One of the best tools a busy chef can have at his or her disposal is a great hot holding cabinet.  Hot food holding cabinets allow cooks to prepare meals in advance of serving—by holding the food at safe temperatures.  I recently had the opportunity to learn more about heating cabinets and came away with some facts and resources that I thought could be helpful to the restaurant operator considering this purchase.

Heating cabinets come in many configurations, from full size to ¾ size to ½ size, gas or electric, clear doors or solid, with shells made of aluminum, stainless steel, or a durable cool-touch plastic.  It is even possible to purchase a heating cabinet that doubles as a proofer.  Cabinets can be insulated or not, but paying a little extra for insulated cabinets is well worth it; they generally make up the price difference in energy savings in just two years.  Since hot holding cabinets are an Energy Star category, you can quickly find out what models are most efficient by calling Serv-U or checking the Energy Star website.

Some heating cabinets can be purchased with humidity controls.  Metro is one manufacturer you can find here at Serv-U, and Metro has a lot of good information on their website.  I found a chart that details the optimal holding temperatures and relative humidity of various foods.  For example, a prime rib is best held at 175°F and 75% relative humidity.  Breads like pizza, on the other hand, should be held at the same temperature, but with the humidity off and the water reservoir completely empty.  You can find the entire chart here; it’s on page 32 of the document.

The page right after that chart offers another grid that shows the various options available for this particular series (the C5) of heated cabinets.  This makes it easy to decide what cabinet works best for you by selecting the features that you are looking for and matching them to the appropriate model number.

When it comes time to replace your old heating cabinet or purchase a new addition to your commercial kitchen, call your Serv-U sales representative and we will help you find the commercial hot holding cabinet that fits your needs and your budget.  You can also contact Serv-U through email or live chat, and I always welcome comments here on the Restaurant Guru blog!