In modern kitchens, operational technology (OT) — from combi ovens and blast chillers to building management and inventory systems — increasingly touches corporate IT networks. For chief information security officers, the question is no longer whether these worlds meet, but how to govern that meeting without slowing service.
This guide distinguishes IT security (data, endpoints, SaaS, email) from OT security (physical processes, uptime, vendor-locked controllers). It covers segmentation, patch strategy when vendors certify slowly, monitoring that respects kitchen hours, and how to run tabletop exercises with executive chefs and facilities leads. Treat the line as a production floor: availability and safety first, confidentiality layered in where it protects the business.
Use this framework to align IT policy with how stations actually run during service — so security strengthens operations instead of fighting them.
