“Professional kitchens are under pressure — and standing still is not an option,” says Rational’s CEO Peter Stadelmann.
“When I speak with chefs and operators around the world, one thing is clear: the challenges are real. Rising costs, staff shortages and increasing expectations are reshaping kitchen operations across markets,” he adds.
That’s why Rational has created the Kitchen Barometer 2026 report (which you can download below) together with Statista, a German platform that specializes in data gathering and visualization – not to add more opinions, but to make facts visible and spark meaningful dialogue.
The report offers a data-driven view of what’s changing — and how operators are responding. The study covers five key topics:
1. Operational costs
2. Sustainability
3. Skilled worker shortage
4. Quality assurance
5. Digitalization
For each topic, the Barometer follows a consistent framework: the topic’s impact on operations, a deep dive into current realities, and the solutions kitchen operators are implementing in response.
Download the Kitchen Barometer 2026 report below:
Further details:
For more information, click on this link.
