James Warren
PAELLA traditionalists can be heard slamming down their spatulas across the country after culinary boffins have revealed a robotic arm that is claimed to make the ‘perfect’ paella.
Unveiled at a hospitality fair in Malaga last month, the high-tech creation has been specifically designed to create Spain’s national dish from start to finish with out the need for human interaction.
The gadget is the brainchild of paella experts Mimcook and robotics start-up BR5, and has been aimed at the hospitality sector as an automated alternative to the time consuming task of paella making.
Its creators claim that far from taking away from the traditional art, it has been made purely as a ‘labor-saving’ device that will allow chefs to concentrate on creativity.
“The robot will be there if someone’s having an off day or if your rice chef goes off to work in another restaurant.” said Enrique Lillo of BR5.
The robotic Paellero can be programmed with various paella recipes, and once the chef adds the rice, stock and other precooked ingredients, the arm will take over and cook the dish to perfection.
It is equipped with temperature sensors to avoid burning, and will automate the correct amount of ingredients are added to the dish.
Its makers insist that far from replacing kitchen staff, it has been made as purely an assistant.
“At the end of the day, it’s an assistant. I like to say it’s a bit like the orange-juicing machines where you put oranges in the top and get juice out of the bottom,” said Lillo.
The robot can be used to create a host of rice dishes, a fact that its makers are keen to point out as to not offend Valencian paella purists.
Mimcook also explained that the potential for the machine extends beyond rice dishes, and that it can also be hooked to fryers and planchas to cook potatoes and meat dishes.
“It can also be attached to ovens to cook pizzas or different types of bread and pastry.” Lillo concluded.
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