SoftBank Robotics plans to introduce its autonomous cooking robots STEAMA and FLAMA to the U.S. market, with both systems scheduled to be displayed at the National Restaurant Association Show 2026 in Chicago. The company said the U.S. presentation is based on work developed in Japan. The robots are intended for use in restaurants, cafeterias, ready-meal operations, retail food courts and other settings where operators face pressure from labor shortages, rising labor costs and demand for faster service.
STEAMA is a steam-based cooking robot designed to prepare frozen noodle dishes in about 90 seconds using high-pressure, high-temperature steam. The system is operated through a one-touch process and is intended to heat noodles and ingredients evenly while producing consistent portions.
FLAMA is a cooking robot that automates steps including ingredient and seasoning input, stir-frying, mixing, thickening, plating and cleaning after cooking. The system can be connected with SoftBank Robotics’ recipe management software, SyncKitchen, allowing operators to reproduce registered recipes across locations.
SoftBank Robotics said the robots are designed to help foodservice operators reduce reliance on manual labor, standardize quality and improve service speed. The company is positioning the systems for businesses seeking more scalable operating models across multi-location foodservice environments.
“We’re excited to bring STEAMA and FLAMA the U.S. market and showcase our vision for the future of foodservice. These solutions are designed to enable operators to improve consistency, reduce operational complexity, and unlock greater value for both staff and customers,” said Tatsuhiko Hata, executive vice president, RX&Food Business at SoftBank Robotics Corp.
