#19 Josef Chen - Robots, Restaurants Of The Future, & One-Way Mirrors

In this talk

1. 4:48

   Technology should make room for human connection

   Chen argues that as AI and robotics spread, genuine human connection will become more valuable. At Common Room, he says older customers return because the restaurant feels caring, despite ordering by touchscreen and seeing automation. He sees healthy, accessible food as a basic need that can make space for connection.

2. 9:01

   Common Room tests the restaurant system

   Kaikaku aims to build a vertically integrated system spanning hardware, software, cloud services, and AI. Its London restaurant, Common Room, serves bowls and acts as a living laboratory where the team observes customers and operators. Chen says over 90% of customers pay little attention to the bowl-assembly robot and return for the food and experience.

3. 14:22

   Precise food dispensing takes repeated iteration

   Kaikaku focused on dispensing ingredients because portions vary in density and moisture, making accurate measurement difficult. The team tracks bowls with photos and load-cell readings, and tests 3D-printed robot parts in the restaurant. Chen says the hardware iteration cycle is under a day and that the system has reached human-level accuracy.

4. 30:05

   A business in a box for restaurant operators

   Chen wants the system to reduce the operational burden of running a restaurant so creators and other operators can focus on their brand, food, and customers. He says better operating margins could leave more room to invest in hospitality and local communities. Kaikaku’s longer-term goal is to buy and operate restaurants itself.

5. 35:25

   Build for integration and speed

   Chen says restaurant automation is hard because robots must work within an integrated operation, not simply be added to a human-designed environment. Kaikaku builds many components in-house, including a conveyor belt Chen says costs about $100 to make rather than $2,000 to buy. His advice to aspiring roboticists is to learn systems integration and iterate quickly.