How RATIONAL Helps Milestone Deliver Destination Quality Food Every Day

Milestone Rathfriland has evolved far beyond its origins as a small supermarket. Today, with its award-winning Food Hall, Loft 56 bistro and Milestone Kitchen café in Newry, it has become a true destination for fresh, homemade and consistent food. At the centre of this operation is Executive Chef Cathal Grant, whose team produces up to a thousand items daily using the Rational iVario advanced bratt pan and iCombi Pro cooking systems.

Cathal says the team initially hesitated to move away from gas, but the impact of the iVario was immediate. Within two weeks, they realised it was “a different league,” offering speed, safety and efficiency they had never experienced. No waiting on pots, no temperature loss and no burn risks. The iVario handles frying, boiling, sautéing, pressure cooking and more with perfect consistency.

The switch has also delivered major savings. Gas ovens were slow, unreliable and costly to run. As Cathal puts it, “Gas would be a step backward. Rational is the way forward.”

The iCombi Pro runs from early morning to evening, producing bakery items, deli products, ready meals and roasts with identical results every time. Probed cooking removes the guesswork, while overnight roasting allows chefs to return to perfectly cooked meats ready for chilling.

Even at Christmas, when Milestone doubles its turnover, the Rational cooking systems keep up effortlessly, cooking tonnes of turkey, ham and chicken with the same staff and the same kitchen footprint.

Despite its advanced technology, the equipment is simple. “At first it looked like a laptop,” Cathal says, “but once you know it, it’s a couple of presses.”

Milestone’s verdict is clear: “Reliable, robust, and a great piece of kit.”

Experience the iCombi and iVario live at a free product demo near you: https://www.rational-online.com/en_gb/see-for-yourself/rational-live-events/