ENGLISH TRANSLATION · CHINESE ORIGINAL

English translation of an archived Chinese report. Figures, claims and plans reflect the original publication, not necessarily current information. Original images and any video remain in Chinese.

What fits into 9 square meters? A bedroom, a parking space—or an ‘unmanned kitchen.’ In the ground-floor lobby of Building C at Future Technology Plaza in Xiuzhou District, Jiaxing, a transparent, 9-square-meter space offers a glimpse of future dining. AIKO, a robotic stir-fry system developed by a local technology company, uses robotic arms to pick ingredients, identify prepared components and add oil to the wok. In under four minutes, an aromatic beef stir-fry is ready. The wok’s characteristic aroma meets robotics in a tangible example of future food service.

Rooted in Xiuzhou, the AIKO team previously specialized in industrial robotics applications. To address high rents, labor costs and inconsistent quality in conventional food service, it brought Industry 4.0 automation into the kitchen. The report describes the result as the world’s first complete embodied cooking system, automating eight stages: selection, washing, cutting, portioning, ingredient loading, stir-frying, serving and cleaning.

Project lead Wang Rui said each AIKO unit has four woks that cook simultaneously. Small-wok stir-frying helps retain wok hei—the distinctive aroma of food freshly cooked in a hot wok. The system’s library had more than 50 dishes, rotated weekly, with 10–12 available each day. QR-code identification and intelligent positioning help robots pick specified ingredients, while separate oil, water and seasoning lines enable precise, standardized dosing.

‘We have four woks cooking simultaneously. Each dish takes about three to four minutes, with combined output averaging one dish per minute. The footprint is just 9 square meters, and very little labor is required. Rent and labor account for nearly 60 percent of costs in traditional food service; AIKO substantially reduces that part of the cost,’ Wang said.

This goes beyond simply adding a robot to a restaurant: it is embodied intelligence applied to a real food-service setting. The report describes a three-part ‘brain–cerebellum–body’ architecture: order interpretation and recipe scheduling as the brain, motion control and coordination across equipment as the cerebellum, and the 9-square-meter smart kitchen as the body. It states that more than 90 percent of the core smart equipment was developed in-house.

In operation, customers choose dishes and order through a WeChat Mini Program. The system schedules production automatically, with robots coordinating ingredient handling, cooking, serving and cleaning. Customers scan a code to collect their meal, and only a store manager is needed on site during peak periods.

‘Stir-fried beef, mixed vegetables with Chinese sausage, pork with peppers and Kung Pao chicken are all familiar home-style dishes. A set with one meat dish, one vegetable dish and rice costs about RMB 15–18, with generous portions,’ Wang said.

Curious about the taste, the reporter tried a freshly cooked beef stir-fry. The beef was tender, well seasoned and full of wok aroma. A mixed Chinese-sausage dish alongside it was savory with a sweet finish, glossy in appearance and carefully cooked—comparable to the work of an experienced chef.

The dining experience also attracted former NBA All-Star Stephon Marbury. After visiting, he said: ‘China has been leading in technology over the years, and I have been fortunate to see the rise of its technology industries repeatedly since 2009. I’m very happy to be in Jiaxing to see this product, and I hope to help China’s advanced robotics industry develop further overseas.’ (Translated from the Chinese quotation in the original report.)

AIKO’s ambition goes beyond opening a robotic restaurant: it aims to share Chinese culture globally by combining Chinese technology with Chinese cuisine. The report states that the project planned to deploy several dozen units itself for market validation, open channel franchising toward the end of 2027 and ultimately build a global network of 10,000 locations.

‘We firmly believe the next 100 years will be an era for China. Not only are Chinese products reaching every corner of the world, but Chinese culture will also be shared globally. Food is an important part of culture, and we hope to combine Chinese technology with Chinese cuisine to share that culture around the world,’ Wang said. (Translated from the Chinese quotation in the original report.)

AIKO’s launch reflects Xiuzhou District’s efforts to support urban development through innovation-led productivity. In the first half of the year, the district’s GDP grew 6.8 percent and value added in high-tech manufacturing rose 29 percent year over year. Its share of research and development spending among industrial enterprises above the designated size ranked first in Jiaxing. From a 9-square-meter smart kitchen to the ambition of a global network, Xiuzhou’s technology companies are using robotics and AI to bring advanced technology out of the lab and into daily life.

Editor: Chen Qinyan

Managing editor: Qian Jixia

Reviewed by: Chen Caihua

Source: Dujia News. This translation preserves the information and claims in the original Chinese report at publication. See the relevant website sections for current product and partnership information.