New study proves kitchen technology saves resources and improves food quality
A practical study conducted by the Weihenstephan-Triesdorf University of Applied Sciences in collaboration with Rational, the world market leader in hot food preparation, shows that catering businesses can save significant amounts of energy and water, while also improving food quality and working conditions, by using modern technology.
As part of the ‘Improving the Efficiency of commercial kitchens’ study, Weihenstephan-Triesdorf University of Applied Sciences and Rational spent over two years monitoring the renovation of the AXA Konzern AG's catering facilities at its Cologne site (Germany).
The old kitchen was modernised, with most of the existing appliances from various generations and manufacturers being replaced by intelligent technology from Rational. The iCombi Pro combi steamer, which can bake, roast, grill and steam, is one of the main products in the kitchen, as are the multifunctional iVario Pro cooking system, which replaces tilting pans, boilers, deep-fat fryers and pressure cookers, and the ConnectedCooking digital kitchen management system. The project team recorded and compared resource consumption before and after the renovation in two measurement phases, each lasting around 80 days.
“The results are remarkable,” said Professor Michael Greiner, who led the study at the Weihenstephan-Triesdorf University of Applied Sciences. “For example, water consumption was reduced by 47.9%.” This was partly due to the new cooking systems' efficient cleaning process. While a conventional tilting pan requires around 330 litres for the cleaning process, the iVario Pro uses less than a third of this amount, often much less.
The iCombi Pro also uses intelligent cleaning technology that can automatically recognise the degree of soiling and adjust the amount of water required accordingly. On top of this, there are energy savings of 24.1%, despite the fact that the measurements included the energy-intensive blast chillers for the newly introduced Cook & Chill process. The reasons for these substantial savings include the high efficiency, short heating times, precise and flexible heat control, and better insulation of the new cooking systems.
For example, the iVario Pro's fast-reacting pan base can reach 200 °C in just 2.5 minutes, while the iCombi Pro's intelligence enables it to control and adjust the temperature precisely. The study also proves that the high connected load of modern cooking systems does not lead to high energy consumption and thus high electricity costs, as is often assumed. On the contrary, peak loads were reduced by 20.5%. Since monthly energy costs are typically determined by the highest recorded value, reducing these peaks can result in substantial long-term cost savings.
“Another goal of the kitchen renovation was to make work easier for staff, in addition to reducing electricity and water consumption,” says Daniel Harbich, project manager at Rational. The ease of use of the cooking systems is one of the factors that ensures temporary staff and new employees can quickly familiarise themselves with them. For this reason, the cooking system displays were customised via ConnectedCooking, meaning the same relevant programs can be found on every iCombi Pro and iVario Pro. All the user has to do is select the appropriate program. The built-in cooking expertise then monitors the food's condition and automatically adjusts the cooking time and temperature.
To further optimise workflows and avoid stress, the production processes were rethought and the Cook & Chill method was introduced. This method allows production to be tailored to demand and decoupled from time. Vegetables and starchy side dishes such as rice, for example, are now produced in advance, chilled, and only prepared when needed. On the one hand, this eases the burden on the kitchen team, enabling more efficient staffing levels to be planned. On the other hand, the food quality improves as it no longer needs to be kept warm for hours but can be finished off in the iCombi Pro as required. The new kitchen also scores highly in terms of ergonomics. The iVario Pro's height adjustment enables every employee to find an ideal — and therefore healthy — working position.
Additionally, heavy lifting and cumbersome emptying by hand are unnecessary, as the automatic raising and lowering system removes pasta, chips, and vegetables from the liquid after the cooking time has elapsed.
Mr Greiner’s conclusion: "The study demonstrates the possibilities offered by modern kitchen technology under realistic conditions. Firstly, the proven energy and water savings are a decisive economic argument and help reduce the carbon footprint. Secondly, modern technology makes everyday work much easier, making the workplace more attractive to existing and potential employees. This is particularly important given the shortage of skilled workers. Thirdly, the quality of food is improved thanks to intelligent cooking processes. As many commercial kitchens face similar challenges, these insights can help other businesses to make investment decisions, improving the sustainability, economy and employee-friendliness of their kitchens."
You can find all results, detailed background information on the study, and interviews with participants at RATIONAL AG
Further information and comparison options can be found at rational-online.com.
26th August 2025
