It’s Real And It’s Here: A Paella-Making Robot!
Well, this is a bit of a shock: the terrific newspaper The Guardian is reporting that a “paella-making Robot” is here!
“What The Friday!?!?!?”
OK, let’s unpack this bag of culinary sacrilege – how can a Robot possibly create a work of culinary art like this?
In case you are wondering:
This is a traditional “Paella” I had on the Costa Brava in Spain. It’s a national treasure in Sapin and is described this way:
Paella (pai·ei·uh) is a classic Spanish rice dish made with rice, saffron, vegetables, chicken, and seafood cooked and served in one pan.
The marriage of fresh seafood, meat and spices is one that must be coaxed and sweated over…there is nothing mechanical about creating food art!
Unless you are a Robot.
As The Guardian reports:
“Since it was unveiled at a hospitality industry fair last month, the world’s first robotic paellero has been causing a bit of a stir. Set the programme, load the sofrito, rice, stock and seafood, leave it alone and the robotic arm, which is hooked up to a computerised stove, will do the rest.”
NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!
The robotic Paella making Chef is a joint project between a company called “br5” (Be A Robot 5) and a Paella stove manufacturer called Mimcook – and they say there is interest from hotel and restaurant chains,
Check out their promotional video:
Look, robots are part of our world – they have been for awhile and are becoming more a part of our daily lives everyday in the future – but there is something to be said about the “creative artistry” of cooking that can’t be mechanized like this…
I simply don’t see how a dish with this much flavor and passion can be broken down into a “combine all ingredients and stir” mentality.
Still, thanks to The Guardian for reporting the story.
You can read more of it, with lots of great interviews about the process – and the controversy, by clicking on their story here:
Of course, I made some traditional Spanish Paella recently:
I love it so much – I use Langoustines, Mussels, Clams, Chorizo and Chicken Thighs and of course lots of Saffron and Smoky Paprika as well! You can see the entire recipe here:
I’ve shared stories of Robot Chefs before – remember this ramen-making and serving “Chef” from China?
It’s the wave of the future so get used to it – you can see the entire story here:
Just to prove I’m not “Anti-Robot”, I have also shared what I thought was a fun idea:
Robot Bartenders!
This I can understand: the basics of a mixed drink are simpler – and anyway, it’s in Las Vegas so what do you expect?
Click here to see more pictures and a video of a Cocktail-making Robot:
Categories: Books / Media, cookbooks, Food, food blog, Food Review, Pop Culture, Recipes, Restaurants, Spain, Technology, Travel, Travel Adventures, Wacky Food, what the Friday
This is simply delicious 😋😋😋
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Thanks for reading! Great to hear from you!
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This is like a McDonald’s version of paella. And just for the record, its stirring technique is lousy! lol
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That’s the perfect way to put it – McPaella! I agree it’s not possible to bring flavors to life by the “dump and stir” method! Thanks for commenting, great to hear from you!
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My pleasure, John. In case it wasn’t obvious, I LOVE paella. 😀
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I do as well – great to hear from you – thanks for commenting!
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😀 😀 😀
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I’m sure at one point in time it will be all robots and maybe then we will ..well not us but someone will be expressing surprise at a human cooking…Stranger things have happened 🙂 In the meantime, I will be cooking in the same way and lamenting the use of robots 🙂
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I agree totally Carol!
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I have the same reaction. There is something offensive to cooking robots, but bartender robots not so much.
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Agree – thanks for commenting!
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I have the same reaction. There is something offensive to cooking robots, but bartender robots not so much.
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I can’t imagine robots cooking, but I can imagine robots bar tending. My preschool class is in love with the robots from Boston Dynamics dancing to “Do You Love Me?” They were gracious enough to have their engineers Zoom with my class. How cool is that? Spot the dog is amazing, and so is the company. Three cheers for robots!
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Yes, Robots can be useful and fun as you point out, just not fine dining Chefs1. Thanks as always for commenting!
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You’re welcome, John.🙂
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Woah, wow! I’d eat it!
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Love these stories!
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Thank you for reading!
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There must be millions of robots making food we can’t see being prepared, like all the hundreds of microwave meals and frozen foods in the supermarkets. But I don’t want to ever watch one making my Paella! 🙂
Best wishes, Pete.
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You are exactly right Pete…combining ingredients is one thing, but to try and coax a terrific flavor out of ingredients with a mechanical arm isn’t possible! thanks as always for commenting!
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Incredible!!
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I think robots could cook quite easily. After all, cooking is a science and you follow a formula via a recipe. The presentation might require a human intervention. The same for a cocktail – I want my strawberry on top.
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NO, Robbie! There’s no utilizing taste and smell to adjust flavors, spices, herbs…it’s all one note! Cocktails I’ll accept!
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