Equipment technology has transformed the back of house, making production more efficient, faster and intuitive, without compromising on the outcome or food quality. Here, Stuart Schwadron, director of product management iVario for RATIONAL USA, discusses how the company’s equipment technology has transformed today’s foodservice segment.

Toni Ragucci, corporate chef at RATIONAL USA, began her career at a Philadelphia culinary school, before working at fine dining Italian restaurants. Here, Ragucci provides more insight into the benefits of iCombi Pro’s intelligence processes, details and advantages of iCookingSuite, and how this technology can streamline foodservice operations.

CoastAL Orange Beach, a 1,200-plus-seat beachfront restaurant along Alabama’s Gulf Coast, has the monumental task of ensuring speed and consistency of menu items with a labor market filled with seasonal employees. A kitchen full of RATIONAL equipment more than meets the task. 

Sea Pines Resort, Hilton Head Island, SC, includes 12 food and beverage outlets with a staff of 500 serving approximately 4,000 customers daily. With diverse menus and the need for consistency, Sea Pines turns to RATIONAL for a vast majority of their cooking and prepping needs.

With combi ovens, in particular, frequent cleaning is needed to protect this big investment and avoid scale issues. Learn what the iCareSystem AutoDose is, how it works and the benefits to RATIONAL combi users.

When RATIONAL USA launched its iVario tilt skillet in the U.S. five years ago, the platform was updated specifically for the American market. Discover the benefits of RATIONAL’s iVario, its features and options, and what makes this line unique.

The NAFEM Show 2025 attendees visiting RATIONAL USA’s booth witnessed the company’s latest innovation, iHexagon, which combines its combi-steamer technology with microwave capabilities.

Commercial cooking equipment manufacturer RATIONAL USA adds to its sales team to support the company’s iHexagon line.

Commercial cooking equipment manufacturer RATIONAL USA hired Ryan Jacobson to serve as sales director for the company’s mountain region.

Commercial cooking equipment manufacturer RATIONAL USA made four updates to its culinary team.

Commercial cooking equipment manufacturer RATIONAL USA promoted Joseph Gomez to sales director for its central region.

A South Korean robotics company has established a North American headquarters in New York City. Refrigerated Solutions Group, RPI Industries, Southbend & Crown Steam Group have each made several key changes to their sales organizations. And RATIONAL added two corporate chefs.

Commercial cooking equipment manufacturer RATIONAL adds two corporate chefs.

Commercial cooking equipment manufacturer RATIONAL promoted six of its associates.

Convenience stores have upped the ante when it comes to foodservice with menus becoming a point of differentiation. The challenge then becomes finding equipment that is multifunctional that can fit in these stores’ small footprints but still produce high-quality, consistent food with minimal labor and training.

No longer relying on the roller grill, convenience stores are continuing to transform their foodservice programs to give restaurants a run for their money.

Commercial cooking manufacturer RATIONAL USA promoted Bill Roller and John Bero to sales director roles for its south and west divisions. These promotions take effect October 1, 2023.

RATIONAL USA made four updates to its key accounts team.

RATIONAL USA promoted Stuart Schwadron to director iVario USA, product management.

The University of Richmond serves between 4,000 and 5,000 meals daily, so their challenge was how to execute high-volume production while maintaining the high standards of quality, creativity and flavor that their students demand. Enter the RATIONAL iVario Pro and iCombi Pro.

RATIONAL USA promoted Billy Buck to vice president of culinary for the company’s U.S. operations.

A Q&A with RATIONAL’s Catering Experts

Foodservice equipment manufacturer RATIONAL USA made a series of personnel moves within its sales and marketing organization.

Organic Krush defines itself as a “Lifestyle Eatery.” At 10 locations on the East Coast, it serves a variety of health-conscious foods such as cold-pressed juices, smoothies, wraps and salads. Before RATIONAL, the chain had been using a variety of single-function equipment; now with RATIONAL equipment, the operation is running much more efficiently and saving time, labor and money.

School foodservice today faces a challenge in keeping students on campus and satisfied. The smartest school foodservice operations understand that they compete with a wide range of off-campus choices and with students' ever-changing tastes. Here’s how two schools are successfully meeting that challenge with some help from RATIONAL.

You don’t need a lot of space to produce delicious food. If you’re currently offering minimal foodservice or selling prepackaged foods, you’re missing out on a profit opportunity. RATIONAL can show you how to set up a full-service, hot-and-cold kitchen in a space that’s about the size of a closet. It’s a great way to increase your food quality and variety, which leads to increased sales.

CKE Restaurants Holdings, parent company of Carl’s Jr. and Hardee’s, updated its operating structure to combine restaurant operations and supply chain under John Dunion, a 25-year company veteran. As part of this reorganization, Dunion was promoted to CKE’s chief operating officer from chief supply chain officer.

For many quick-serve restaurants, finding one way to do things — and sticking to it — has been the key to success. That makes them hesitant to consider changing those tried-and-true methods. But for one QSR Mexican chain, working with technology from RATIONAL and thinking “outside the box” has led to better product consistency, flavor and increased yields.

RATIONAL AG promoted Simon Lohse to executive vice president of North America from managing director of RATIONAL United Kingdom. In his new role, Lohse serves as president of RATIONAL USA. His responsibilities include overseeing strategic positioning and business operations for the United States, Canada and Mexico.

Ask any operator what their biggest problem is right now and the answer probably contains the word “labor.” Whether it’s the difficulty of finding employees, the lack of available workers with the right skill set or retention issues, labor is one of the biggest problems — if not the biggest problem — facing foodservice today.