"I Am a Mixing Robot"... Robots Take Over Kitchens Where People Could Not Endure [Black-and-White Cooking Robot] ①

From Samgyeopsal to Chinese Cuisine and Burgers... Robots Now Cooking Meals
Uniform Taste, Resolving Labor Shortages, and Boosting Sales
A Global Market Worth 7 Trillion Won... Venture Capital Investment on the Rise

Editor's NoteOf the approximately 800,000 dining establishments across the country, a significant number are operated by owners, their families, and a few part-time workers. The problem is that this structure is becoming increasingly unsustainable. Labor costs are rising while the workforce is in short supply, and even when staff are hired, they rarely stay long. Ultimately, a single question emerges: Can kitchens that have relied on human labor shift to a "machine-centric structure"? The Asia Business Daily examines the current state and future of startups and venture capital (VC) in the cooking robot sector over a five-part series.

"A flare was detected, so I briefly raised the grill."

On March 18, at a barbecue restaurant in Paldal-gu, Suwon-si, Gyeonggi Province, a chef grilling samgyeopsal explained the situation while deftly shaking the grill up and down to control the flames.

It took just over three minutes to cook four servings of samgyeopsal to the initial stage. The chef who rotated the grill 360 degrees to cook the meat was not a human, but Beyondhoneycomb's artificial intelligence (AI) cooking robot, GrillX.

At a barbecue restaurant in Paldal-gu, Suwon-si, Gyeonggi Province, Beyondhoneycomb's 'GrillX' is seen with its eyes closed after placing samgyeopsal on the grill. Photo by Seoyul Hwang

A representative from Beyondhoneycomb explained, "GrillX can quantify the Maillard reaction, juiciness, and degree of charring in the meat and independently assess the cooking status," adding, "We have developed key components such as actuators and spectroscopic sensors in-house, which also lowers the cost of adoption." As fewer people stand in front of the fire, standardized labor is starting to enter the kitchen.

Robots That Grill, Fry, and Mix... "The Kitchen Is Changing"

The transformation has begun. As fewer people stand in front of the fire, standardized labor is being introduced into the kitchen. The core is not just simple automation. The sector is evolving from "technology replacing labor" to "systems standardizing flavor." Cooking robots that combine computer vision, sensors, and recipe automation algorithms are now performing tasks such as mixing, adding ingredients, grilling, and stir-frying.

The market is also growing rapidly. According to global market research firm TBRC, the global cooking robot market is expected to grow from $4.25 billion (about 6 trillion won) last year to $4.8 billion (about 7 trillion won) this year, and to $7.86 billion (about 12 trillion won) by 2030. The compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of the cooking robot market is estimated to reach 13.1%.

Park Hee-eon (36), owner of the barbecue restaurant that adopted GrillX, said, "By using the cooking robot, labor costs have been reduced by 40 to 50 percent," and added, "Barbecue restaurants have high labor intensity, making it difficult to hire staff, and part-timers quit quickly." He explained, "Previously, it took at least five to six people, but now the restaurant can be operated with two to three." This translates to a reduction of several million won per month in labor costs. Given that the equipment itself costs tens of millions of won, it is possible to recoup the investment within a few months.

Even Replacing Skilled Wok Techniques..."Demand Rises for High-Skill Areas"

At the ENI Lab in Seongdong-gu, Seoul, "AlphaGrill" grills a beef patty and places it on a tray by itself. Photo by Daehyun Kim

On March 20, at the ENI Lab in Seongdong-gu, Seoul, a beef patty was placed on a grill and, with the press of a button, the top and bottom grill plates closed in to cook both sides simultaneously. After 60 seconds, when the top plate lifted, the patty was perfectly browned. Upon cutting and tasting the patty, which had been automatically stacked on a stainless steel tray, the juicy flavor burst forth from its tender texture.

ENI's AlphaGrill produces 200 to 300 patties per hour with consistent quality. The dual-sided cooking structure eliminates the flipping step, and temperature sensors minimize heat loss.

Lee Yongkwon, Chief Business Officer (CBO) at ENI, stated, "There are about 800,000 food service businesses nationwide, and for them to remain operational, both labor and quality issues must be resolved simultaneously."

At the Arumdeuri cafeteria kitchen at Seoul National University Gwanak Campus, Mandarin Robotics' "Robotic Wok" is stir-frying the ingredients for jajang sauce using a wok-tossing motion. Photo by Daehyun Kim

Mass food preparation kitchens are no exception. On March 17, at the Arumdeuri cafeteria at Seoul National University Gwanak Campus, dozens of students lined up for the day's menu: jajangbap. In one corner of the kitchen, an employee added cabbage and onions, and Mandarin Robotics' "RoboticWok" began stir-frying the ingredients using a wok-tossing motion.

Whereas previously, black bean sauce would simply be heated from a large can and served, now the sauce is freshly stir-fried, similar to the style of ganjjajang. The RoboticWok is used not only for jajang, but also for dishes such as spicy pork stir-fry and bibimbap at this cafeteria.

Kim Minkyu, CEO of Mandarin Robotics, said, "Chinese cuisine is a high-labor, high-skill area where the chef's experience is important," and added, "The robot helps reduce that burden."

The effects are evident in the numbers. According to a demonstration of meal preparation robots conducted by Gangnam District in Seoul, exposure to hazardous factors in frying tasks for 450 people was reduced by 28.6%, and musculoskeletal strain dropped from level 2 to level 0. The intensity of cooking work also decreased by an average of 31.1%. While humans require skill, robots can repeat the same results once they are trained. This is why automation demand increases in areas that require high levels of expertise.

Students at Seoul National University Gwanak Campus cafeteria 'Areumdri' are waiting for the black bean sauce made by Mandarin Robotics' 'RoboticWok' through the wok tossing motion. Photo by Daehyun Kim

Robots Are Advancing, but Clients Remain Limited

The cooking robot industry is rapidly evolving in various ways. Key examples include miniaturization of food manufacturing plants and production facilities, multi-purpose collaborative robotic arms, and specialized cooking equipment. As companies and investment capital pour in, the market is entering an expansion phase. TBRC has identified future trends such as fully automated cooking processes, AI-based recipe optimization, and the expansion of cloud kitchens.

However, there is another reality at play in the field. For now, most places that can boldly introduce cooking robots are either top-grossing restaurants or large-scale franchise businesses. Only businesses that can afford equipment costing tens of millions of won are able to lead this change. Lee Yongkwon, CBO at ENI, said, "Currently, our main customers are the top 20 percent of sales-generating stores," and added, "We are also preparing lower-cost equipment for the remaining 80 percent."

Song Jeongsoo, CEO of Repiz, which makes robots for highball and beverage preparation, said, "At CES 2026, the world's largest electronics and IT exhibition, I confirmed that demand for F&B (food and beverage) robots is very high," and added, "Global franchises such as Starbucks are also considering adopting automation equipment, but there is still a shortage of ready-to-use products in the field."

The transformation of the kitchen is clear. Machines are replacing human tasks, and flavor is now being determined by data rather than experience. The very structure of the food service industry may be changing. While the market has yet to be fully validated and there are many examples of failure, multiple venture capital firms are investing with confidence in this transformation.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.