The mind behind a popular Philly-area Chinese concept is bringing a taste of the future to Bryn Mawr. Brennan Foxman is opening a new location of WokWorks, which offers healthy fast-casual stir-fries to hungry customers, in the region and he’s getting a little help-from a robot named Wendy, reports the Philadelphia Inquirer.
Wendy will be controlling the woks at 5 Franklin Avenue later this year. According to the property’s leasing website, the storefront will provide WokWorks with 1,525 square feet of space for cooking delicious cuisine and serving guests. Bryn Mawr foodies will be able to sample the eatery’s fare when it opens this fall, though a precise date is not yet available for the chain’s local debut.
The new location holds historical and emotional significance for Foxman and his business (and life) partner Samantha. A press release provided to What Now Philadelphia offers this insight, straight from the Foxmans: “We’re so excited to open in Bryn Mawr – it’s a special place for us, and the energy here is
amazing. People care about what they eat, and we think they’ll really enjoy what makes Wokworks special: bold, nostalgic flavors, scratch-made sauces, and lots of ways to make it your own.”
Future regulars can look forward to scratch-made meals prepared fresh. The WokWorks website provides this tantalizing glimpse into what’s in store: “Each bowl is packed with intense flavor, nutrients and a hint of smokiness. It’s all about ‘wok hei’, the distinctively complex smoky flavor and aroma that can only be achieved when natural ingredients and intense heat meet in the wok.”
Of course, Wendy the robot will be a major draw of the new location. The unique, AI-powered bot was developed over the course of three years to attain its impressive culinary prowess. Brennan explains: “Wendy’s a game changer. She brings precision, speed, and consistency to every wok-fired bowl – something nearly impossible to achieve at scale without tech like this. It’s an order of magnitude improvement over human-alone cooking and a key part of our mission: to develop cutting-edge technology and source the highest quality ingredients to preserve and perfect the ancient magic of wok cooking. This disruptive technology positions Wokworks as a pioneer in the ever-expanding push for kitchen automation robotics in the industry at large.”
Founded in 2012, WokWorks has developed into a small but beloved chain. The restaurant currently has five locations spread across Fishtown, South Philadelphia, Margate, Cheltenham, and Temple Hospital.
WokWorks’ Bryn Mawr debut will mark the arrival of an exciting new presence with the comfort of an old friend. The Foxmans sum up beautifully their aspirations for the eatery, saying “We’re proud to be building something from the ground up and something we wish existed when we lived in Bryn Mawr—a warm, welcoming space with cozy wood booths, soft lighting, great playlists, and a hint of that indoor garden feel. We hope it will be the kind of place that’s easy to stop by but hard to leave.”
