21. 08. 09. - 16:00

• more Around the World news
• RSS Feed Around the World

21. 08. 09. - 16:00

Ramsay robot wars

Chinese chefs have staged angry protests outside a new chain of restaurants that sacked their staff and replaced them with robots.

The robot chefs were created by a Chinese firm for the new "I Robot" chain of restaurants which opened this month in southern China's Guangxi province.

At each restaurant two robot chefs now do the work of 10 human cooks with only one human assistant needed to chop and prepare the ingredients which are then put into the robot chefs who make instant meals from the food.

Waiters make the order via computer touch screens that are passed on instantly to the kitchen and the dishes are prepared for collection often a matter of minutes later.

Huang Xianghao, the manager of the restaurant chain, said: "Our prices are the same as other restaurants, although the robot chefs' dishes probably taste better.

"They are expensive at 26,000 pounds each but even with the low wages of most Chinese cooks the robots will have paid for themselves within a year and after that it's just the cost of electricity and servicing."

"Each chef can cook up more than 300 recipes in a matter of minutes without anything other than somebody to feed raw materials into the robots.

"Chinese cuisine is known for its delicacy and deliciousness. It's amazing to many customers that robots can make such good dishes.

"The robot chefs are more efficient and hygienic. And they don't complain."

* Earlier this week Swiss police arrested more than 1,000 Chinese chefs at restaurants across the country that had been illegally smuggled into the country and were working for less than three pounds an hour.

Austrian Times

Christie + Co to open Vienna office
Christie + Co has presented plans to open its first branch in Austria later this year.

Woman hides in forest for two days after petrol assault
A Styrian woman hid from her jobless husband for two days after he had showered her with car fuel, it has been announced.

Austrian found after getting lost in Croatia cycling trip
An elderly Austrian who went missing during a cycling outing in Croatia was found this morning (Thurs) after an all-night search in Croatia.

Iraq veteran faces new life to save brother in Traiskirchen
A Moroccan-born man who fought in the American army during the US invasion of Iraq is now fighting another battle to save the life of his brother.

Plane crash claims two
Two people were killed in a plane crash in Upper Austria this afternoon (Thurs).

Lukas and Sarah top baby name charts
Lukas was the most popular name for boys born in Austria for a 14th year in a row last year, according to a study.

Austrian's website lauded by Time Magazine
A stock market information platform created by an Austrian is in the top three in a prestigious US magazine’s annual ranking of the best homepages in the world.

Ban warns of difficult Middle East peace talks
United Nations (UN) Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has warned that reopened peace talks between Israel and the Palestinian National Authority will "not be easy".

Strache hits out at 'centralist' EU
Freedom Party (FPÖ) leader Heinz-Christian Strache has attacked the European Union (EU) for being a "centralist" association.

Denying Greece support 'dangerous', Pröll warns
People’s Party (ÖVP) Vice Chancellor Josef Pröll has warned of "dangerous developments" as European Union (EU) member states have backed out of the previously agreed upon support package for Greece.