Cambro Catering Equipment
Restaurants and other businesses that offer catering will face different challenges with every event they serve, whether an extravagant party or intimate gathering. While outdoor events leave caterers especially dependent on catering equipment, even those taking place indoors may offer only limited access to electricity, running water, or modern kitchen amenities.
Cambro catering supplies are designed to be a durable, dependable solution for transporting hot or cold food and drinks to events of all types and sizes. Below, you'll find more information on how Cambro products can help keep meals safe and appealing for the duration of your events.
Advantages of Using Cambro
Cambro’s commitment to food safety and customer convenience is evident in every aspect of the company's products. For events requiring catered food, Cambro food carriers are necessary pieces of equipment, as they allow food to be held at safe temperatures for several hours. They are also designed with a number of user-friendly features that allow them to stand up to the requirements of professional use.
Ease of use. In Cambro front-loading carriers, the doors open fully for easy loading and unloading, and the latches offer one-handed operation. Vented caps help to equalize the pressure within the cabinet, so the doors and lids open more easily and the unit does not become warped. Molded-in rails maximize the unit's capacity and make it easy to organize food pans.
Mobility. Heavy-duty casters make maneuvering over even the most rugged terrain smooth and safe, while polyurethane casters will suffice for smoother surfaces like carpet and tile. During transport and use, perimeter bumpers protect the unit, as well as nearby walls and other surfaces.
Dependability. Most food carriers have sturdy polyethylene construction that will look new for years, even after consistent outdoor use, and are double-wall insulated to extend holding times. To mix that durability with light weight and an economical price point, Cambro introduced the Cam GoBox, a food box constructed of expanded polypropylene for additional durability.
Considerations
When choosing a food transporter, there are three main considerations to keep in mind:
- How much food will you be transporting?
- How long will you need to hold food?
- How often will you need to access the food?
A 4-inch-deep, full-size food pan has the ability to hold (40) 1-cup servings of food. It will be important to keep that measure in mind when choosing the size and style of Cambro food carrier you’ll need. Top loaders and small front loaders are ideal for toting one to three full-size pans, while larger top-load models can carry up to four pans. For 6 to 32 full-size pans, you’ll want to choose among Cambro’s Ultra Camcart, Combo Cart Plus, or Camtherm units.
If you’ll be holding food for less than 4 hours, a non-electric transporter will suffice. These cabinets even keep food naturally moist without requiring a water pan. They’ll continue to keep food warm for as long as four hours after the box has been unplugged, so even if the site itself doesn’t have electricity, it will still be possible to serve up delicious, warm meals.
Top-loading models can hold a full size pan or a combination of fractional ones and can also function as servers. Front-loading types can hold food pans, food boxes, or sheet pans in a number of configurations. For mobility, Cambro offers units with casters and provides CamDollies that make moving your food easy.
If your event is in a remote location and you need to hold food for longer than 4 hours, an electric transporter is recommended for hot food. If you have the luxury of electricity at your location, either because the venue has it installed or you’ve elected to purchase a generator, electric food holding cabinets are ideal for longer events. They offer extended holding time and preserve food safety.
One of the most important things to keep in mind when using your food transporter is that the fuller it is, the better it will function in keeping food hot or cold. Temperature maintenance tools like CamWarmers, ThermoBarriers, and Camchillers help fill empty spaces and maintain the cabinet's hot or cold temperatures.
Pre-heating and pre-cooling the container before filling it will also help keep temperatures where you want them. Using shallow pans and storing similar food items together can further optimize temperature regulation.
If you will be opening and closing the doors frequently while on location, you’ll need an electrified version to guarantee food is kept at safe temperatures. Temperature maintenance tools like those covered above will help replace lost heat due to constant opening and closing of the doors, even with non-electrified units.
Cambro also offers catering equipment for hot or cold beverages to complete your meal service and keep guests happy.
Beverage Dispensers
With dispensers that have the ability to dispense between 11⁄2 and 113⁄4 gallons of tea, coffee, or even thin soups, Cambro will help you keep guests happy. The insulative properties of the design, including an air gap between the inside and outside of the dispensers, keeps hot drinks hot and cold drinks cold for hours.
Cambro drink dispensers are so versatile that, with accessories like soap dispensers and paper towel holders, some of them can even be configured into hand washing stations, making them perfect for locations that may not have ready access to running water.
Ice Caddies
Ice is a critical component to almost any event, no matter the location or size. Cambro catering offers ice caddies that will keep between 100 and 200 pounds of ice at the ready. They have slanted or straight tops, and casters make them easy to move up a hillside or across a ballroom. Their shelves keep the ice separated from the melt water to keep ice frozen longer. A general rule of thumb is to have between 1⁄2 and 1 pound of ice per person, but again, you may want to increase that if you’re catering an outdoor venue.
CamDollies
To make transportation even easier, CamDollies are specifically designed to move Cambro food carriers and beverage dispensers, but their utility doesn’t end there. They are also ideal for hauling bulk food items, canned or bottled drinks, dishes, and other equipment. They have sturdy casters and straps to ensure bulky and cumbersome loads move easily across uneven or rugged terrain.
Care & Maintenance
Cambro food carriers are designed to last for years, and they will do just that with proper care and maintenance. For lingering scents and stains, rub down the cabinet with a solution of hot water and either baking soda, lemon juice, or vinegar. For everyday cleaning, simply wash with warm, soapy water, rinse, and dry completely. On units that have doors, removing those will make thoroughly cleaning the unit easier. During the process, check to make sure all doors, gaskets, spigots, latches, and hinges are in proper working order.
While sanitizing carriers is recommended, ammonia and bleach should not be used in that process. Once the unit is clean, allow it to air dry, keeping the lid slightly open until thoroughly dried. It is also recommended that the casters be lubricated after each cleaning. A few other tips that can help keep your Cambro cabinet functioning like new for years:
- Never use canned cooking fuel inside the cabinet.
- Always allow sheet or food pans to cool to 250 degrees Fahrenheit before placing them inside or on top of the Cambro.
- Remember to open the vents to prevent warping of the cabinet.
- Boiling liquid should not be poured directly onto the cabinet.
- Do not place the cabinet against any direct heat source like a hot oven or grill.
- Never use a cart or dolly with damaged casters.
