Heating Equipment

In the world of catering, keeping food warm is an essential aspect that all professional kitchens need to consider. From fine dining restaurants to event catering companies, every food business wants to serve food that is warm and delicious. The heat used to keep food warm must be consistent, reliable, and capable of maintaining optimal temperatures for extended periods. Food warmers don't only keep food warm, but can also help you store, present and serve your most popular dishes. As a professional heating equipment supplier, Maxima is here to offer a few things to keep in mind when making your selection.

When do you need commercial food warmers?

Sometimes it is necessary to prepare dishes in advance. This is where buffet food warmers can be really useful. It can then take a while before you actually serve them to guests. Using the right food warmers ensures that you can still get hot dishes on the table. Although restaurants, hotels and cafes often use these appliances, many shops and canteens can also benefit from items such as heated warming displays, soup kettles or heated lamps. These heating devices are also well suited to catering and self-service food businesses. Electric food warmers are designed in such a way that you can easily use them on-site, and the food is clearly visible.

How is it possible to keep food warm in a catering business?

1. Using heated display cases

The type of food warming equipment you require depends on what kind of food or ingredients you need to keep warm. When it comes to products like sausage rolls, pastries, croissants, hot sandwiches and other snacks, they frequently need to be visible to the customer. In that case, heated display cases are the ideal solution. These are available with a sliding door at the front or rear so that the items can be selected and served up immediately. They are made of glass so the contents are clearly visible to customers. These appliances are ideal for use in canteens, self-service restaurants and even gas stations. 

2. Placing food under heated lamps

For dishes that are ready to be served, it’s best to place them under a commercial heated lamp. This ensures that the dish remains at the right temperature. It is ideal, for example, if more dishes are to follow and everything has to be served at the same time. You typically find these appliances in bigger and busier restaurants, but they can also be used at buffets and other events.

3. Serving guests using bain maries and chafing dishes

When keeping dishes warm for larger groups, a bain marie or chafing dish is a good food warmer. Bain marie is a specific cooking technique that allows you to heat or cook food evenly without the risk of burning the food or it loses its flavour. This method is ideal for food that must not get too hot because it can burn, overcook or separate. Thanks to the lid and the adjustable thermostat, you can easily keep food warm for a longer period of time, such as at a buffet or an event. The buffet at any hotel or restaurant would suffer without these helpful appliances.

4. Store food on an electric hotplate

For food that needs to be kept warm in the pan, an electric hotplate is a good choice for an electric food warmer. An advantage of this is that it does not take up capacity on your cooker. Thanks to its practical size as a freestanding model, you can easily take it with you on location, or use it temporarily as extra capacity during peak times in the kitchen. Because it allows you to increase your capacity, a hotplate is useful in almost any food business, regardless of its size.

5. Offer guests pre-warmed plates

After all the effort you've put into keeping food warm in the kitchen, you want to make sure it stays warm on the table for as long as possible. That's why you should serve it on plates that have been previously warmed in a plate warmer.

For serving dishes to guests that are at exactly the right temperature, buffet food warms are ideal. Not only do they keep food warmed until the moment they are being served, but they also allow you to present food in a way that is attractive to hungry guests. Hotels and fine dining establishments are expected to serve food this way as it adds a touch of elegance to the dining experience.  

What do you need to consider when keeping food warm as a catering entrepreneur?

There are, of course, several factors that play a role in keeping food warm in a catering business. The method you use to keep food warm depends largely on the type of food. Liquids such as soups and sauces need to be kept warm in a way that wouldn’t necessarily suit pasta or vegetables. Soups and sauces should not be kept too hot because of the risk of burning, while meat and fish dishes should never be allowed to cool too much because of the risk of bacteria.

When buying a food warmer, ask yourself the following questions:

• What kinds of foods do you need to keep warm?
• What quantities will you be using it for?
• Do you need a device that has an adjustable temperature?
• Must it be suitable for catering or self-service?
• Does it require an electrical or gas connection?

You should also bear in mind that keeping food warm is not the same as heating it up. In other words, not all commercial food warming devices are also suitable for warming food up. And vice versa, not all appliances that heat something up are best to keep it warm. A soup kettle, for instance, is not used to boil or thaw soup, but only to keep it warm. The same applies to a warming lamp or a heated display case.

What are the features of Maxima's food warmers?

As is always expected with Maxima, you can count on commercial catering equipment of the best quality. That’s why many of our food warmers and heating equipment are made from stainless steel. Stainless steel can take quite a beating, so it protects the electrical parts of the appliance really well. The smooth material is also easy to clean. It’s these specific properties that ensure a longer life for your equipment. Last, but not least, stainless steel offers a stylish appearance, which is a nice bonus for bar equipment that is often in the customer's direct line of sight.

Maxima's refurbished equipment

Even though all our machines are priced competitively, we also offer refurbished items for sale at a reduced price. These machines may have been demo models or returns, which are usually sent back as a precaution when the packaging has been slightly damaged during transport. You can get used food warming equipment that has been thoroughly tested by our technical department at an even lower price. Browse our Refurbished section to find your new second-hand food warming equipment today.