3D Printers Used To Create Delicious, Artful Food

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) – 3D printers aren't just being used in hospitals and factories – now they're being used in a restaurant to create unique dishes.

Jan Smink, a top Dutch chef in the Netherlands, is going back to the basics to create a culinary future.

"We use it, but we transform it into the modern version," he said.

Smink is a pioneer in printing food. The printers don't actually cook meals, but they pump pureed ingredients into layer upon layer of delicate designs.

"You can make shapes what you can't make by hand," Smink said.

Like an avocado octopus or meat bowls filled with curry sauce.

Michelin-starred chefs have printed dishes before, and the University of Utah Hospital now prints meals for patients with problems swallowing solid food.

But Smink is the first to give printed food a permanent place in each course on the menu.

Smink said the printed food is a "surprise" and "something extra" for the guests.

Nina Hoff said the printers provided by her company byFlow are easier to use than many chefs think.

"Many restaurants are scared of technology in their kitchens," she said.

If the printed food dishes prove popular, and the devices -- which are nearly $4,000 -- get cheaper, Smink believes pixels to the plate could improve nutrition and fight waste, by transforming unappealing food into tasty works of art.

He added anything's possible if you mix a dash of inspiration with a touch of technology.