Hot and Cold Buffet Station
Hot and cold buffets let operators serve different food types in a limited space that can't accommodate both a steam table and a cold food bar. With these units, you can serve both hot and cold foods out of the same footprint with a single power source.
Hot & Cold Buffet Equipment: What You Need to Know
While most buffet equipment is heated, refrigerated, or room temperature, these unique hot and cold buffet stations enable operators to serve chilled and heated foods alongside each other. This makes your buffet service more versatile, as you can offer a wider array of foods without investing in new equipment. Many of these hot and cold buffets are portable for additional versatility, so operators can position them wherever is most beneficial to the buffet line.
Common Questions About Hot & Cold Buffets
How many wells does a hot and cold buffet have?
Hot and cold buffets can come with as few as two wells or as many as five, with any combination of those wells being hot or cold. For example, a four-well unit might have two hot wells and two cold wells, or it may have one cold well and three hot wells. This versatility ensures you can find the unit with the right configuration for the volume of food you will be serving.
How do hot and cold buffet stations keep food cold?
While each of these units requires a power source for the heated wells, some models use an ice-cooled well in place of the standard refrigerated well. These can be used to serve drinks on ice next to the components of a hot meal. Ice wells must be refilled periodically throughout the course of service, while refrigerated compartments require power to cool down food. Ice wells always come with a drain for easy cleanup. Hot and cold buffets usually have insulation between the different wells to keep heat out of the cold wells.
What features are available?
Hot and cold buffet stations are available with stainless steel or colored exteriors to help you find a unit that best fits your venue's decor. Other options, such as built-in sneeze guards, help ensure food safety, whether the unit will be used as a self-serve buffet or a serving line. Consult the product specifications page for the hot and cold buffet equipment you're considering to see what features the product offers.