Robot chef becomes star of cooking competition  

(ECNS) -- At a national cooking competition held Sunday in Shijiazhuang, Hebei province, a robot chef became an eye-catching highlight.

Hosted by the China Cuisine Association, the competition attracted over 200 chefs from across the country.

With a shape similar to a washing machine, the robot boasts a sophisticated program that allows it to cook over 1,000 Chinese dishes of various styles.

In a demonstration at the event, the robot started cooking after its operator put oil and ingredients into its built-in pot. It took less than 10 minutes for the robot to whip up the traditional Chinese Kung Pao Chicken.

"It is the program of the robot that makes it an excellent cook," said an official from the association. "The robot's automatic control over the whole cooking process can help save time and labor."

Since one cook can control two robots at the same time, he can prepare food for dozens of people quickly, the official added.