The future is near: We are only two years away from a robot chef

Today in Germany, “the world’s biggest industrial fair” Hannover Messe kicked off and showed us the thing we’ve most wanted out of the future: a robotic chef.

Moley Robotics, the firm behind what it says is the first robotic kitchen, describes it as “featuring a dexterous robot integrated into a beautifully designed, professional-grade kitchen,” adding that the robot “cooks with the skill and flair of a master chef.”

Here are animations of how the fully realized robotic kitchen would look. First, you’d select a meal from more than 2,000 pre-programmed options.

And then the robot would cook it for you, in this smart kitchen:

The robot might even show off a little:

Or do a little dad-robot dance:

Here’s what the prototype looks like preparing a crab bisque:

According to a press release, the robotic chef’s movements are based on those of an excellent human chef:

‘The Moley Robotics system does not cook like a machine – it captures human skills in motion. Tim Anderson, culinary innovator and winner of the prestigious BBC Master Chef competition (2011) played an integral role in the kitchen’s development. He first developed a dish that would test the systems capabilities – a crab bisque – and was then 3-D recorded in a special studio cooking it.”

… to an almost-creepy extent:

“The robot doesn’t just cook like Tim – in terms of skill, technique and execution it is Tim producing the dish. The kitchen even ‘signs off’ its work with an ‘OK’ gesture – just as the chef does.”

According to Moley Robotics, the first version of the robotic kitchen will be available to the public in 2017, even though we’re ready now.