Japanese company TechMagic is to introduce its stir-fry robots in the US to address staffing shortages and high labour expenses, as reported by Nikkei Asia.
The company anticipates Underwriters Laboratories (UL) safety certification for I-Robo2 in June 2025.
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The machine automates the cooking process, with a tilted, rotating cylindrical pan that automatically adjusts seasonings and heat settings.
It has a self-cleaning feature, requiring human staff only for ingredient preparation and insertion.
Capable of cooking 30 meals every hour, the robot can handle a range of stir-fried items such as fried noodles, chili shrimp, Chinese fried tomato and egg, pad Thai and fried rice.
The high heat induction heating (IH) and rotation control of the spatula and pan movement replicate the culinary skills of experienced chefs.
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By GlobalDataThe machine eliminates the need to shake the frying pan, allowing anyone to cook dishes easily.
TechMagic plans to lease the robots, which are currently produced in Japan, for $1,440 a month, with an additional installation fee.
Its target market includes local US restaurants and Japanese chains. It intends to deploy more than 1,000 units by 2030.
In Japan, the Osaka Ohsho chain of Chinese restaurants has incorporated 39 robots across 16 locations countrywide, and the Ippudo ramen chain began to use them machines for fried rice making in February 2025.
TechMagic CEO Yuji Shiraki stated: “Labour costs are higher in the US than in Japan, so there’s strong interest in cooking robots.”
