Connected kitchen: IoT is revolutionizing professional kitchens for catering and retail

A large, modern kitchen with stainless steel appliances, a cooking island, and large windows, above which a glowing Wi-Fi symbol floats; Copyright: Adobe Express, AI-generated

22.07.2025

The food service industry is facing challenges such as staff shortages, rising costs and increasing pressure to become more sustainable. The answer: the connected kitchen is steadily conquering the catering and commercial kitchen sector on the basis of the Internet of Things (IoT). Modern sensors, cloud platforms and edge-based architectures are transforming traditional kitchens into smart kitchens that combine efficiency, sustainability and safety.

What is a connected kitchen?

With the connected kitchen, commercial kitchen equipment such as ovens, refrigerators, combi-steamers and deep fryers are connected to the cloud. Integrated sensors are used to collect real-time data such as temperature, energy consumption and status information and evaluate it centrally. This enables automated HACCP documentation, real-time error detection in the systems, optimization of energy, water and waste resources as well as central control and remote maintenance of multiple locations.

What does HACCP mean?

HACCP stands for Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points. It is a systematic prevention concept for ensuring food safety that identifies, evaluates and controls hazards in all phases of food production, processing and distribution.

A chef wearing a T-shirt and a hat stands in an industrial kitchen in front of a stove with pots on it and steam rising; Copyright: Adobe Express

Market outlook: Growth in the area of IoT kitchen systems

The market for IoT kitchen systems is in a phase of significant growth. This trend is driven by the increasing demand for quality and efficiency as well as the focus on sustainability and stricter food safety regulations. The market is forecast to grow from USD 35.90 billion in 2025 to USD 108.37 billion in 2034, representing a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 13.62% over this period.

Food service in retail is a megatrend with huge business potential, whether it's in-store cooking or baking as an event, drinks for a cozy atmosphere, or convenience offerings to go. Have we whetted your appetite? You'll find answers to your questions and innovative solutions for your needs at EuroShop in the Food Service Equipment dimension from February 22-26, 2026.

Suppliers and their smart kitchen solutions

MKN & Telekom: Connected combi-steamers for commercial kitchens

As part of the cooperation, MKN combi steamers are connected directly via Deutsche Telekom's Cloud of Things. This enables seamless temperature control, automated HACCP documentation and central control of recipes and appliances for commercial kitchens and restaurant chains.

RATIONAL ConnectedCooking

The platform for digital kitchen management enables the remote distribution of recipes and software updates as well as the documentation of HACCP data for its iCombi Pro, iVario Pro and iHexagon kitchen appliances.

Halton Connect

This IoT platform for commercial kitchens offers a web portal overview, remote diagnostics and integration with ventilation and air treatment systems.

Open Kitchen from Powerhouse Dynamics & Middleby

Using Open Kitchen, restaurants, convenience stores and food retailers can connect, analyze and control a wide range of equipment from different brands – including air conditioning, refrigeration and kitchen appliances – to automate essential facility functions.

Advantages of connected kitchens

Challenges during implementation

Efficient resource and energy savings

High investment costs during implementation

Continuous HACCP compliance through real-time documentation

Complexity due to different protocols and standards

Reduced machine downtime through predictive maintenance

Security risks during data transmission

Automated inventory control and waste minimization

Dependence on internet connectivity

Linking of kitchen processes and POS systems for greater transparency

Staff training required

A busy commercial kitchen with several chefs in white uniforms working between stainless steel counters and appliances, with motion blur emphasizing the activity; Copyright: Adobe Express

Connected Kitchen as a core element for the retail gastronomy of the future

If restaurants, shopping centers or retailers with a gastronomic offering want to create an outstanding customer experience, a culinary concept is an effective approach. The challenge, however, is to implement this experience in a service-oriented and efficient manner – despite a shortage of skilled staff. Connected kitchen technologies are an important investment in the future of gastronomy. Modern IoT platforms help to create sustainable, safe and profitable professional kitchens with precise real-time data, connected resources and intelligent automation. The course for a digitalized, efficient and resilient catering infrastructure should be set now.

Sources: Eletrolux Professional news, Chef'sIcon article "Smart Kitchen Systems IoT Integration", Chef'sIcon article "IoT in Commercial Kitchens"

Portrait of Sven Reck, freelancer for the EuroShop editorial team, in front of a red background; copyright: Sven Reck

Author: Sven Reck | EuroShop.mag

Sven Reck has been supporting EuroShop.mag as a freelancer for several years. Among other things, he creates photo series on store design, writes articles on best practices in retail marketing and use cases on new technologies in the retail sector. He also enters the content into the CMS and ensures user-friendly presentation and search engine optimization.

Learn more about AI & IoT in food service for retailers

Here you can find more information on the topic of food service:

A cooking robot with two metallic robotic arms transfers freshly fried noodles from a pan into a bowl. The scene looks futuristic and demonstrates automated food preparation in a clean environment.

Food Service Equipment