Robot Cooks Around the Clock Robot Kitchen: When the Robot Wields the Cooking Spoon

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The robot kitchen from Goodbytz has been preparing around 180 dishes at the Hella Globe Hotel in Lippstadt (Germany) since April. The fully automated cooking system ensures fresh food at all times and compensates for the shortage of skilled workers in the gastronomy sector. A Fanuc robot plays an important role in this.

Night work, high time pressure, and overtime are more the rule than the exception in the gastronomy industry in many places. That’s why robots are now taking over work in the kitchen in more and more fast-food restaurants, canteens, and catering businesses. They could replace the skilled workers missing in German hotels and restaurants.

Since April of this year, a robot has been employed at the Hella Globe Hotel in the Westphalian town of Lippstadt. The metal kitchen assistant can prepare around 180 different dishes and served a five-course meal to 50 invited guests on its first working day, including Mexican tacos, Risotto Pomodoro, Strozzapretti Limone, and caramelized pineapple. "Until now, we could only offer our guests breakfast, but now they can enjoy a warm and diverse menu around the clock," says Ronja Busch, head of hvs Catering GmbH, which oversees the Hella Hotel.

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Robot for Fully Automated Cooking System

The fully automated cooking system consists of an 8 m² metal module, in which a Fanuc robot operates eight stovetops, a refrigerator, and an integrated cleaning function. It was developed by the Hamburg-based startup Goodbytz: "In the kitchen, everything happens simultaneously: heat, timing, movement, various ingredients," says Goodbytz founder Hendrik Susemihl. "Our system moves hot pots precisely, doses ingredients to the second, and ensures that every dish is prepared perfectly. This allows us to provide fresh, warm meals anytime, independent of traditional kitchen workflows."

Together with his two co-founders and with support from Fanuc, Dr. Hendrik Susemihl, an engineer and robotics specialist, developed a system that operates reliably and hygienically, withstands heat and steam, and consistently handles a variety of orders in a short time within a confined space. "The Fanuc robot helps us assemble the system quickly, integrate it easily—and it runs absolutely reliably," says Susemihl.

Control Software Constantly Optimizes the Processes

The robot operates with its own control logic, enabling intelligent planning even during peak times when many orders come in simultaneously. Susemihl: "For every order, our software decides anew how to optimally combine the processes. The robot needs to work flexibly while maintaining precise repeatability. Fanuc provides exactly what we need—especially thanks to their experience and expertise in control technology."

The LR-Mate robot impresses with industrial performance, high acceleration, and low weight. At the same time, it meets the requirements of food processing: suitable seals, food-grade materials, and a high protection class, even under heat, humidity, and intensive cleaning processes. The fact that it is a mass-produced series model was an additional advantage, as a stable supply chain is just as crucial as technical quality for a growth-oriented company like Goodbytz.

Goodbytz now operates autonomous kitchen systems in companies, clinics, universities, grocery retailers, and other locations. The systems are used wherever fresh food needs to be reliably available—for example, in workplace cafeterias and industrial shift operations. While kitchen staff focus on menu planning, quality control, and replenishing ingredients, the robot takes care of the tasks at the stove.

The Hamburg food tech company Goodbytz was awarded the German Innovation Award 2026 in Berlin (Germany) in May 2026. The company received the award as a "Winner" in the category Excellence in Business to Business, Machines & Engineering, for its autonomous kitchen systems.