Last month, our Elmira College Dining team hired a very special employee who deserves some recognition. Her name is Sally, she loves making salads, she’s a few hundred pounds, and no – she’s not a human.

Sally the Salad Robot is the world’s first fresh-food robot who can create perfectly crafted salads with the touch of a button. Her first day on the job was September 10th in Harris Café, and she has been wowing our Elmira students and guests ever since.

Sally may be small (just shy of 3×3′ to be exact), but she’s mighty! Her 22-ingredient canisters are filled and replenished with fresh lettuce and toppings by our team members daily, and refrigerated to ensure freshness. Students can choose pre-programmed salads, like classic Chicken Caesar, or choose to completely customize their own unique salad – an intimidating but delightful task considering that 22 different ingredients equals, like, a thousand possible combinations (seriously though).

We knew Sally would fit right in, and we’re so excited to see what the future holds for her. Perfectly aligned with the Parkhurst core value to “Embrace Innovation”, and a powerful tool for our wellness initiatives, Sally the Salad Robot is a welcome addition to the Parkhurst family.