name and describe the dish in English.
The AI wrote something inaccurate. What should I do?
AI-generated content should always be reviewed. If a description mentions an ingredient your dish doesn't contain, edit it directly or add accurate ingredients to the item before regenerating.