Next Robot launches ‘Al Dente’ | An AI-powered pasta and risotto cooking robot
Next Robot's Al Dente (L) and Robby (R)
Culinary robotics company Next Robot unveiled its latest innovation, ‘Al Dente’, at the 2025 National Restaurant Association Show in Chicago. Designed to automate the preparation of pasta and risotto with precision and consistency, Al Dente expands the company’s mission to combine technology with culinary tradition.
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‘Al Dente’ is a turnkey robotic cooking solution
Al Dente is a turnkey robotic cooking solution featuring AI-powered texture monitoring, precision auto-seasoning, intelligent cooking control and upcoming ingredient-uploading automation. It prepares pasta in 4–5 minutes and cooks risotto from scratch without manual attention, making it ideal for fast casual restaurants, cafeterias, ghost kitchens, and more.
Powered by ChefSight, Next Robot’s proprietary AI platform (patent pending), Al Dente analyses visual cues, texture, and moisture to ensure every dish is perfectly cooked — not just by time and temperature, but by real-time food behaviour. According to Next Robot does this allow for Michelin-quality results with consistent flavour and zero guesswork.
The launch of this pasta and risotto robot follows the success of their stir-fry robot
The launch of Al Dente follows the success of Robby, the company’s flagship stir-fry robot, already deployed in over 100 locations including schools, grocery stores, and care facilities. Robby can produce up to 900 servings per hour, demonstrating the potential of automation to address labour shortages, reduce training costs, and improve food consistency on a large scale.
Next Robot | Creators of the Robby and ‘Al Dente’ robots
Next Robot emphasizes that automation should preserve flavour and tradition, not erase it. ‘Al Dente’ supports this vision by enabling chefs to upload and replicate generational recipes, ensuring cultural preservation even in high-volume kitchens.
The company operates a robotics-as-a-service model, offering monthly leasing with full support — including software updates, preventative maintenance, and customer service. By blending cutting-edge technology with hands-on culinary insight, Next Robot aims to transform commercial kitchens and help address global food challenges while elevating the dining experience.
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Website: Next Robot
