Where is commercial kitchen design and technology going? From the Frankfurt kitchen design to today’s open concepts, the integration of food, equipment and people is all converging. Some of the building blocks surrounding the foodservice industry's transformation includes an engaged Millennial audience, increased data about how a kitchen operates in real-time and fully integrated equipment.

Rick Caron, Senior Vice President, Innovation, Manitowoc Foodservice

Rick Caron is Senior Vice President Innovation at Manitowoc Foodservice. Under his leadership, he led a variety of new product development initiatives which have distinguished the company as a technology leader in the foodservice industry. Prior to Manitowoc Foodservice, he served as Chief Executive Officer of the Moseley Corporation in Franklin, Mass., President and Chief Executive Officer of TurboChef, Inc. and was Managing Director of the Consumer Products Practice at Arthur D. Little (ADL) in Cambridge, Mass. During his 19-year affiliation with ADL, Rick led many consulting assignments involving technology, strategy and product development. In addition, he holds several patents in the foodservice industry, including automated frying and rapid cooking systems. A graduate of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Rick earned his Master of Science and Bachelor of Science degrees in Chemical Engineering Practice.