Automated kitchens are moving into Beijing dining rooms. At the World Robot Conference, Chinese tech firms showcased humanoid chefs capable of cooking hot meals, assembling fast food orders, and serving guests. But full automation remains out of reach because human staff still have to load the raw ingredients.
Oak Deer Robotics introduced an artificial intelligence platform called CookingMuse alongside a dedicated cooking robot. The setup includes the RobotCook automated cart, which features a compact humanoid chef at the controls. During live demonstrations, the machine prepared tofu dishes and pork with green peppers. It handles the cooking process using a wok that heats up to 300 degrees Celsius. The robot measures out seasonings automatically and relies on a proprietary AI algorithm to control the stir fry movements.
Other robotics developers are focusing on the fast food sector. Hikrobots demonstrated a series of humanoid units designed for front counter restaurant duties. These machines collect customer orders, place the food items onto trays, and pass meals directly to patrons. The focus here is on rapid fulfillment and repetitive service tasks rather than intricate culinary prep.
These automated systems are already stepping outside trade show exhibition halls. In Beijing, a pilot restaurant called Yujian Weilai has put robots in charge of the noodle station. The robotic line currently prepares 3 distinct noodle varieties, including mushroom sauce, tomato beef, and braised beef. The machine drops noodles into boiling water, adds the correct toppings, and transfers the finished bowl to a mobile delivery robot. Human staff still manage inventory and refill the ingredient bins, but the actual cooking and kitchen transit are handled entirely by machines.
