From food trucks to cruise ships: Custom kitchen solutions
When chefs and restaurants invest in RATIONAL, the company invests in them.
May 29, 2026
When chefs and restaurants invest in RATIONAL, the company invests in them. RATIONAL customers receive logistical and design support when setting up their equipment, training on how to use and clean the equipment, as well as individualized sessions showing them how to execute specific menu items.
“We like to say that training really never stops,” says Stuart Schwadron, a director of product management for the iVario, the multifunctional tilt skillet and pressure cooker from RATIONAL. Once a piece of equipment is purchased, “we don't tell our customers ‘good luck.’” The company sticks with its customers through ongoing support.
In fact, that ongoing support drew Schwadron to RATIONAL.
“What brought me to the company was the innovation that the company offered and the fact that they stayed so close to their customers,” he says. “We look at the business from a lot of different angles, but ultimately it's how we can best support our customers.”
Like many employees at RATIONAL, Schwadron has a strong culinary background. He has worked for J. Alexander’s restaurants and at Marriott on the banqueting side of the business. He also worked for individual operators opening restaurants around Chicago.
“I think having that operational experience is what gives me specifically a helpful edge because I've worked on the line, because I worked in banquet kitchens under French chefs and lots of different environments,” he says. “I understand what the requirements and the needs are of a kitchen.”
Solutions for every restaurant situation
Understanding the needs and complexities of kitchens has been helpful. Schwadron is often brought in to help restaurants design their kitchen setup. Maybe a restaurant needs a unique drain line solution, or the electrical voltage in the wall doesn't match the unit's requirements. RATIONAL works with its customers to find solutions.
Frequently, a chef or restaurant owner will come to him and say, "I want to use a RATIONAL device, but how do I put it into a space?’ Maybe it's a food truck, or it's on a cruise ship, or it's on a mobile kitchen that gets packed up and then loaded and moved off somewhere else in the world." Schwadron and the RATIONAL team have helped place equipment in all sorts of locations.
Ongoing support
After a RATIONAL unit is installed, the support continues.
“Immediately after the sale, we offer a full training on the equipment and how to implement it in their business,” Schwadron says.
And long after the sale, there’s RATIONAL ChefLine. “We have a dedicated team that supports our customers. Our chefs will answer any question, no matter how long you've had your RATIONAL device,” he says. Chefs frequently call to discuss the best way to approach new menu items or increase output. A chef might call to say, “‘Hey, our owner decided we're going to be open on Thanksgiving. I need to cook a hundred turkeys. What's the best way to do it?’”
“That level of support carries through the sale and certainly long after the sale,” Schwardon says.
To learn more about the support restaurants and chefs receive by working with RATIONAL, visit the RATIONAL website.
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