How many times have you arrived at a party, only to find that the buffet has already been picked over--the mini-quiches are cold, the cocktail weenies lukewarm and the serving utensils scattered? Don’t let your guests suffer the same fate this party season! By investing in quality chafing dishes to serve up holiday hors d'oeuvres, you ensure an appetizing spread that can survive even the lengthiest soirée.

Chafers are the best way to build a buffet table that looks both professional and inviting. Guests have easy access to hot food, since the dish has its own fuel source. Depending on the setting—high, medium or low—your liquid chafing fuel will burn for 3, 6 or 8 hours, maintaining food temperatures from the first bites of the party to guests’ final nibbles. The fuel is used to heat water that in turn heats the serving dish but there is no direct flame on the food pan, so your meatballs can marinate without being burned.

If younger guests or health and fire department codes make maintaining an open flame too much of a concern, an electric heater is another option. Two electric heaters will keep a full size 8-quart chafing dish warm; no matter how many times your guests open up the lid to indulge in extra helpings.

With a chafing dish, you can stuff your mushrooms and bake your tarts in the foil pans ahead of time to minimize energy spent on food prep during the party. Just before everyone arrives, fill the lower water pan with about 2” of hot water and place the food pan into the chafer. During the party, the two 4-quart pans allow you to reload one pan, while leaving another behind for guests to continue to enjoy. One chafer can also work double-duty by housing two different types of food—buffalo wings in one pan and barbeque chicken wings in the other.

After the guests are gone, clean-up is easy; the pans can be placed directly into the fridge and reheated in the oven.

Alternatively, the chafing dish can be used to keep your salads and shrimp cocktails cool. Placing ice in the water tray, rather than using fuel or electricity, keeps food fresh and cold for hours.

For a stylish presentation, the chafer can be displayed on a beautiful wrought iron stand. You can also compliment the stainless steel chafing dish with elegant buffetware.

Compared to a standard serving platter, the chafer is an ideal piece of kitchen equipment to present favorite appetizers while saving you the time and energy needed to a give your guests top-notch service.