It was an action-packed day yesterday at the Smart Kitchen Summit. Not only did we hear from big companies like Google and Whirlpool about the future of food and cooking, but there was lots of innovation on display as fifteen startups pitched their ideas from the stage and then showed them off as part of our Startup Showcase.
One fun gadget was the Crepe Robot, a device that does exactly what you think it does: make crepes.
The robot, which can make a crepe in about 45 seconds, automatically dispenses the batter onto a spinning disc that looks somewhat reminiscent of a record player. From there a small bar smooths the crepe batter over the spinning disc. Once the crepe is ready, the machine scoops it off the disc and onto a serving platform.
You can see the Crepe Robot in action below:
The Crepe Robot is the creation of Japanese inventor Hirofumi Mori. While it’s still in prototype stage, I can eventually see this device at fairs and hotel breakfast bars (move over, waffle iron). And while some crepe fanatics might install one at home, for me it would have to have a much smaller footprint for my increasingly crowded countertop.
And for those worried about robots taking food service jobs away, I wouldn’t worry about this little robot (at least not yet). The Crepe Robot still needed a little help from its human inventor, who filled my crepe with strawberries and whipped cream and wrapped it in a paper towel.
Morirobo and fourteen other finalists were judged by an expert panel which included Washington Post’s Mara Judkis, America’s Test Kitchen’s Lisa McManus, investor Brian Frank, StoreBound CEO Evan Dash and Campbell Soup Company’s VP of Digital Shakeel Farooque. The winner, who will be announced today at the Summit, will receive a $10 thousand cash prize from Campbell Soup company.