(Shinstarr Presents)
A South Korean startup is bringing an unmanned artificial intelligence-powered Korean restaurant to Los Angeles International Airport, marking what industry officials describe as the first case of a fully automated Korean food robotics system entering a major U.S. international airport.
According to industry sources on Sunday local time, food AI robotics startup Shinstarr Presents plans to open its self-developed AI robotic kitchen brand, “OLHSO Express,” at LAX in the fourth quarter of this year.
The store will serve made-to-order Korean dishes including beef rice bowls, dakgalbi rice bowls and spicy pork rice bowls through a fully automated system handling ordering, cooking and dishwashing without human labor.
The move is drawing attention because the company secured the airport location without going through a conventional request-for-proposal bidding process typically required for airport retail operators.
Instead, Shinstarr Presents signed a 10-year agreement with ASUR, the commercial facility operating partner at LAX, allowing the startup to secure a prime location inside the international terminal.
Airport retail contracts are usually awarded to major franchise brands after months of screening and competitive bidding, making it unusual for a startup-built Korean restaurant brand to secure a long-term agreement without a formal bidding process.
Industry observers said the company’s ability to operate its robotic kitchen around the clock aligned closely with airport operators’ growing demand for labor-efficient food service systems.
Founded in 2019 by Jay Shin and Shin Gi-cheol, Shinstarr Presents has focused on replicating restaurant-quality Korean cuisine using robotics technology after recruiting chef Han Sung-il, who previously gained recognition in South Korea for premium Korean beef restaurants.
The company said it spent five years developing its technology with engineers recruited from Samsung Electronics and LG Electronics.
“Our robot kitchen is designed to deliver consistent taste and quality through electrically powered cooking systems and algorithm-based recipes,” Chief Executive Jay Shin said. “The ability to provide freshly prepared meals 24 hours a day became a major competitive advantage.”
“Airports are a key part of America’s food-service infrastructure,” he added. “As minimum wages continue to rise, the competitiveness of AI robotic kitchens will become even stronger.”
Shinstarr Presents has operated robotic kitchen food trucks in Silicon Valley since 2024, selling more than 10,000 menu items. Last May, the company opened OLHSO Korean BBQ House in San Mateo, California.
The restaurant turned profitable within three months of opening and is currently attracting more than 5,000 monthly visitors. The company also plans to open a second location in Santa Clara later this year.
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