While that philosophy has remained consistent, the demands placed on commercial kitchens have continued to change.
Paul Sweet of Commercial Food Equipment has witnessed that evolution first-hand, having worked with RATIONAL since selling one of the company's first units in 1989.
‘The biggest change was probably taking an oven that could just dry heat, steam and a combination,’ he says. ‘Clients want an oven that can do the whole lot. They want to press a button, walk away and come back with expert results every time. RATIONAL does that extremely well.’
Over the years, those changing expectations have driven continuous innovation. From successive generations of combi technology to the introduction of the iVario Pro, RATIONAL has continued to focus on solving the real challenges faced by commercial kitchens.
For Mark, who has spent 28 years with Comcater and RATIONAL Australia, that evolution has been remarkable. Now, the introduction of iHexagon marks the next chapter.
‘iHexagon takes combi steamers to the next level,’ he says. ‘It's really for people with high volume that are looking for speed. What's really important for us is that we maintain the quality.’
Combining steam, convection heat and microwave technology in a single intelligent cooking system, iHexagon delivers greater speed while maintaining the food quality RATIONAL is known for.
But while the technology has changed considerably since the first RATIONAL combi oven arrived in Australia, the philosophy behind it has remained remarkably consistent: understand the needs of commercial kitchens, demonstrate the benefits and help customers achieve the best possible results.
For the man who helped begin that journey in Australia four decades ago, the milestone is particularly significant.
‘It's amazing that we're now celebrating 40 years,’ says Kevin Wood. ‘I'm sure we're going to go from strength to strength.’
Forty years is more than a milestone. It's a celebration of the chefs, customers, employees and dealer partners who have been part of the journey, and of the relationships, innovation and shared commitment that continue to shape what comes next.
Thank you to everyone who has been part of the first 40 years. Here's to what comes next.
Diverse menus. One standard.
Serving Australian commercial kitchens for 40 years.
