Beep-boop…slurp? Ramen robot debuts in California hospital

Tara Fitzpatrick

As part of Compass Group, Morrison Healthcare has access to the latest research in robots that can really cook. One of the newest: Yo-Kai, the ramen robot that beep-booped into Community Memorial Hospital (CMH) earlier this spring. Compass and Morrison leading chefs think this robot could be a great solution to save labor and add value.

One of the biggest value-adds? Being able to provide middle-of-the-night comfort food to staff who’s working in the wee hours, according to CMH’s Haady Lashkari: “I’m excited we can offer fresh, warm meal options for our third shift…before, we didn’t have food options available throughout the night and now staff have the option of made-to-order meals.”

The robot contains all the components for ramen, which are restocked by a human, but from there, the robot takes over and assembles a few different combos by itself, to order.

Hospital staff thinks Yo-Kai is pretty cool as a “co-worker,” not requiring a lot of babysitting (robot-sitting?) or maintenance.  

“It’s great to experience all of the excitement around having the Yo-Kai Express at CMH,” says Unit Director Kathryn Gill. “The ramen robot is easy to use and offers a lot of options for our guests and staff. It’s also easy to clean and restock, which is great for the food and nutrition department staff.”

The name Yo-Kai is inspired by a Japanese-Chinese urban legend about a mythical creature that can pop up anywhere at any time. The company works with a Michelin-starred chef to create new recipes. Find out more about Yo-Kai Express here.