Innovators Unite: Meet The 2025 KI Recipients

Two dozen manufacturers are being recognized as the National Restaurant Association’s Kitchen Innovations award recipients.

“The 2025 Kitchen Innovations Awards spotlight solutions that embody the industry’s evolution: doing more with less,” says Richard Eisenbarth, president, emeritus at Cini-Little Int’l and a longstanding KI judge. “From AI-driven monitoring to productivity-enhancing robotics, these innovations are reshaping kitchens, helping restaurants adapt and excel in today’s dynamic culinary landscape.”

The 2025 honors, announced Wednesday, March 12, go to the following:

• Alto-Shaam—Origin convection ovens
• American Metalcraft—BuffetBoost warming block
• Appliance Innovation—SimpliciTea 1500 (automated fresh brew)
• Atosa USA—Chillstream undercounter frozen food dispenser
• Bridge Appliances— OMM automated countertop egg cooker
• Carter-Hoffmann—CHrisper station
• Charter House Innovations—RoboFry X4
• CookUp Group— Scraegg egg/porridge/soup cooker
• Doyon—dual fuel gravity charcoal oven
• Ecolab—digital kitchen application platform
• Everpure from Pentair Water Solutions—PFAS (PFOA/PFOS) reduction systems
• Kitchenless— Qeamer
• Lab2Fab— FIZZBOT
• Manitowoc— NEO undercounter ice machine with filtration
• Marco Beverage Systems— MilkPal
• Metafoodx— Metafoodx platform for foodservice operations
• Middleby Marshall— LongWave IR oven
• Newton CFV—Gravity beverage fountain system
• Powerhouse Dynamics—Total Oil Management by Open Kitchen
• PreciTaste—Grill Station Assistant
• Renau Corp.— Smart Kitchen System Hub
• Spring USA— The Surface Unlimited induction table
• Traulsen—Dynamic Response Refrigeration with Smart Control
• True Manufacturing Co.— TRM, True Retail Merchandiser

“The KI Awards celebrate solutions that are not just innovative but truly impactful for foodservice operations,” says Tom Cindric, president of exhibitions for Informa Connect Foodservice. “This year’s recipients demonstrate how technology and design are revolutionizing kitchen operations, creating seamless integration between back-of-house efficiency and front-of-house service, all while enhancing consistency and delivering exceptional customer experiences. The National Restaurant Association Show is where these advancements come to life, giving attendees a chance to experience them in action, speak with the innovators behind them, and find solutions that fit their business.”

The National Restaurant Association Show will be held May 17-20 at McCormick Place in Chicago. For more details on the KI recipients and the show alike, visit nationalrestaurantshow.com.