If you’re new to the business of cooking and holding food, then you have somewhat of a learning curve ahead of you. Rather than let you make your own mistakes and learn solely by trial and error, we’ve put together a short list of tips to have you holding food like a pro in no time.

Three Tips for Holding Food Like a Pro

Tip One: Consider Your Menu.

The truth is that some foods just lend themselves better to the holding process than others. If your menu items depend on being served immediately – going straight from the pan to the plate to the table – then sticking them into a holding cabinet is not a wise decision. If you know in advance that holding will be part of the process, however, you can arrange your weekly menu to account for this time spent in holding and choose menu items accordingly.

Tip Two: Learn Your Hold Times.

In order to keep food safe and free from bacteria, guidelines have been set in place to regulate how long hot food can be safely held, and at what temperatures holding cabinets should be set. Following these strictures will ensure that your food is just as safe as it is delicious. In addition, you need not fear the Health Department citing you for a violation.

Tip Three: Maximize Your Resources.

Making sure that all of your menu items are hot and ready simultaneously can be quite a challenge. Even if you plan the timing before hand, you never know when some last-minute catastrophe will crop up to derail your entire cooking session. If you’re able to leverage the power of the hot food holding cabinet, however, you can ensure that no parts of your meal are left cooling on the counter while you wait for other dishes to finish.

We here at Thermodyne Foodservice Products are proud of our long tradition of providing quality food warmers for industrial kitchens. If you have questions or comments about our fine product lines, please feel free to contact us. We look forward to serving you.