The Army is experimenting with an autonomous dining facility in South Korea and the chow line might never look the same.
The 19th Expeditionary Sustainment Command launched the pilot program, called Market 19, within Camp Walker Dining Facility on Nov. 12, according to a Department of Defense press release.
“Soldiers and civilians can select menu items on a touchscreen interface and the system automatically portions, cooks and plates each meal,” the release reads. The robotic cooking system is programmed to make meals using Army recipes.
A display shows nutritional information and food choices, including Korean dishes like bibimbap, kimchi fried rice and budae jjigae.
The new automated system will not completely remove human oversight, however.
“Our culinary specialists will still handle food safety, ingredient prep and quality control,” said Chief Warrant Officer River Mitchell, food advisor for the unit, in the release. The changes are not intended to replace soldiers, but to feed them “anytime, anywhere,” he said, adding that it is a supplement — not a replacement — to existing systems.
Mitchell said the automated system is intended to free up food service personnel to “focus on readiness training and improving meal quality,” adding “automation is one way we can modernize without losing our human touch.”
The pilot program is scheduled to last for six months and feedback will be assessed before the Army considers implementing robotic kitchens elsewhere.
The initiative was approved under the Pacific Multi-Domain Training and Experimentation Capability program, an Army Pacific project that tests and vets new technology to improve deterrence in the region.
Eve Sampson is a reporter and former Army officer. She has covered conflict across the world, writing for The New York Times, The Washington Post and The Associated Press.
