It might be difficult to keep meals hot and fresh when cooking huge quantities of food for a large number of people. Food warmers are a useful and easy solution in this situation. Food warmers may make a major difference in how your food is cooked and kept warm for customers and visitors, whether you’re preparing for a buffet, catering an event, or feeding large groups of people that come and go.
To preserve hot dishes at precisely the correct temperature and please your guests, you’ll need the proper food warmer. This guide will help you understand these goods, including their differences and important aspects to consider, so you can make the best option to meet your needs.
What exactly is a food warmer?
People have been looking for ways to keep their meals warm since the beginning of time. The original food warmer was most likely made of a mix of rock, wood, and fire — but this was before patents and systematic record-keeping.
Food warmers come in a variety of forms and sizes and are used in a lot of situations. They all have one thing in common: they keep food at acceptable temperatures for human consumption.
11 Types of Food Warmers Out There!!
When we think about food warmers, we usually think of countertop models that may be utilized in both commercial and domestic settings. However, any caterer or restaurant business may benefit from a variety of food warmers (and warmers in general).
The many categories available are listed below:
Bain Maries Restaurant Range
A bain-marie is a container used in the kitchen to keep food warm and to cook delicate delicacies such as custards, crème Brulee. The smallest of our bain Maries measures 16″ W 31 1/2″ D 14 5/8″ H, while the biggest measures 19 11/16″ W 35 7/16″ D 35 7/16″ H. (this one includes two side operations).
Countertops Warmers
Countertop warmers are one of the most often used types in households for keeping smaller meal servings warm. Rectangular food warmers, round warmers, soup kettles, heated shelves, rice warmers, and drop-in warmers are available in capacities ranging from 3 quarts to 6 gallons
Transport Carts and Heated Banquet
These sorts of warmers are ideal for on-the-go catering operations. They can store anything from 9 to 36 pans of food, and they’re fully portable! As a result, even if the event is running late, the food does not get cold.
Drawer warmers
When it comes to keeping meals hot, these sorts of warmers are the kitchen multi-taskers. They may be used to keep loaves of bread and rolls warm during dinner service… or to keep almost any other sort of meal warm until it’s time to serve.
Warming Plates
A chilly plate may turn a whole meal sour, just like a cold bench can make you squirm when you sit down on it. Plate warmers are used in restaurants to keep food warm during the meal, and they’re also popular among home chefs to keep holiday food warm even if you’re the last one through the buffet line.
Overhead Warmers
Heat lamps and strip warmers are widely used to keep food warm for a short amount of time; carving stations and buffet service are some typical uses for overhead warmers.
Heated Dispensers
Food screams out from heated dispensers! Toppings like nacho cheese, chili, and butter go well with them. Syrup heaters are to keep pancakes and waffles warm when the sticky topping is applied.
Proofing and Holding Cabinets
These sorts of warmers are similar to the heated banquet and transport carts in that they come in tiny and big sizes, but the primary distinction is that they also aid with dough proofing, making them ideal for bakeries and delis.
Steam Tables
These food warmers come in a wide range of sizes, from enormous buffet tables (some of which are even portable) to tiny steam tables that are ideal for smaller parties. They are the traditional go-to product for businesses and homeowners that want to show off their culinary expertise.
Warming buns
To pair with a hot dog, nothing beats the aroma and flavour of a toasty bun. These bun warmers can accommodate 24 to 64 buns at a time and are the ideal companion for keeping all varieties of buns warm.
Heated Merchandiser
These warmers are used to keep food warm while presenting it to guests in a pleasing manner. Warmers for pizza, pretzels, nachos, and soups, as well as enormous display cases, are among them.
What machine also keeps our meals warm?
Rethermalizer. The majority of warmers are made to keep foods that are already hot at a safe temperature. A Rethermalizer is a device that heats cold food to a safe temperature while keeping it out of danger.
In this regard, how hot are food warmers?
Be mindful that some warmers only store food at 110 °F to 120 °F, so check the product label to ensure your warmer can hold meals at 140 °F or above. This is the temperature necessary to keep bacteria at bay!
How long can food be stored in a warmer?
Between two and four hours.
3 Advantages of Using Stainless Steel Food Warmers
Simple to Clean
In a kitchen, cleanliness is of the utmost importance. Not only are all restaurants routinely inspected to ensure that they comply with basic health standards – but a clean restaurant and kitchen will offer your guests peace of mind and highlight the fact that they are eating in a restaurant that genuinely cares about their appearance. After a long day of keeping delicious meals warm, stainless steel food warmers are simple to clean and disinfect!
Mistakes happen; keep the food warm!
Every restaurant is periodically requested to re-cook food, re-run orders, or modify menus. When these requests come from a large group of people, it becomes critical that all of the food for the group arrives hot and ready to consume. In these cases, a suitable food warmer is critical and may assist to ensure that every customer has a great experience.
Avoid Food-Borne Illness
Food-borne illness prevention is a top priority for every establishment that provides food. There are more than 50 distinct forms of food-borne disease, according to the CDC. Almost the majority of them may be avoided by ensuring that every meal you serve is completely prepared and stored at the appropriate temperature.
Bottom Line:
The ability to make every customer’s meal to order in the foodservice industry is only wishful thinking. So the next best thing is to prepare meals ahead of time and keep them warm and fresh until serving time.
As a result, food warming equipment has become an essential component of every foodservice operation. With all of this in mind, you should be well on your way to purchasing food warmers and other associated equipment that will assist you in attaining your restaurant’s goals. Happy cooking!