RATIONAL : package to help foodservice operators adjust to the new normal.

News- 2021-04-09

RATIONAL's package to help foodservice operators adjust to the new normal. From advice on alternative ingredients to online training, RATIONAL offers comprehensive support.

As the hospitality industry comes out of lockdown it will have to cope with the new normal. In kitchens that could mean the need to develop new menus that are compatible with considerations such as fewer staff, social distancing, ingredients shortages and different opening hours. Similarly, operators are going to be even more conscious of budgeting and will be looking at ways to save time, energy and running costs.

Rational, the leading manufacturer in thermal cooking solutions, has put in place a support package to give operators some practical help as they get their businesses running successfully again. "Customers are at the heart of our business, and we are looking forward to further supporting them as the new normal returns," says Adam Knights, marketing director at Rational UK. "With the prospect of staycations, and the easing of restrictions, the industry is hoping for, and preparing for, a really busy summer. We're here to help in any way we can."

Rational's focus is on training and menu development and includes:

Chef support- Rational has an extended team of over thirty chefs nationwide who can offer a variety of different levels of support, from answering simple questions (a recent example was, 'what's the best way to dry fruit in a combi steamer?') to helping develop and roll out new menus across an estate. They are increasingly asked about alternative approaches - ingredients shortages, the demand for sustainable sourcing and rising costs are leading to operators looking for alternative foods. This is an area where Rational chefs have a wealth of expertise. For example, slow cooking can allow chefs to use cheaper cuts of meat and achieve top quality results. Similarly, the team at Rational has advised on alternative and sustainably sourced types of fish, and suggested ways to prepare them in the iCombi Pro and the iVario cooking system.

New recipe programs- Rational experts are working with customers to develop and create bespoke programs for specific recipes for the iCombi Pro and the iVario cooking systems. For example, one of the food trends the company expects to keep growing post lockdown is the interest in Korean cuisine. Already Rational experts have helped various customers to program their cooking systems with a variety of Korean specialities.

The Rational UK Training App- the company's UK-specific app has recipes and 'how to' videos, so that chefs and their kitchen brigade can instantly access advice and training, covering everything from recipes to day to day maintenance, via a smartphone, right in the kitchen.

Webinars- the company has launched virtual expert seminars where high profile speakers discuss a variety of current topics, such as ghost kitchen and food to go, and look at the latest challenges, solutions and opportunities that develop as lockdown is eased.

Live online- this is a series of seminars where potential customers can get virtual experience of Rational cooking systems, and see how the technology can enhance their kitchen operations. Many of them are sector-specific, so that operators can be sure the content is 100% relevant. They include Live online sessions focused on pubs, care homes, hotels, hospitals and, coming soon, food to go and convenience foods.

On-site training- Wherever possible, Rational's programme of on-site training continues and the company has put in place well-resourced and effective Covid-19 protocols to ensure that its staff, and the kitchen brigade they are visiting, are safe and protected. The company is also offering customers the use of its training kitchens and facilities at its Luton HQ, again under strict Covid-19 protocols.

ConnectedCooking- Rational is continuing to develop its kitchen management system, which allows operators to monitor and update cooking systems remotely. It reduces the need for extra visitors to come in, for example because data like HACCP can be downloaded, and new programs can be uploaded, from anywhere in the world. It also reduces downtime, since accredited RATIONAL service partners can see if there's an issue and fix it before it becomes