As while there may be different people, cultures, traditions, religions, languages and, not least, food, everyone agrees when it tastes great: Yum! This is what we at RATIONAL work for every day. This is why we have specialised in hot food preparation. For restaurants, hotels, company canteens, hospitals, schools, supermarkets and all the other places where people cook. Also where they get the best possible support thanks to our partners, specialist dealers and service partners around the world.
World market leader for commercial kitchen appliances.
Combi oven and multifunctional technologically advanced bratt pans for intelligent professional kitchens.
For over 50 years, we have been offering our customers the best tools for cooking. Our goal is always to achieve the highest possible level of customer satisfaction. For this reason, we see ourselves as solution providers rather than machine manufacturers.
We have more than 50 years‘ experience as a technology leader in the restaurant and commercial kitchen equipment sector.
When it tastes great, we all speak the same language.
Our corporate culture.
We offer people working in commercial kitchens the greatest possible benefits in thermal food preparation.
The way we see ourselves.
We see ourselves as specialists in thermal food preparation who develop the best solutions for a clearly defined target group, namely professional kitchens. We are focused on becoming and remaining product leaders. We also want to be pioneers in sustainability.
Our customer benefit.
We are in close contact with our target group and understand their needs, enabling us to offer the highest possible customer benefit with our appliances. We prioritise building long-term partnerships with our customers, extending beyond the initial purchase of the cooking system.
Our employees.
The U.i.U. principle is the fundamental pillar for the personal success of our employees. This means that everyone should see themselves as an entrepreneur within the enterprise (U.i.U.). The principles that guide them are self-initiative, responsibility, trust, and freedom of design. It is the job of the managers, who act as partners to the employees, to ensure that this works.
"Our employees are the most important key to the success of our customers. Our U.i.U. principle of ‘entrepreneurs within the enterprise‘ enables and expects responsible and sustainable thinking and acting from everyone. Our cooperation is partnership-oriented, reliable and on an equal footing."
Dr Peter Stadelmann, CEO, RATIONAL AG.
Awards and distinctions.
Figures, Facts and Data.
RATIONAL is the global market and technology leader with above-average customer satisfaction: Over 1.5 million units are used to prepare more than 180 million dishes daily.
- Around 50% global market share
- More than 1.5 million combi ovens produced to date
- Over 50 years of cooking research
- Around 80,000 iVarios built (since 2005)
- Over 600 patents, patent applications and utility models
- 180 million meals daily
- Over 2,700 employees worldwide (as of 31 December 2024)
- Of which over 600 chefs worldwide
- 32 subsidiaries
Production sites.
GermanyLandsberg am Lech
Combi ovens for customers around the world are manufactured in Landsberg am Lech. Around 1,500 people work at the original site in areas such as research and development, production, technical services, dispatch, administration, sales and marketing. Since the first RATIONAL combi oven was launched in 1976, approx. 1.4 million units have been built here. It is no surprise, then, that growth and expansion are already planned.
FranceWittenheim
Since 1991, the French plant, which was still known as FRIMA at the time, has been part of RATIONAL and has grown steadily ever since. The new building in Alsace shows that there are still big plans for the iVario: More than 260 people work here on the development, production and marketing of the multifunctional cooking system.
ChinaSuzhou
RATIONAL appliances have also been used in Chinese kitchens for over 20 years. In order to be closer to the market and to understand customer needs even better, the third production site was established in China. The first groundbreaking ceremony for the new production and development centre took place in July 2023, and the official opening took place in March 2024.
Executive Board and Supervisory Board.
Executive Board.
Chief Executive Officer (CEO).Dr Peter Stadelmann
Chief Technology Officer (CTO/COO).Dr Martin Hermann
Chief Sales & Marketing Officer (CSMO).Markus Paschmann
Chief Financial Officer (CFO).Jörg Walter
Supervisory Board.
Chairman of the Supervisory Board, founding member and anchor shareholder.Walter Kurtz
- Deputy Chairman of the Supervisory Board.
Erich Baumgärtner
- Member of the Supervisory Board.
Dr Johannes Würbser
- Member of the Supervisory Board.
Dr Christoph Lintz
- Member of the Supervisory Board.
Clarissa Käfer
- Member of the Supervisory Board.
Werner Schwind
- Member of the Supervisory Board.
Moritz Graser
FAQs.
This German company is the world market and technology leader for thermal food preparation and is distinguished by its innovative power. RATIONAL has received numerous prestigious awards for this. These include:
- Best Managed Company Award 2025 - for the third consecutive year for outstanding corporate governance
- Best of Technology Award 2024 for the ConnectedCooking networking solution (ERP interface)
- Factory of the Year 2022 for the plant for excellence in cost and agility management at the Landsberg am Lech plant
- German Innovation Award 2021 - 'Kitchen' winner for iCombi Pro & iVario Pro
RATIONAL sells its products in over 120 countries, has access to the most dense service network for commercial kitchen technology, and generated sales of over €1.1 billion in 2024. The high level of customer satisfaction, as reflected in the Net Promoter Score, indicates that RATIONAL is widely regarded as the top brand for commercial kitchens.
RATIONAL has received numerous prestigious awards for design, innovation and management. The iCombi Pro from RATIONAL is the world’s best-selling combi oven. It combines the functions of steaming, roasting, baking, grilling and sous-vide cooking in one unit, offering intelligent monitoring and support, a precise cooking cabinet climate and energy savings of up to 35%.
The history of RATIONAL began over five decades ago. Since then, the company has continuously evolved and is now a world leader in commercial kitchen technology. With a market share of around 50% and more than 1.1 million combi ovens produced since 1976, RATIONAL has set standards in the industry. The company excels in the digital sector with ConnectedCooking, the digital kitchen management system. Distribute cooking programs, update unit software and document HACCP data - all digitally and remotely.
Numerous international awards confirm the innovative power of RATIONAL. In 2024, the company won the Best Managed Companies Award for the third consecutive time, as well as the Internorga Future Award in the 'Technology & Equipment' category for iCareSystem AutoDose and the Best of Technology Award in the Process Management category. The company also received the World Technology Leader Award in recognition of its advanced sensor technology and use of AI to optimise cooking processes.
Whether it’s the intelligent iCombi Pro, the multifunctional iVario Pro or the iHexagon, the world’s first cooking system that intelligently and adaptively combines steam, convection and microwave over six racks. RATIONAL appliances are synonymous with innovation.
To ensure continued innovation, RATIONAL's research and development budget has grown to over 59 million euros. Going forward, the company will continue to demonstrate why it is the best choice for large kitchen appliances, such as combi ovens and tilting pans.
The high quality of RATIONAL products is reflected in the high level of customer satisfaction. With a Net Promoter Score (NPS) of 64, the company is well above the industry average (30-37). Thanks to RATIONAL's customer-centric approach, restaurateurs are more satisfied with RATIONAL appliances than with competing brands.
The equipment's reliability and efficiency are highly valued by customers, as reflected in the very high repeat purchase rate. BMW Welt, Hilton and dean&david are among the many companies that rely on RATIONAL appliances — the best choice for commercial kitchens.
RATIONAL places great importance on its customers, which is why it employs chefs in the field. This enables RATIONAL to understand the challenges faced by its customers and offer targeted solutions.
Thanks to its subsidiaries in Europe, Asia, North America and South America, RATIONAL is able to guarantee customer proximity and a deep understanding of the local markets. RATIONAL has a corporate presence in 120 countries together with its subsidiaries.
The company is committed to sustainability, a commitment reflected in its corporate principles regarding the environment, the community, and responsibility.
All iCombi units carry the ENERGY STAR label, representing sustainable and energy-efficient solutions for commercial kitchens. For example, a practical study by the Weihenstephan-Triesdorf University of Applied Sciences reveals the resource-saving benefits. RATIONAL has also been awarded the ENERGY STAR Partner of the Year 2024.
Intensive research and development is the basis of the innovative power of RATIONAL. With over 600 active patents, patent applications and designs, the company is at the forefront of innovation. The iCombi Pro and iVario Pro product ranges have won the German Innovation Award and the German Design Award in 2021. The iHexagon won the German Innovation Award 2025.
Our mission statement is to always offer our customers the greatest possible benefit. In order to understand customer requirements as well as possible, RATIONAL employs around 600 chefs who know and understand everyday life and the demands of kitchens around the world and contribute to their optimisation. Year after year, RATIONAL employees' work is recognised with numerous international awards.
RATIONAL is an excellent employer that places great importance on providing a structured induction and high-quality training. New employees are given intensive support to help them quickly find their feet in the company. According to the principle of 'strengthening strengths', every employee is recognised as talented. Regular development discussions and a wide range of training opportunities actively support the development of entrepreneur within the enterprise (U.i.U.). Managers and the People Team are always on hand to offer advice and support.
RATIONAL regularly holds live events where interested parties can experience the appliances in action and try them out for themselves. In practical cooking demonstrations, experienced chefs will show you how to use RATIONAL products efficiently and versatilely to achieve the best cooking results in everyday life. This provides a clear indication of the performance and added value of the devices.