We know the combi oven is versatile and multi-functional, but what more should hospital caterers look for if able to invest in a new combi oven?
Training. It’s well known that many combi oven users don’t use the technology to its full potential – and its potential is huge. At a time when staff shortages are critical, a modern combi can help a hospital kitchen produce more food with fewer people. It can increase the variety of the menu, and allow more foods to be cooked simultaneously, maximising production. By training staff, hospitals can profit from all these benefits and more. So a key buying criteria needs to be: how good is the training and customer support provided by the supplier?
Rational’s training programme is extensive and is available both online and face to face, giving caterers a choice. There is training on site in the hospital kitchen, provided by Rational chefs, Rational’s training app or the ConnectedCooking platform. They can book onto an Expert Chef Live online webinar; or talk to a regional sales manager by using Rational’s ChefLine phone service. Right now, the company is showing how its cooking systems can help with key challenges like staff shortages by focusing on these areas in the training programmes.
Staff turnover can mean that the knowledge gained during training is lost, and customers revert to manual operation instead of taking advantage of Rational’s intelligent cooking systems. To avoid this Rational offers continuous training, so customers can carry on operating the cooking systems to their maximum potential. Indeed, all Rational customers are welcome to participate in our continuous training programmes, however new or old their Rational cooking system.
Other examples of areas to look out for:
A. Energy-efficiency
The Rational iCombi Pro combines up to 50% higher productivity, 10% shorter cooking time and 10% lower energy consumption compared to its predecessor model, while still guaranteeing outstanding cooking consistency throughout the oven cabinet, even at full loads.
B. Ease of use
In order to make it easier for new or inexperienced employees, the iCombi Pro has the MyDisplay function. Here, only the chef’s chosen dishes are shown on the control touchscreen. To avoid language challenges, the cooking programs are labelled with photos of the individual dishes. All the user needs do is touch the image on the touchscreen and the cooking system will start the process and do the rest.
C. Connectivity
Rational’s ConnectedCooking can be used to manage and transfer cooking programs for the iCombi Pro centrally, and to access and save HACCP data. This makes it easy to diversify menus, including accommodating special diets like gluten free and vegan foods. It allows managers and service providers to monitor the system, so that should anything be wrong, they know right away. Rational’s ConnectedCooking platform is helping to develop the most efficient kitchen management. By ensuring appliances are working to optimum efficiency and minimising downtime, ConnectedCooking is leading to a more energy efficient and sustainable foodservice kitchen.
D. Performance/operational efficiency
One of the stars of Rational’s new iCombi Pro combi steamer is an intelligent assistant called iProductionManager which not only increases productivity but also adds enormous flexibility to production schedules. At the same time it reduces running costs.
The option of cooking different products at the same time in a combi steamer isn’t new, but iProductionManager takes the whole concept to a higher level. As well as telling you what products can be cooked together, it allows chefs to select whether they want all the food to be ready at the same time, or if they want it all to be cooked as quickly as possible, or if they want it cooked as energy efficiently as possible. Depending on the choice, iProductionManager then automatically prepares the optimum schedule.
E. Cooking results
Another of the iCombi Pro’s intelligent assistants is the iCookingSuite technology. It gives the combi oven the ability to take over the cooking process, letting chefs get on with other tasks. It can recognise the food’s weight, size and condition and it will automatically adjust cooking parameters to ensure chef gets the best possible results. Chefs can rely on the iCookingSuite to assess, monitor and complete cooking processes – tasks that would have taken up the time of one or more members of the kitchen brigade in the past. In other words, it’s like having an extra assistant in the kitchen – so as well as delivering superior results it can be a crucial aid in any kitchen facing the challenge of staff shortages
In fact, iCookingSuite actually learns from its users, so that it copies preferred cooking habits and results. Of course, if chefs want to add a new touch to the food, they can intervene at any point during the cooking process.
iCombi interest? See and experience yourself
