>>> THIS MORNING, FOOD FOR
>>> THIS MORNING, FOOD FOR THOUGHT, IN A LOOK AT WHAT MIGHT
THOUGHT, IN A LOOK AT WHAT MIGHT BE THE SKICHKITCHEN OF THE FUTUR
BE THE SKICHKITCHEN OF THE FUTUR THE BRAINCHILD OF FOUR M.I.T.
THE BRAINCHILD OF FOUR M.I.T. STUDENTS WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM
STUDENTS WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM A MICHELIN-TRAINED CHEF.
A MICHELIN-TRAINED CHEF. SPICE BOSTON IS COOKING UP RICE
SPICE BOSTON IS COOKING UP RICE BOWLS WITH HELP FROM ROBOTS.
BOWLS WITH HELP FROM ROBOTS. >> EVERYBODY THOUGHT WE WERE
>> EVERYBODY THOUGHT WE WERE CRAZY WHEN WE OPEN THIS.
CRAZY WHEN WE OPEN THIS. THEY LOOKED AND SAW HOW CRAZY WE
THEY LOOKED AND SAW HOW CRAZY WE WERE, AND THOUGHT, MAYBE THIS
WERE, AND THOUGHT, MAYBE THIS WILL WORK.
WILL WORK. >> Reporter: THEY ARE TWO OF
>> Reporter: THEY ARE TWO OF FOUR FRIENDS, ALL M.I.T.
FOUR FRIENDS, ALL M.I.T. GRADUATES, WHO OWN SPYCE.
GRADUATES, WHO OWN SPYCE. >> I HAD AN IDEA TO USE ROBOTICS
>> I HAD AN IDEA TO USE ROBOTICS TO COOK.
TO COOK. IT WAS THE FIRST TIME I WAS NOT
IT WAS THE FIRST TIME I WAS NOT ON A MEAL PLAN.
ON A MEAL PLAN. I WAS ABLE TO GET GOOD FOOD BUT
I WAS ABLE TO GET GOOD FOOD BUT IT WAS EXPENSIVE.
IT WAS EXPENSIVE. >> Reporter: THEY PUT THEIR
>> Reporter: THEY PUT THEIR MECHANICAL ENGINEERING DEGREES
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING DEGREES TO USE.
TO USE. WHILE THEY WORKED ON THEIR
WHILE THEY WORKED ON THEIR PROTOTYPE, THEY REALIZED THEY
PROTOTYPE, THEY REALIZED THEY WERE MISSING A MAJOR INGREDIENT.
WERE MISSING A MAJOR INGREDIENT. >> THE ONLY PROBLEM WAS, THE
>> THE ONLY PROBLEM WAS, THE FOUR OF US HAD NEVER STARTED A
FOUR OF US HAD NEVER STARTED A RESTAURANT BEFORE.
RESTAURANT BEFORE. YOU KNOW, MINOR PROBLEM.
YOU KNOW, MINOR PROBLEM. WE SAID, WHY NOT REACH OUT TO
WE SAID, WHY NOT REACH OUT TO DANIEL BALU.
DANIEL BALU. >> Reporter: DANIEL LBALU, A
>> Reporter: DANIEL LBALU, A MITCH LYNN-TRAINED CHEF.
MITCH LYNN-TRAINED CHEF. SO, THEY SENT HIM AN E-MAIL.
SO, THEY SENT HIM AN E-MAIL. >> WHY NOT WRITE HIM.
>> WHY NOT WRITE HIM. AND HE SENT A REPLY.
AND HE SENT A REPLY. >> Reporter: AND HE DID.
>> Reporter: AND HE DID. >> I FELL IN LOVE WITH IT.
>> I FELL IN LOVE WITH IT. >> Reporter: HE INVITED THEM TO
>> Reporter: HE INVITED THEM TO NEW YORK TO DINE AT HIS
NEW YORK TO DINE AT HIS RESTAURANT.
RESTAURANT. >> BEFORE THAT POINT, WE HAD
>> BEFORE THAT POINT, WE HAD NEVER HAD A MICHELIN STAR MEAL
NEVER HAD A MICHELIN STAR MEAL BEFORE.
BEFORE. AT THAT POINT, WE REALIZED THE
AT THAT POINT, WE REALIZED THE POWER OF FOOD.
POWER OF FOOD. >> Reporter: AND THE POWER OF
>> Reporter: AND THE POWER OF THEIR IDEA.
THEIR IDEA. >> THEY WERE ONLY 23 YEARS OLD
>> THEY WERE ONLY 23 YEARS OLD OR 24.
OR 24. AND THEY GAVE ME A TITLE.
AND THEY GAVE ME A TITLE. OKAY, THANK YOU.
OKAY, THANK YOU. >> Reporter: THEY OPENED THEIR
>> Reporter: THEY OPENED THEIR DOORS THIS YEAR, WHERE YOU CAN
DOORS THIS YEAR, WHERE YOU CAN ORDER CUSTOMIZED RICE BOWLS
ORDER CUSTOMIZED RICE BOWLS STARTING AT $7.50.
STARTING AT $7.50. THE ROBOTS COOK THE MEAL AND A
THE ROBOTS COOK THE MEAL AND A TEAM MEMBER COMPLETES IT.
TEAM MEMBER COMPLETES IT. >> TECHNOLOGY LETS US RUN AN
>> TECHNOLOGY LETS US RUN AN EFFICIENT RESTAURANT.
EFFICIENT RESTAURANT. IT LETS US, YOU KNOW, SAVE ON A
IT LETS US, YOU KNOW, SAVE ON A LOT OF OVERHEAD COSTS.ENAMORED W
LOT OF OVERHEAD COSTS.ENAMORED W TECHNOLOGY.
TECHNOLOGY. >> YOU STILL NEED PEOPLE TO DO
>> YOU STILL NEED PEOPLE TO DO THE JOB.
THE JOB. >> THANK YOU, SIR.
>> THANK YOU, SIR. >> JUST INNOVATIVE.
>> JUST INNOVATIVE. THAT’S A GOOD MERGE.
THAT’S A GOOD MERGE. >> Reporter: THE ROBOTS ARE
>> Reporter: THE ROBOTS ARE STANDOUTS.
STANDOUTS. BUT IT’S THE TEAM MEMBERS THAT
BUT IT’S THE TEAM MEMBERS THAT ARE AN IMPORTANT PART OF THE
ARE AN IMPORTANT PART OF THE MIX.
MIX. >> PEOPLE CAN SEE THAT WHAT
>> PEOPLE CAN SEE THAT WHAT WE’RE AUTOMATING ARE THE TOUGH,
WE’RE AUTOMATING ARE THE TOUGH, REPETTIVE, MONOTONOUS JOBS.
REPETTIVE, MONOTONOUS JOBS. THAT LETS PEOPLE FOCUS ON WHAT
THAT LETS PEOPLE FOCUS ON WHAT THEY’RE GOOD AT, CUSTOMER
THEY’RE GOOD AT, CUSTOMER SERVICE AND CREATIVITY.
SERVICE AND CREATIVITY. >> THANK YOU, SIR.
>> THANK YOU, SIR. >> Reporter: A WINNING RECIPE
>> Reporter: A WINNING RECIPE ALL AROUND.
ALL AROUND. >> THAT’S BRILLIANT.
>> THAT’S BRILLIANT. >> I’M HUNGRY.
>> I’M HUNGRY. >> I WAS ABOUT TO SAY, I’M
