This year marks a big moment in culinary history: RATIONAL is celebrating 50 years since launching its very first combi oven — and right on cue, the 1.5 millionth unit has just rolled off the production line.
And this wasn’t just any unit. This special anniversary model, featuring a golden dial, was donated in early February to the St. Nikolaus Children’s Hospice in Bad Grönenbach, a place offering vital support to children with life‑limiting illnesses and their families.
“We are extremely grateful for this gift,” says Marlies Breher, Chairwoman of the Süddeutsche Kinderhospiz Foundation. “It helps us reliably make a small but meaningful part of the day possible.”
RATIONAL’s journey began in 1976 with the CD 101, followed by the CD 201 for high‑volume kitchens. Over five decades, innovations like ClimaPlus Combi (1997), the SelfCookingCenter (2004) and the iCombi Pro (2020) transformed professional kitchens with smarter, more efficient and more sustainable cooking.
“The clear goal behind all these developments has always been to offer customers the best appliance for cooking,” says Martin Hermann, CTO. With around 50% global market share, 180 million meals cooked daily, and its 1.5 millionth combi oven built, the strategy speaks for itself.
“50 years of RATIONAL combi ovens and 1.5 million units are not just figures; they are an expression of the high level of satisfaction and trust that our customers have placed in us worldwide for decades,” says Markus Paschmann, CS&MO.
The golden‑dial anniversary unit now supports the hospice’s mission to bring comfort to families. “We are extremely grateful for this gift,” says Marlies Breher. “It helps us reliably make a small but meaningful part of the day possible.”
Learn more at rational-online.com.
