Chinese restauranteur invents robot noodle chef

Chef Cui is a robot that could be referred to what Americans call a “one-trick pony.” The robot chef has one mission in android life and one mission only; the creation of perfectly hand-shaved noodles.

Hand-shaved noodles, known as dao xiao mian, are ribbons of dough sliced from a ball (or block) and boiled in water. They are one of the most popular varieties of noodles in China.

Chef Cui’s creator is Cui Runquan, aged 35, of Hebei Province. The inventor, who left school at the age of 15, has recently patented his amazing invention.

His idea, which came to him while working in a restaurant, has caught the attention of a Beijing-based company who will begin mass-producing the robot in early March.

“All day long, I used to work beside a pot of boiling water, shaving noodles by hand and pouring them in. It’s hot and steamy work, and I thought how wonderful it would be if I could build a robot to do it for me,” said Cui.