Meet BakeBot: From Kitchen Frustration to AI Kitchen Assistant

How the founder of BakeSpace turned her cooking frustration into the world's smartest cookbook and AI kitchen assistant

It started with a flour-covered phone and a moment of pure frustration. BakeSpace founder Babette Pepaj was elbow-deep in sourdough starter when they realized they needed to halve a recipe — but their hands were too messy to touch their device, and squinting at tiny text on a screen while managing multiple timers felt like an impossible juggling act.

"I kept thinking, 'There has to be a better way,'" recalls Babette. "I wanted something that could actually think with me in the kitchen, not just read recipes back to me."

That weekend frustration sparked what would become BakeBot — first as an interactive chat feature on BakeSpace.com, and eventually as BakeBot.ai, a standalone with agentic AI vision and voice integration. 

Starting Small, Thinking Big

The journey began with BakeSpace.com's integrated chat system. Unlike simple recipe readers, BakeBot was designed to be a true cooking partner from day one. The chat would be on every recipe on the platform so members and visitors could immediately start a conversation: "What if I don't have buttermilk?" or "Can I make this gluten-free?" BakeBot would understand what was on the page, no prompting needed, and  could instantly suggest modifications, explain the science behind substitutions, and even recommend wine pairings.

"We weren't just building an information interface," explains Babette. "We were creating a knowledgeable friend who understood cooking at a fundamental level."

The BakeSpace team spent months training BakeBot on culinary science, technique, and the nuanced art of flavor pairing. But they also built practical tools that reflected real kitchen needs: a recipe card scanner that could digitize handwritten family recipes, a recipe creation assistant that helped users develop their own dishes, a way to upload any recipe in any format (e.g., URL, file, screenshot, etc.) and modification tools that went far beyond simple scaling.

The Vision Expands

As user engagement soared, it became clear that BakeBot's potential extended far beyond a single website feature in fact, every food site could benefit from their own BakeBot. With any new technology, the key to success is development speed. So her AI team began developing BakeBot.ai — a comprehensive, standalone platform designed to be the ultimate kitchen companion. That way they could integrate new technologies at scale and not be limited by the tech on BakeSpace and disrupt community engagement while we tested out new features. 

"We realized we weren't just building a recipe assistant," says Babette Pepaj. "We were creating the world's first truly intelligent Kitchen Assistant and interactive cookbook."

BakeBot.ai launched with capabilities that push the boundaries of what's possible in culinary AI. The platform's voice assistant can guide users through complex techniques step-by-step (in any language), while its AI vision feature can identify ingredients in real time and suggest recipes on the spot.

"Show BakeBot your fridge, and it doesn't just see ingredients — it sees possibilities," explains Babette. "It understands that those three sad vegetables in your crisper drawer could become a brilliant risotto, and it can walk you through every step to make it happen."

Beyond the Kitchen Counter

What sets BakeBot.ai apart is its mobility and comprehensive approach. Users can take the AI assistant grocery shopping, where it can scan shelves and suggest alternatives, calculate quantities for meal planning, and even help navigate dietary restrictions in real-time.

The platform's vision capabilities extend to reading handwritten notes, identifying produce quality, and even analyzing cooking progress through photos. "Show it your bread dough, and BakeBot can tell you if it's ready for the next step," notes Babette. "It's like having a master baker looking over your shoulder."

The Science of Cooking Intelligence

Behind BakeBot's conversational interface lies sophisticated understanding of culinary science. The AI doesn't just know recipes — it understands why techniques work, how ingredients interact, and what happens when you need to adapt on the fly.

"Traditional recipe apps assume everything will go perfectly," explains Babette. "BakeBot knows that real cooking is messy, unpredictable, and often requires creative problem-solving."

This approach has resonated with users ranging from nervous beginners to experienced cooks looking to expand their skills. The platform tracks cooking successes and learns from user preferences, gradually becoming more personalized and intuitive.

Meeting the Moment

The timing couldn't be better. As AI-powered search engines increasingly provide quick answers that bypass traditional recipe sites, BakeSpace and BakeBot.ai is betting on deeper engagement and genuine utility.

"People don't just want information anymore — they want guidance, support, and inspiration," says Babette. "BakeBot provides all three, whether you're on our website or using our standalone app."

The company is already seeing promising engagement metrics, with users spending significantly more time on the platform and returning more frequently than traditional recipe site visitors.

Looking Forward

BakeBot isn't stopping with voice and vision. The team is exploring integration with smart kitchen appliances, developing meal planning features that sync with shopping lists, and even working on augmented reality capabilities that could overlay cooking instructions directly onto users' kitchen spaces.

"This is just the beginning," says Founder, Babette Pepaj. "We're building toward a future where cooking becomes more accessible, more creative, and more fun for everyone."

Babette believes the key to success lies in understanding that cooking is both art and science — and that the best AI assistant is one that appreciates both aspects.

"Anyone can build a chatbot or recipe generator that reads recipes and tells you the directions," reflects Babette. "But building an AI that truly understands cooking? That's the challenge we were excited to solve."

As more publishers and platforms rush to add AI features, BakeBot's comprehensive approach — from website integration at BakeSpace to standalone platform at BakeBot.ai— positions BakeBot as more than just a feature add-on. It's a complete reimagining of how we find recipes, cook and get inspiration in the kitchen.

"We're not just competing with other recipe sites," concludes Babette Pepaj. "We're setting the standard for what intelligent cooking assistance should look like."

BakeBot is available as an integrated feature on BakeSpace.com/bakebot. and as a standalone platform at BakeBot.ai. The voice and vision-enabled AI assistant is available for free at BakeBot.ai -- and is free to use with for members and visitors.