Chefs Explore Tech Tools To Streamline Equipment Maintenance

Artificial intelligence chatbots mark one of the latest tools for chefs who oversee equipment upkeep at their facilities. The technology came up during this fall’s Chefs’ Perspectives virtual roundtable, hosted by FER and RATIONAL. Dan Bridges of the University of Houston shared how he uploaded equipment details to a chatbot and had it generate a master cleaning schedule within minutes.

“There were a couple little things to (correct) but for the most part, it was pretty spot on,” says Bridges, adding that he uses the chatbot to create production sheets too.

Panelists also covered setting up planned maintenance programs (it’s a No. 1 priority as far as equipment upkeep), as well as vetting serving companies, training employees and investing in technology. Takeaways from the maintenance-themed event include the following:

Peers can help with recommendations. Sarah Stegner of Prairie Grass Cafe and David Jackman of Wildweed suggest talking with peers when looking to partner with a third-party service company. Stegner has worked with the same company for years but has helped others find the right contact through Let’s Talk Womxn, a community of women entrepreneurs who learn from and support each other. “I’m frequently asked, ‘Who is your equipment provider? Who does your maintenance?’” Stegner says. “People really value those resources.”

Jackman, a 2025 James Beard Award nominee who opened Wildweed in 2024 after operating as a pop-up concept, says, “We have five or six restaurants around the corners and it’s not just, ‘We need a cup of salt or sugar.’ We also share accounting companies and maintenance companies.”

Solid upfront training pays off. To set employees up for success when it comes to using a new piece of equipment or cooking technique, Jonathan Gutierrez of Grand Geneva Resort & Spa uses his own training guide. “It keeps evolving (as new things get added) and it’s thorough enough … it has pictures and steps on how to do things, so there are no questions,” Gutierrez says.

Randy Hoppman of Eagle Ridge Resort & Spa and Stegner point to the benefits of allowing employees to take ownership of their stations. “I hold our employees responsible for their area of work,” says Hoppman, pointing to the scale of foodservice at the resort and how everyone needs to do their part. Stegner adds, “Employees who take ownership for their spot, they take care of it from beginning to end because they want it to operate the correct way.”

Technology eases maintenance tasks. From chatbots to automated oil management systems to growing cabinets with cameras, technology plays a part in many of the panelists’ maintenance programs. Billy Buck of RATIONAL says the company will introduce a technology called Digital Service Manager in the U.S. in 2026 as part of its cloud-based platform. “The Digital Service Manager will monitor your equipment and send push notifications to your phone, or whatever device you choose, to let you know the health of the equipment,” Buck says. It works to reduce and speed up service calls.

FER and RATIONAL launched Chefs’ Perspectives in 2021 to help operators navigate the future of foodservice. The next event will take place in the new year.

Chefs’ Perspectives September 2025 Panelists

• Dan Bridges, Executive Chef of Catering Events, University of Houston, Houston
• Jonathan Gutierrez, Executive Chef, Grand Geneva Resort & Spa, Lake Geneva, Wis.
• Randy Hoppman, Executive Chef, Eagle Ridge Resort & Spa, Galena, Ill.
• David Jackman, Chef/Owner, Wildweed, Cincinnati
• Sarah Stegner, Co-Owner/Chef, Prairie Grass Cafe, Northbrook, Ill.; Co-Founder, Green City Market, Chicago; and Consulting Chef, Cima Restaurant, Rosemont, Ill.

Hosts:

• Billy Buck, Vice President of Culinary (US), RATIONAL USA, Rolling Meadows, Ill.
• Allison Rezendes, Chief Content Officer, Foodservice Equipment Reports, Jupiter, Fla.