The machine that can make lunch in less than two minutes

FRENCH startup Cook-e demonstrated its robotic kitchen at Viva Technology. This vending-machine-like device is capable of cooking a variety of dishes simply by mixing and cooking the ingredients it has in stock.

Once the selected ingredients are carefully loaded into the machine and various recipes are recorded in the device's dedicated software, Cook-e is able to dose, cut, weigh, mix and cook these ingredients to make tasty dishes, served in less than two minutes.

For the time being, the variety of options remains relatively limited. The machine cooks dishes with combinations of hot or cold ingredients, without requiring complex culinary techniques. It favors small-sized pieces, used to make salads, stir-fry dishes, pasta or even Chinese fried rice all typical examples of take-out lunch dishes. In other words, it doesn't compete directly with classic restaurants and bistros.

Cook-e is currently still at prototype stage. It can be customized and adapted to change the number of ingredients stored in the machine. Depending on the ingredients, the machine would need to be recharged every two to three days. An application gives caterers real-time information on the level of the machine's various containers and tanks.

For both professionals and consumers, the objective here is clearly to save time. Cafeterias and company kitchens are the startup's main targets for this device. Its makers are counting on a maximum output of about 100 dishes per hour, via three pans, with cooking times of just 1.5 minutes.