Rational UK Hosts Consultant Visit to iVario Production Facility in Wittenheim, France
Rational UK recently hosted a two-day visit to its cutting-edge iVario cooking system manufacturing facility in Wittenheim, France, offering foodservice consultants an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at the production of one of the industry’s most innovative cooking systems.
The visit, led by Graham Kille, Director of Product Management at Rational UK, brought together members of the Foodservice Consultants Society International (FCSI) and independent consultants. The purpose of the trip was to deepen understanding of Rational’s iVario technology and to support consultants in their kitchen design and specification work.
The group toured Rational’s newly constructed factory. The facility was built in response to the growing global and UK demand for the iVario system, reflecting Rational’s commitment to innovation, quality, and sustainability. Attendees were impressed by the modern design, scale and efficiency of the site, which sets a new benchmark for manufacturing excellence in the sector.
A highlight of the visit was a hands-on cooking session, where the guests prepared their own lunch using Rational appliances. This interactive experience allowed consultants to see firsthand the versatility, precision, and performance of the iVario cooking system.
In addition to the factory tour, there was an introduction and presentation on the iHexagon cooking system and the guests learnt about Rational’s sustainability journey, highlighting the company’s ongoing efforts to reduce environmental impact through energy-efficient technologies, responsible sourcing, and long-term innovation strategies.
The visit concluded with an introduction of Rational’s latest tools and resources designed to support kitchen planning. This included a demonstration of the Rational Kitchen Capacity Design Tool, which helps consultants and dealers optimise kitchen layouts for efficiency and performance. Attendees also explored new 3D kitchen design concepts tailored to various sectors.
Glenn Campbell FCSI FIC MIH, Founder & MD, Cohesion Consulting and Vice Chair FSCI commented on the visit, “The iVario team and Graham Kille arranged an excellent trip for designers and FCSI consultants to the Wittenheim factory and offices, to showcase how the iVario units are produced and also to have an exclusive look at the new iHexagon cooking system.”
Glenn continues,”We saw the high-quality manufacturing process where technicians are assembling the iVario units and the rigorous testing that is conducted on every unit. Also, we were shown how to use the iVario and cook lunch for ourselves with Sebastien Talle, Director of product application, and an outstanding chef – it was a blast!
Another highlight for us was being presented the iHexagon, we were impressed by the sheer speed and capacity of the unit, and we expect to see them take off in the UK.”
