Steve Ells, the affluent founder of the Chipotle restaurant chain, has revealed his latest venture into the techno-woke landscape. Ells announced the upcoming launch of a new meat-free restaurant chain named Kernel, which will predominantly rely on robotic operations.
The first Kernel location is scheduled to open in Manhattan next year, with plans for additional restaurants nationwide. The establishment will offer meat-free sandwiches, salads, and sides, all prepared, assembled, and served by robots, as reported by the Wall Street Journal.
Contrary to some alternative meat products like lab-grown “beef,” Kernel’s focus will primarily be on legumes and various vegetables. Ells emphasized that the intention is not to replicate beef or pork with their veggie burger.
Customers will place orders via touchscreens, and robots will take charge of tasks such as inserting food into ovens, toasting buns, and managing the kitchen’s workflow. The restaurant will operate with only three human employees at a time, responsible for packaging completed meals and placing them in designated cubbies for customer pickup.
While Ells acknowledges the reduction in human interaction in the process, critics may argue that this business model aligns with a globalist corporate communist agenda. Organizations like the World Economic Forum (WEF) have advocated for a shift away from capitalism and the integration of technology at a scale that could potentially marginalize many workers.
The WEF, in its pursuit of a meat-free world, envisions replacing animal protein with insects. Ells, who departed from Chipotle in 2020 amid a major foodborne illness outbreak, cited inspiration from Bill Gates’s book, “How to Avoid a Climate Disaster,” during his hiatus. He expressed a commitment to creating a restaurant that utilizes fewer resources, which, in his view, translates to reduced human employment.
Kernel kitchens, occupying approximately 1,000 square feet, aim to efficiently prepare and dispatch to-go orders. Ells contends that the robotic systems and technological sensors incorporated in these restaurants enhance food safety measures. The plan involves opening 15 restaurants in New York over the next two years, followed by expansion into other densely populated areas across the country. Ells asserts that the money saved from a smaller staff will be reinvested in employee salaries and benefits.