The 2nd China Cooking Robot Competition held in Beijing's Pinggu district

A cooking robot in action. [photo provided to China.org.cn]

The 2nd China Cooking Robot Competition took place on August 22 in Pinggu district, Beijing. The event drew nearly 30 cooking robot manufacturers and over 200 upstream and downstream supply‑chain enterprises from across the country.

Compared with the inaugural edition, this year's competition signaled a clear shift: industry rivalry has evolved from a focus on individual equipment performance to a comprehensive contest of full‑chain system integration capabilities encompassing "algorithms, hardware, ingredients, and scenarios."

Three core competitive events were held – fixed‑menu cooking, blind‑test recipe creation, and high‑volume stable meal output – assessing temperature control precision, recipe‑development agility, and equipment stability under intense restaurant‑like conditions. A professional judging panel oversaw the entire process, with notarization and full video recording to ensure fairness and transparency.

Dishes made by robot chefs during the 2nd China Cooking Robot Competition. [photo provided to China.org.cn]

At the venue, classic dishes such as shredded pork with green peppers, mapo tofu, and stir‑fried luffa were sequentially prepared by the competing units, which automatically completed ingredient feeding, stirring, temperature regulation, and serving.

During the event, the 2026 Annual Development Report on China's Cooking Robot Industry was officially released. The competition also included government‑business investment talks, enterprise presentations, and a full‑industry‑chain exhibition featuring 46 booths in five zones: intelligent cooking machines, premium ingredients, standardized prepared vegetables, compound seasonings, and catering services.

From on‑site competition to off‑site industry matchmaking, cooking robots are accelerating their journey from the laboratory to the commercial kitchen – evolving from simply "being able to cook" to "cooking well."

The competition was organized by the China Cooking Robot Competition Organizing Committee, with support from the China National Food Industry Association and the Pinggu District Government.