Kitchen of the future: connected refrigeration will be key

The kitchen of the future: why connected cold is the silent infrastructure

In the 2026-2030 context, the “kitchen of the future” is not about humanoid robots: it is about more controlled, more efficient and more traceable operations. For such automation to work, refrigeration has to become connected infrastructure: measuring, recording, alerting and helping to maintain consistency and food safety. If refrigeration does not generate reliable (and actionable) data, the rest of the digital ecosystem is left without a foundation.

Quick summary

• The kitchen becomes polarised: automated central kitchens vs. author's restoration (with supporting technology).
• Connectivity is no longer an “extra”: in chains and large operators it is requirement to sell, audit and maintain.
• AI provides “invisible” value: detects deviations, The predictive maintenance and energy planning.
• No real traceability without connected cold: temperature, doors, alarms and consumptions support quality and compliance.
• Practical opportunity: designing professional data-ready refrigeration, The distributor/installer is in charge of the installation, efficiency and regulations.

If you are more interested in this topic, you can read the summary of our article on trends 2026 for the Horeca channel within this blog

Introduction

When we talk about “tomorrow's kitchen”, we should turn down the volume on futurism. What we are seeing in real projects is less spectacular, but more decisive: control, consistency, operating cost y ability to demonstrate this with data.

In this picture, refrigeration is not a separate chapter. It is the system that supports food safety, product stability and part of the energy consumption of the premises. And, increasingly, it is also a source of data to operate better.

The “kitchen of tomorrow” is not a single one: two separating models

Centralised and automated kitchens (volume and consistency)

This extreme is growing for very specific reasons: lack of staff, need for consistency and cost pressure. Here the kitchen is more like a production unit.

What is prioritised (typical criteria):

• Continuous and repeatable production (less variation).
• Time/temperature control per process.
• Very tidy internal logistics and warehousing.
• Central monitoring (multiple points, multiple locations).

Cold weather implication: more working hours, more openings, more turnover and more need to alarms, logging and traceability.

Author's restoration (technology as a medium)

In high gastronomy, human creativity is not replaced. Technology is used to remove friction: fine control, reduced waste and a more stable working environment.

What is prioritised (typical criteria):

• Thermal stability and precise preservation.
• Delicate processes (mise en place, maturation, fermentation, serving).
• Less waste, more product control.
• Reliability: “not to fail” when there is service.

Cold weather implication: less “industrial” to the eye, but more demanding in stability, control and consistency.

What forces are driving change (and why it affects industrial refrigeration)

Staff, labour costs and real estate pressure

If the kitchen is smaller, every metre counts. If there are fewer hands, every mistake costs more. The result: the repetitive is automated and the critical is systematised.

Typical signals in projects:

• Reduction of kitchen area.
• More pre-production (prep) and more centralisation.
• Need for equipment that is easy to maintain and operate.

Sustainability, traceability and food safety

Sustainability in HORECA rarely comes in as a “slogan”: it comes in as a "slogan": it comes in as a "slogan". regulation, certification and financial pressure. And traceability is no longer paper: it becomes data.

Cold, this lands on:

• Temperature logging and alarms (audit).
• Measurable energy consumption (operation and reporting).
• Less shrinkage (direct economic impact).

Recommended internal link (pillar): for the 2026-2030 context, see how HORECA refrigeration is really changing in 2026.

Connectivity and data: the new “minimum” for chains and large operators

In chains, franchises and large operators, connectivity is no longer understood as an “extra”. It is understood as part of the control system.

What data really matters in refrigeration

A practical (non-exhaustive) list of often useful data:

Assumption (due to lack of panel detail): when the operator manages multiple premises, the most valuable thing is not to “see one piece of data”, but to compare y act with a common standard.

How they are used (operation, audit and maintenance)

• Operation: rapid alerts and corrections (less shrinkage, more stability).
• Brand audit: homogeneous evidence between premises.
• Maintenance: early signals (pattern changes) and planning.

AI in the kitchen: less “robots”, more data-driven decisions

AI appears as a “layer” that helps interpret data. It does not need the limelight to add value.

Deviation detection and predictive maintenance

In practice, the benefit is often simple: to detect “something is wrong” before it becomes a breakdown or loss of product.

Typical examples of deviations (criteria):

• Temperature rises more than usual for the same use.
• Longer cycles (possible soiling, ventilation, excessive thermal load).
• Repeated alarms in a time slot (operational, doors, location of equipment).

Energy planning and peak power

If the kitchen is electrified, peaks matter more. AI (or simple rules) can help to decide when doing certain tasks and how to share burdens.

What should be measurable (minimum):

• Consumption or at least indirect signals (duty cycle).
• Events (door, alarm, temperature) to correlate cause-effect.

No smart kitchen without smart refrigeration

This is the point that is sometimes “implied” in discussions centred on cooking. But in real cooking, cold is what allows everything else to be stable.

Food safety and product consistency

If the product is not well preserved, process automation becomes fragile. Consistency breaks down where you least expect it: reception, storage, mise en place, replenishment.

Practical criteria underpinning consistency:

• Thermal stability under actual use.
• Alarms set to make sense (not to “silence” them).
• Doors, loads and location thought out (not “where it fits”).

Exportable traceability and multi-location comparability

In chains, the traceability that counts is not the traceability that “can be looked at”, but the traceability that can be exported and compare.

Quick checklist of useful traceability:

• Continuous registration with sufficient history.
• Export (format and access) for auditing.
• Evidence of incidents and actions (what happened and when).

Alarms, doors and operating habits

Many “cold problems” are operational problems.

Examples (for diagnosis):

• Open door due to poor organisation.
• Punctual overload (production) without planning.
• Location of the equipment in a hot or unventilated area.

Use cases where connected cold makes a difference

Central kitchens, dark kitchens and franchises

Here the connected cold is especially valuable for volume and repetition.

What the project usually asks for (steps):

1. Define product, flows and times (reception → storage → production → dispatch).
2. Size by load and rotation, not by “litres”.
3. Request registration, alarms and access to history as part of the specification.
4. Establish replicable standard for new openings.

Hospitals, schools and communities

The aim is consistency and security, with teams that “let themselves work”.

Typical requirements (criteria):

• Operational robustness.
• Simple recording and evidence.
• Planned and rapid maintenance.

Haute cuisine and bakeries (fine control, less wastage)

More sensitivity to stability and control.

What usually gives a return:

• Less waste due to deviations.
• Better organisation of the mise en place.
• Fewer “scares” in service.

Electrification and sustainability: what's changing for cold design

Actual“ efficiency vs. ”theoretical“ efficiency”

The efficiency that matters to business is the one that performs well in: openings, load, ambient temperature, ventilation, habits and maintenance.

Criteria for talking about smoke-free efficiency:

• Measurement under conditions of use (or at least clear methodology).
• Planned maintenance (filters, cleaning, technical access).
• Avoid oversizing “just in case” (penalises consumption).

Peak load management and service continuity

With more electrification, it is in the interest of reducing avoidable peaks and distributing tasks.

Practical actions (operation):

• Schedule productions/sheds (if applicable) in reasonable windows.
• Review opening and restocking habits.
• Plan maintenance so as not to degrade performance.

Refrigerants and compliance (without greenwashing)

The regulatory and sustainability focus translates into technical decisions. Here it pays to be concrete and cautious: refrigerant, design, installation, maintenance and documentation.

Recommended internal link (pillar): to understand how regulation, efficiency and choice of equipment intersect, see 2026-2030 framework for choosing refrigeration equipment.

How to set up a connected cooling project (step-by-step)

Checklist of requirements and data to ask for (before budgeting)

1. Type of operation: central kitchen, franchise, author, collective.
2. Product and rotation: what goes in, how much, when and how long it is stored.
3. Risk and audit: what evidence is needed (temperature, alarms, export).
4. Environment: ambient temperature, ventilation, location, maintenance access.
5. Operational: who opens, when, how it is replenished, expected peaks.
6. Connectivity: what system the client will use (if BMS/platform) and what it needs (API/export/alerts).
7. Maintenance: responsible, expected SLA, criticality of equipment.

Validation at start-up (what is actually checked)

• Alarms: thresholds and times with operational logic.
• Record: a historically stored and extractable record.
• Stress test: openings and “real” load (not just empty).
• Accessibility: filters, cleaning and service points.

Common mistakes (and how to avoid them)

• Ask for “connectivity” without defining what for. → Define cases: audit, alarms, benchmarking, maintenance.
• Dimension by volume and not by rotation/thermal load. → Map flows and peaks.
• Misconfigured (or ignored) alarms. → Set threshold/time and define responsible.
• Location without ventilation or in a hot area. → Check environment and access.
• Do not think about the “200th day”. → Maintenance and performance degradation plan.

Final checklist (copyable)

• I have defined the kitchen model (centralised vs. authoritarian) and its impact on cold.
• It is clear to me product, turnover and peaks (not just litres).
• I have ordered temperature recording with historical and export.
• I have defined alarms (threshold + time) and who acts.
• I will measure/follow events (door, alarms) to improve operations.
• I have reviewed environment and ventilation of installation.
• There is a maintenance plan (preventive) and criticality criteria.
• Connectivity is intended to be integrated with the customer's system (if applicable).

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

1) Will the kitchen of the future be robotic?
In the short term, it is most realistic to automate repetitive tasks and better measure processes. Creativity and service remain human.

2) Why does connectivity become a requirement in chains?
Because it allows standardisation of operation, comparison of premises, auditing of compliance and maintenance planning with less improvisation.

3) What “minimum data” should a connected cooling system provide?
Recorded temperature, alarms with history, and (if possible) events such as door openings. The important thing is that the data is usable and exportable.

4) Does AI in the kitchen affect the cold?
Yes, because AI needs reliable data. If the cold does not register well, the “smart” layer loses value.

5) How does connected cold improve sustainability?
Allows to measure consumption and detect deviations that increase kWh and wastage. Practical sustainability is usually: less energy wasted and less product lost.

6) What changes with the electrification of kitchens?
Peak power, load planning and actual efficiency in use are gaining in importance. Refrigeration must perform well under varying conditions.

7) What design errors are common in multi-location projects?
Failure to define logging/alarm standard, failure to validate “real” start-up and oversizing without reviewing flows.

8) Does this also apply to haute cuisine?
Yes, with a different approach: fine control, stability and less shrinkage. Connectivity may be more discreet, but registration and control still contribute.

Glossary (8-12 terms)

• Central kitchenproduction unit that prepares large volumes for several locations or services.
• Dark kitchen: delivery/production oriented kitchen, with a focus on speed, consistency and control.
• Traceability: the ability to record and demonstrate conditions (e.g., temperatures) over time.
• Temperature recordingcontinuous or periodic temperature history for operational control and auditing.
• Alarmswarnings for exceeding thresholds (temperature/time) to act before losses.
• Predictive maintenance: an approach that uses signals/data to anticipate faults before failure.
• Duty cycle: pattern of operation of a piece of equipment; abnormal changes may indicate problems.
• Peak load: times of high electrical demand; relevant for electrified cookers.
• Actual efficiencyPerformance in conditions of use (openings, load, environment), not only on the data sheet.
• BMS (Building Management System)Centralised facility management system (energy, climate, etc.).
• HACCP/ HACCPPreventive food safety system based on hazards and critical control points.

Distributor Block (essential)

How to explain it to the professional client (without over-technicalities)

• “The connected kitchen needs a base: stable cold + registration + alarms. Without that, traceability and standardisation fall by the wayside”.”
• “Connectivity is not for ‘watching an app’: it's for reduce risks, shrinkage y stops.”

What information to ask for in order to size and design well

• Type of operation (central, chain, author, collective).
• Product, rotation, daily/weekly peaks and schedules.
• Audit requirements (what evidence they ask for).
• Installation environment (heat, ventilation, access, cleanliness).
• Customer system (do you want to integrate data in BMS/platform?).
• Level of criticality and service expectations (SLA, response).

Practical (project) recommendations

1. Define connectivity use cases (alarms, history, export).
2. Validate commissioning with “real” test (openings/loading).
3. Ensure that maintenance and operation are contemplated from the design stage.

Final CTA (no direct sales)

Whether you are designing a central kitchen, a dark kitchen or a chain opening, discuss this with your usual dealer/installer. to land traceability, alarms and efficiency requirements in a real specification. And if necessary, to scale it up with the CORECO distributor network and the technical equipment to size with data, not assumptions.