The anniversary unit, which features a golden dial, was handed over to the St. Nikolaus Children’s Hospice in Bad Grönenbach at the beginning of February. At the hospice children with life-limiting illnesses and their families receive comprehensive support throughout the stages of illness, end of life and bereavement.

Rational presented its first combi oven, the CD 101, in 1976 — three years after the company was founded by Siegfried Meister. The combination of steam and convection enabled chefs to use a variety of cooking methods, such as roasting, baking and steaming, with just one appliance for the first time.

This laid the foundation for five decades of continuous development, from the introduction of the ClimaPlus Combi (1997) the first combi oven with precise climate control, to the SelfCookingCenter (2004) which could adjust settings automatically, to the iCombi Pro (2020) which achieves the desired result automatically at the touch of a button.

Rational says each generation has introduced innovations that continue to make working in professional kitchens easier, more efficient and more sustainable.

Markus Paschmann, chief sales & marketing officer at Rational, said: "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. We’re proud of that. It motivates us to continue prioritising customer benefit in the future.”