Bain-marie: types, design features, equipment advantages

Keeping prepared foods hot during a formal meal is no easy task. A special heated boiler - a food warmer - helps to cope with it. The special design of the cookware maintains a constant food temperature in the range of +20-80° C, preventing burning. But how to choose this useful equipment for the gastronomic business? Our recommendations will help you understand the features and types of the product.

What are food warmers and what are they for?

Hot dishes remain fresh for three hours after cooking. Food cools down even earlier - in 20-30 minutes. Heating affects the taste and appearance of food. But a food warmer - a voluminous pan on a stand, equipped with a heating element - helps solve this problem.

This unusual device has gained popularity in restaurant practice, helping to maintain the temperature of dishes during long banquets and weddings. Heated dishes are actively used by ready-to-eat food delivery services. Food warmers are also useful at home - when expecting guests, during picnics.

Operating principle and device

Externally, the product resembles a cauldron or saucepan with a tight lid and handles. The simplest option is a vessel without a heating source, the temperature in which is maintained only due to tightness and thick walls. This device cools down in 2-3 hours.

A more reliable solution is a food warmer equipped with a constant heating element . The heat source can be an electric heater or a gas burner. In such models, the pan is equipped with a stand in which a heating element is mounted. It supports temperature conditions from +30 to +90° C.

There are also open-fire steam tables heated by candles or alcohol lamps. They serve to maintain heat for limited periods of time and are commonly used by home cooks.

Classification

More than 100 models of food warmers are known in gastronomic practice. The device can be shaped like a regular cookware, a camp burner, or a miniature stove. There are tabletop and floor-mounted food warmers, as well as devices equipped with trolleys for transportation.

Manufacturing materials

The ability to retain heat inside largely depends on the material from which the device is made. The first food warmers, which appeared in the 17th century, were made of ceramics. An additional source of heating is not required, since the pottery remains hot for a long time. Thick-walled porcelain has the same property. Ceramic and porcelain products look beautiful, so they are served directly on the table during long meals.

For food warmers with a heating element , heat-resistant glass is used. The bottom of the product is equipped with a stand on which you can place an alcohol lamp or a candle. This design is suitable for home lunches or romantic dinners in a restaurant.

Gas and electric food warmers are made of stainless steel . Durable material withstands sudden temperature changes and reliably retains heat. Stainless steel products are large in size and are usually used in catering establishments.

Power supplies

There are five heating options:

• electricity - the device is equipped with a heating element built into the stand. A voltage of 220-380 W is sufficient for operation. The devices are also equipped with several burners, timers, and switches;
• gas - the device is heated by a burner powered by natural or liquefied gas;
• open fire - used for heating small containers. Candles or alcohol lamps are placed on a stand attached to the bottom of the dish;
• water bath - above an electric or gas heater there is a vessel with water evaporating from the heat. This design keeps the dish not only hot, but also juicy;
• infrared radiation - a tube with infrared lamps is fixed above the container with food. This option is suitable for heating several dishes at once. In the restaurant business, electric heating is most often used.

Types of structures

The first models of food warmers were thick-walled dishes that were placed on the table during feasts. Tabletop structures with legs and tight lids are still used in home use.

Floor-standing devices heated by electricity or gas are larger in size. They can be stationary or mobile, with roller trolleys. Floor structures are equipped with thermostats and timers.

VarietyThe type of bain-marie is considered to be a chafindish - a table-top unit with a heating element. It can perform heating and cooling functions. Chafindish is usually used in establishments with a buffet system.

What to look for when choosing

The model of the food warmer is selected in accordance with the purpose of use. A small tabletop device heated by an alcohol lamp is suitable for home use. For delivery services, a portable option with a gas burner or flammable gel will be useful. A restaurant requires a stationary or mobile model.

It is important to consider 2 more factors:

material – catering establishments usually use stainless steel food warmers;

power source - we choose depending on the need; if you are planning catering, then it is better to take those that use an alcohol lamp or candles. If for the Swedish line, then electric;

ease of use - choose an easy-to-move, light-weight model that does not require expensive detergents.

The restaurant business requires a large-sized food warmer that can accommodate up to 12 containers. To organize buffets, you should additionally purchase a mobile model.

Operating rules

Working with a food warmer begins with staff training. The administration of a catering establishment is obliged to monitor the cleanliness of the equipment and check the grounding. Before turning on an electrical device, you need to check the regulators and automatic unit. Then turn on the heating elements to the maximum level. When the device warms up to the required temperature, the gastronorm containers are filled with food and the temperature is set to a low level. Do not turn on the device if there are no food containers on the burners.