Move over Gordon Ramsay, there’s a new chef in town — and it’s a robot. Restaurant CaliExpress — the world’s first fully autonomous, AI-powered restaurant — has opened its doors in Pasadena, California.
The news has already caused a stir across the world as the opening has resulted in a dining experience that’s straight out of science fiction.
It should be noted that CaliExpress is the brainchild of Cali Group, Miso Robotics — creators of the world's first AI-powered fry station, Flippy — and PopID — a tech company that uses biometrics for ordering.
At the opening, the guests watched in awe as robotic chefs prepared their meals from start to finish. The restaurant uses cutting-edge technology to cook food with precision and consistency consequently its fry and grill stations are fully automated.
And if you're worried about missing out on the human touch, don't fret. The restaurant features a "pseudo-museum experience" where you can peek in on the robots as they work their magic.
Speaking on the occasion, PopID CEO John Miller said: "To our knowledge, this is the world's first operating restaurant where both ordering and every single cooking process are fully automated.
Miller — who is also a board member of Miso Robotics — further added that the “marriage of these various technologies to create the most autonomous restaurant in the world is the culmination of years of research, development, and investment in a family of revolutionary companies."
It should be noted that the restaurant isn't just about the robots. CaliExpress is also designed to be a fun and inviting place to eat. The space is decorated with experimental 3D-printed "artefacts" and photos, and there are even retired Flippy robots on display.
According to a statement released after the launch, Miso Robotics CEO Rich Hull said: "AI-powered, robotic order-taking and cooking enables the major chains that feed America to substantially improve quality, consistency and speed.”