SoftBank Robotics is set to introduce its commercial flame-cooking robot, FLAMA, into the Japanese market on April 7, 2026, through its subsidiary, Gourmet X. FLAMA is the result of a collaboration between SoftBank Robotics’ Food DX expertise and the “Multicooker” technology from Hestia Technology Limited, aimed at catering to the Japanese food-service sector.
This innovative robot is designed to target two critical issues in the restaurant industry: inconsistency in cooking quality and labor shortages. FLAMA can automate various cooking processes such as adding ingredients, stirring, mixing, thickening, plating, and post-cooking cleaning, thereby reducing the workload on kitchen staff and ensuring stable cooking operations with minimal human intervention. This allows restaurant employees to focus on enhancing customer experiences.
SoftBank Robotics emphasizes that FLAMA is intended to work alongside kitchen staff rather than replace them entirely. The robot can be seamlessly integrated into existing kitchen setups, offering a collaborative approach to cooking processes. Additionally, FLAMA is compatible with SyncKitchen, SoftBank Robotics’ recipe management software, enabling synchronization and replication of recipes from renowned chefs and popular restaurants across different locations.
FLAMA will make its public debut at FABEX 2026, a prominent trade exhibition for the food industry, to showcase its capabilities in an integrated kitchen automation setting. By combining hardware and software, SoftBank Robotics aims to standardize cooking procedures, support menu expansion, and improve operational efficiency across multiple restaurant locations. This integrated approach may open up new revenue streams for restaurant operators by enhancing consistency and productivity.
While SoftBank Robotics has not disclosed pricing details or international launch plans, the launch of FLAMA signifies a significant milestone in marrying automation hardware with recipe management software to streamline commercial kitchen operations. The introduction of FLAMA underscores its potential to help restaurants enhance cooking quality, optimize staffing resources, and elevate overall efficiency without significant kitchen layout changes.
The unveiling of FLAMA at FABEX 2026 not only demonstrates the robot’s capabilities but also underscores SoftBank Robotics’ broader vision of kitchen automation that prioritizes repeatability and operational standardization. This strategic positioning has the potential to revolutionize kitchen operations and create new opportunities for the food-service industry.
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