Few commercial kitchens, cafe’s, hotels or canteens can get on with the job of creating delicious hot food without the use of Gastronorm containers. Made of either polycarbonate, porcelain or stainless steel, these versatile containers are an essential part of any equipped kitchen. Within this article, we look at why you need a selection of Gastronorm pans for your professional kitchen.

What Are Gastronorm Containers?

Gastronorm refers to a type of container rather than a brand. In fact, many kitchen brands out there today manufacture Gastronorm pans and containers. Typically, they feature a stable but unsecured lid with a curved central handle that can be used on other pans in your set and removed and replaced easily. They may be made from stainless steel or a durable polycarbonate plastic as well as porcelain. As a customer you will be more likely to have seen the stainless steel versions at a breakfast buffet or in a cafe or canteen. All options, whether they are made of stainless steel, polycarbonate, or porcelain, come in a range of sizes so that they can be used for industrial-scale cooking or in a small cafe or deli for serving.

What Are the Main Uses for Gastronorm Containers?

One of the major advantages of using Gastronorm pans and containers in your kitchen is their huge versatility. Not only are they invaluable for chefs but also for serving staff. Of all the available materials, stainless steel Gastronorm pans are the most versatile, as one can be used as a bainmarie or indeed as a baking tray for use in the oven, whilst shallow tins can be used for roasting and grilling. All construction materials of Gastronorm pans and containers can be used for food storage and can indeed be stacked on top of one another in the fridge to save space. The stainless steel ones are excellent for food heat retention, especially when used in conjunction with a heated serving kiosk, keeping breakfast, lunch or dinner warm for the entire length of service. Polycarbonate containers, on the other hand, are lightweight, making them ideal for busy kitchens and serving areas where food needs to be transported quickly and easily. The polycarbonate variety are ideal for serving cold food at a cafeteria or canteen or indeed, a hotel breakfast buffet. Both polycarbonate and stainless steel options are hygienic too and can be easily cleaned.

Furthermore, these kinds of pans are useful for complicated recipes that require stages of cooking and food to be kept separate until it is served up. They offer a clean, secluded, heat-retaining area to store cooked or partially cooked food, such as meat that needs to rest before being carved.

As you can see, these containers offer a myriad of uses whilst proving invaluable to both chefs and serving staff alike, helping with heat retention, cooking, preparation, good hygiene practice and storage. Every kitchen needs to have a selection of these clever commercial pans at its disposal.