An apparatus for coating a food item with a coating material. A food item receiving platform stages the food item for transport into the apparatus. A food item off-loading platform stages the food item for transport out of the apparatus. A coating hopper holds the coating material. A skewer supply holds food item skewers. A multi-axis robotic arm grasps one of the skewers from the skewer supply, skewers the food item on the receiving platform, transports the food item to the coating hopper, dips the food item in the coating material in the coating hopper, transports the food item to the off-loading platform, and releases the coated food item and the skewer onto the off-loading platform. A processor controls the desired operation of the multi-axis robotic arm. A user interface is used to selectively program the processor for the desired operation of the apparatus.