Sonoma State University welcomed a new and unique member to their Seawolf family, that no other public university has had the privilege to acquire. Chef B, a smoothie-making robot, was unveiled on Jan. 22 at Sonoma State’s Charlie Brown’s Cafe. Chef B can make up to 45 six-ounce customizable smoothies in an hour, and these smoothies can be tailored to each individual’s tastes, allergies, and dietary preferences. There are currently ten different flavors that can be completely customized either on their app, “Blendid,” or at the kiosk located near the machine itself.
The app, “Blendid,” is easy to use and efficient. A customer’s smoothie could potentially already be paid for and made between the time it takes to leave their house or dorm and walk to Charlie Brown’s Cafe to pick it up. Chef B offers a quick, inexpensive, and healthy pick-me-up for students on the go with little time to spare.
“We want to see Blendid giving consumers food that’s healthy, delicious, and that they absolutely love,” said Vipin Jain, CEO and Co-founder of Blendid.
The recipes for these smoothies were created by Chef Kristen Rasmussen. Chef Rasmussen is a culinary nutrition expert, as well as a registered dietitian nutritionist. She creates recipes for smoothies that can be made by Chef B, and they are currently looking into making an organic menu.
“We don’t just try, we make sure all of our ingredients are fresh food,” said Chef Rasmussen.
Most of the ingredients used in the smoothies can be found in a standard household kitchen, though some of the ingredients may be a little more unfamiliar to the everyday consumer. One of these ingredients is called kefir, which is simply a fermented milk drink made through yeasts and bacteria. Chef Rasmussen clarified one of the reasons they use kefir is because there is more variety when it comes to its probiotic benefits versus yogurt.
“We want to expose our customers to new, exciting, healthy, [and] delicious ingredients,” said Rasmussen
Jain and Chef Rasmussen both expressed a need for student feedback. When Blendid first came to Sonoma State, they were planning on not offering a smoothie option that contained peanuts due to concerns about food allergies. However, students communicated how much they loved a peanut smoothie that had been sold here previously. The Blendid staff listened to the campus, and created their own peanut based smoothie called the “PB Chocolicious.” So far, this particular drink has received generally positive feedback, however, the robot’s time management and other blends still may need improvement.
“There’s a bit of inconsistency, but on a good day it would be faster and more efficient than people working by themselves. I would say it does a good job for being one robot,” said Luis Guerrero, a third-year at Sonoma State and employee of Blendid.
First-year Kelly Cortes commented on the blends by saying, “Texture wise, it’s less a smoothie and more of a juice. I still don’t mind it. I still like it.”
Regardless of the mishaps, Chef B seems to be receiving positive feedback from students. “I think it’s pretty cool, and I like the whole idea. I’m definitely backing it,” said Cortes.
While there is still room for the blends and the robot’s reliability to grow and improve, in general, Chef B has made a positive splash at Sonoma State. If students have suggestions or ideas in regards to the robot, they can email [email protected].
