Shortly after introducing the Air Curtain Ultra™ in February of 2020, one of the first orders we received came from Mario Plata, Dining Services Manager at DuPage Care Center. After the onset of the coronavirus pandemic, Plata began using more disposable items and needed more space to hold cold food at temperature for their tray line. The Air Curtain Ultra maintains food and beverage temperatures at 41˚F or below for up to 2 hours with the door open.

“If the unit stays open for two hours, it starts beeping. Our tray line doesn’t last that long; it’s about an hour and 45 minutes. I like that [feature] because our employees don’t keep the door open before we even start the tray line. With other units, they can just load the food in there and the next thing you know, the door has been open for two or three hours. With this unit, they know they only have two hours which helps keep the food cold,” said Plata.

Designed with a smooth stainless-steel exterior and interior, the Air Curtain Ultra is equipped with heavy-duty shelves to handle trays full of items like cold sides, desserts, drinks and salads.

“I think [the Air Curtain Ultra] is a lot stronger, all the way from the outside to the inside,” said Plata. “With Cambro’s shelves, there’s no way we’re going to be bending those shelves. They are very strong.”

The Air Curtain Ultra’s removable shelves were designed for both strength and maximum sanitation.  

“We clean it after each use; it is pretty easy to clean. Since the shelves are open, there aren’t really little corners where the dirt can stay there or build up. The wires are really open, you can just wipe it down,” said Plata.

Equipped with superior insulation throughout its cabinet, the Air Curtain Ultra maximizes temperature retention. Regularly cleaning the Air Curtain Ultra’s condenser is essential to keeping it running at top performance. The intuitive control panel on the unit automatically reminds you when it’s time for a cleaning.

“It is a plus because I don’t have to remember and I don’t have to rely on our facilities’ management to make sure there is preventative maintenance,” said Plata.

In addition to the Air Curtain Ultra, Plata uses Cambro’s Camduction® system, domes, trays, bowls and drying racks. More than 10 years ago, Plata switched to the Camduction after his previous system cracked and exploded during service.

“I like that Cambro has reliable equipment,” said Plata. “You can’t ask for better customer service than [Cambro].”

Cambro is dedicated to supporting patient meal service in every type of healthcare facility. Click here to see the full line of Cambro Healthcare products.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: ADRIANA DESIDERIO IS THE DIGITAL CONTENT MANAGER AT CAMBRO.