The foodservice landscape is changing as programs expand to breakfast, snacks, dinners and special events. This is leading to new production models and delivery methods. What's remaining the same is the need to serve healthy food that the students will like, within tight time windows, to drive increased participation on a limited budgets. It's not surprising that many schools are welcoming intelligent technology into the kitchen to increase capacity and flexibility, while reducing workloads and delivering consistent results that kids and staff enjoy.
That’s a lot to promise. And it sounds paradoxical at first, but it makes sense when you’re using two intelligent cooking systems. Two cooking systems capable of covering more than 90% of all conventional cooking applications. Systems that are intelligent. That have the same simple operating system. That are easy to learn. That were designed with large quantities in mind. That can produce a huge variety of food. That deliver the same great results over and over again. That meet the strictest hygienic requirements.
Basically, the iCombi Pro only has one job: delivering excellent, identical results reliably, That’s why it’s equipped with so much intelligence - and why it offers such impressive productivity, quality, and simplicity. It detects whether you’re making one chicken breast or 200, and adjusts its own parameters automatically. It helps you optimize your production schedule for speed or energy consumption - so you can have extra batches ready right on time.
Intelligent technology boils, pan-fries, and deep-fries in a single unit. Quick, yet precise. Each dish is individual, yet economical. More quality with less staff. The new iVario Pro brings precision, productivity, speed and flexibility - while being cost-effective.
Fresh, convenience, frozen. Meat, fish, poultry, side dishes. The iCombi Pro and the iVario Pro can handle them all. Done to perfection in the blink of an eye. The cooking systems detect the size and condition of the food, and adjust the cooking process accordingly. So your broccoli stays green, your noodles come out al dente, and your turkey burgers have perfect grill marks. Every batch comes out equally delicious. With iProductionManager, you can even prepare different dishes at the same time. And thanks to iZoneControl, you can divide the iVario Pro into up to four zones. Different products, equally great results.
iProductionManager
When you’re facing logistical challenges, let the iProductionManager take over: just place dishes on the display and it will show you which of them can be cooked together. The system monitors each tray separately, adjusting cooking times intelligently to the quantities and the results you’re seeking.
iZoneControl
For when everything needs to be fast, efficient, and reliable. Just divide your iVario’s pan into four zones of the size, shape, and position of your choice. Use one pan to cook different dishes at once, using a different temperature for each. Or prepare multiple batches of the same dish, so they’ll be ready at different times. No extra kitchen equipment. No monitoring.
Colorful, healthy, delicious - this is how school food ought to be. Every day. For every age group. With 95% less fat, up to 40% fewer calories, less food waste, less overproduction, lower operating expenses. And more vitamins, more minerals, more color, more flavor. That’s why the iCombi Pro offers gentle cooking with 100% fresh steam. That’s why the iCombi Pro and the iVario Pro have enough reserve power to keep juice inside meat and preserve valuable nutrients. And that’s why the iVario Pro is so fast that vitamins simply don’t have time to escape.
* compared to conventional cooking technology.
MyDisplay
MyDisplay eliminates user error and keeps results uniform. Choose the dishes you want shown on the display as images or icons. Simply tap them, and the iCombi Pro will get started. You can add or delete recipes just as easily.
Shopping carts
The iCombi Pro helps you turn out the same great results over and over. No stress, no additional staff. It uses preset “shopping carts”, which contain the dishes in your food concept that can be cooked at the same time. Just tap the correct shopping cart on the display ( “Monday menu plan,” for example), tap the display, drag the dish to a level, load the iCombi Pro, and the unit will start.
You need large quantities of a variety of food. Tasty, nutritious, not over or under cooked. Without producing unnecessary food waste. Container Finishing makes it a breeze. Prepare your food in advance, for example using Cook & Chill, and then vacuum-seal it or store it refrigerated. That way, you can purchase in bulk and prepare food well in advance. At mealtime, use the iCombi Pro to bring the food up to serving temperature. So you can serve fresh, crisp vegetables that are still full of vitamins. Easily, safely, flexibly. Because you can even get several different products ready at the same time. Without sacrificing quality. Quick and straightforward. Repeat for as many batches as necessary.
Tip: Finishing
Noon. The lunch bell rings. Hungry kids storm the cafeteria. Your window of time is short. This is where Finishing - complete separation of production and service - comes in. Container Finishing is perfect for schools, and can help you efficiently serve tender-crisp vegetables. Prepare food in advance and chill it. When you’re ready to serve, load it into the iCombi Pro and bring it up to temperature at the touch of a button. Totally easy, totally safe. Without sacrificing quality.
The controls on the iCombi Pro and the iVario Pro are selfexplanatory, so new staff l can master them in no time. RATIONAL chefs will train you and your employees based on your own school menu or one created for you by RATIONAL, so that you’ll get perfect results effortlessly from the very beginning.
For your success
Individual training, motivated staff, happy kids.
Healthy food can be fun, too. With the integration of new ideas, dishes and trends. Which is why it can be helpful to regularly evaluate your concepts, gather input, and try new approaches. For breakfast, lunch, snacks, or catering. And RATIONAL can help with all of the above. We offer knowledge. We offer experience. We offer new ideas. And we’ll always build on what we’ve already achieved together.
What does the future hold?
Plenty of new ideas and concepts to help you drive participation.
Bending, lifting, carrying... getting burns and bruises... that’s just part of everyday kitchen life. Well, it was. But no longer. Because today’s kitchen is ergonomic, efficient, and easy on staff. RATIONAL observed the foodservice professionals around the world and developed dozens of solutions to help spare their backs, protect them against burns, and make their lives easier and healthier. The iCombi Pro has automatic HACCP documentation and the iCareSystem’s sparkling, hygienic cleanliness; the iVario is fast and easy to clean. The iVario Pro features cool pan walls and rounded corners. And with a 6-point core temperature probe that even detects incorrect insertions, both systems give you the security of knowing that everything’s under control.
Let us help you get an idea of the savings you could enjoy by installing one or more iCombi Pro and iVario Pro units. You’ll save a lot of space, for one thing: You can produce the same amount of food in a kitchen up to 60%* smaller. You’ll save investment costs: Having an iCombi Pro and an iVario Pro makes numerous other cooking appliances unnecessary. And you’ll save the environment: The cooking systems use less energy, which means more sustainable production. You’ll also reduce your overproduction, use less fat, and cut your working time. Which adds up to major pluses for the environment as well as your budget.
* compared to conventional cooking technology
The iCombi Pro and the iVario Pro aren’t just intelligent when it comes to cooking. They’re smart savers as well. They save on labor, energy consumption, space, raw materials, and fat, just to name a few. In short: the difference is obvious.
Short preheating times eliminate the need for stand-by mode. Rolling batches with iProductionManager in the iCombi Pro, zone-specific pan heating with iZoneControl in the iVario Pro - two great energy-saving solutions.
Say goodbye to routine activities like turning, checking, and re-adjusting oven temperatures. Save time with the iCombi Pro’s ultra-fast cleaning feature and the super easy-to-clean iVario Pro. Frees up 1–2 hours every day.
Together, the iCombi Pro and the iVario Pro can replace up to 90% of all conventional kitchen equipment. Goodbye tilting skillets, kettles, and deep fryers - hello freedom of movement. Or additional retail space.
The iCombi Pro adjusts its own cooking processes precisely, which reduces cooking and trimming losses. And nothing burns or boils over in the iVario Pro, so no risk of ruined batches. Which cuts your raw product usage by as much as 25%.
Networking is becoming increasingly common in food service. Meal plans, payment systems, purchasing - much of it is digital, coordinated. Just like ConnectedCooking by RATIONAL. Recipe transmission, appliance inspections, HACCP data, software updates, service remote access - our secure networking solution lets you do everything from your desk. On all of your networked units. No matter how far apart schools are from each other. You can access and save HACCP data from all units as well. Developed a new recipe? Send it to the kitchen with a click. All you need is a PC, tablet or smartphone. Standardization has never been easier.
ConnectedCooking
High-performance networking by RATIONAL. You'll always have everything under control.
Great service is what brings the RATIONAL cooking system and your kitchen together. Initial consultation, trial cooking, installation, personalized introductory training, software updates, the ChefLine hotline for individual questions... RATIONAL is with you from start to finish. Or expand your knowledge through Academy RATIONAL. You also can turn to one of RATIONAL’s dealers, who know our cooking systems inside and out - they’ll be glad to help you find the right solution for your kitchen. And if an emergency ever arises, RATIONAL’s worldwide service network will be there in no time.
ServicePlus
All with one goal in mind: helping you get the most out of your investment and enjoyment for years to come... and making sure you never run out of ideas.
Enough theory - time for practice! Nothing’s more convincing than seeing it for yourself. Experience RATIONAL cooking systems up close, see their intelligent features in action, and learn how they can work for you. Register for a in-person, no obligation, cooking event near you online. Call us or send us an email if you have any questions, or if you’d like to discuss RATIONAL cooking systems and how they can meet the needs of your district or school.
We expect all of our equipment to be robust enough to withstand heavy use in a professional kitchen - whether it’s a mobile oven rack, a grill and pizza tray, an automatic lifting and lowering arm, or a boiling basket. RATIONAL accessories enable you to enjoy the full spectrum of exceptional features offered by the iCombi Pro and the iVario Pro. The right accessories ensure pre-fried convenience products, soups, sauces, chicken, baked goods, and grilled vegetables turn out perfectly every time.
RATIONAL accessories
When it comes to impressive results, well-designed accessories make all the difference.
