RATIONAL AG, the world market and technology leader in the field of hot food preparation for professional kitchens, is “Going Big” with its latest new product introductions and its Think Big Tour 2016.
 
A laser light show, live cooking demos, photo opportunities, social media sharing, networking and PR buzz amped up excitement at the Tour’s Chicago launch event October 13 at The Meadows Club. Hundreds of guests previewed RATIONAL’s new SelfCookingCenter XS Model 6 2/3 as well as several advancements to the company’s SelfCookingCenter family of combi ovens used by top chefs worldwide. Other Think Big Tour events are scheduled throughout October and November nationwide.
 
RATIONAL executive vice president of North America, Markus Glueck, acted as host for the Chicago festivities attended by area chefs, service partners, food service executives and media.
 
It was, however, the new SelfCookingCenter XS Model 6 2/3 that stole the show. Although 60 percent smaller in size and volume than the other SelfCookingCenter appliances, the XS Model 6 2/3 unit has the same powerful performance levels, intelligence and efficiency. It is the smallest unit RATIONAL has ever created. The XS Model 6 2/3 unit joins the RATIONAL XS Model 61 as a family of compact combi oven appliances, perfect for snug spaces and smaller operations or as an important supplemental unit in a larger kitchen. Uniquely, the XS Model 6 2/3 unit has features designed specifically with U.S. chefs and U.S. cooking styles in mind.
 
“We’ve been part of the American market for more than 20 years, partnering with chefs and foodservice professionals to really study and understand American cuisine and styles of cooking,” Glueck noted. “The new SelfCookingCenter XS Model 6 2/3 and the enhancements to the entire SelfCookingCenter family of products truly reflect our commitment to creating an extraordinary kitchen partner that can literally prepare thousands of American dishes with a push of a button.”
 
Over the last four decades, it has been RATIONAL’s mission to offer the most beneficial cooking solutions for kitchens around the world with outstanding service and after-the-sale support. With over 750,000 RATIONAL combi ovens in use globally, 35,000 in the U.S. alone, RATIONAL appliances have become a standard feature in professional kitchens. 
 
Following the successful kick-off in Chicago, the RATIONAL Think BIG Tour 2016 will hit the road, with 17 regional launch events scheduled in cities around the U.S., including:
 
•         New York City, NY – 10/17/16
•         Boston, MA – 10/18/16
•         Philadelphia, PA – 10/19/16
•         Washington D.C. – 10/20/16
•         Atlanta, GA – 10/24/16
•         Cleveland, OH – 10/25/16
•         Indianapolis, IN – 10/26/16
•         Chicago, IL – 10/27/16
•         Kansas City, KS – 11/1/16
•         Dallas, TX – 11/2/16
•         Salt Lake City, UT – 11/3/16
•         Denver, CO – 11/7/16
•         Phoenix, AZ – 11/9/16
•         San Francisco, CA – 11/10/16
•         Portland, OR – 11/15/16
•         Miami, FL – 11/15/16
•         Orlando, FL – 11/18/16