In catering, keeping food at the right temperature isn’t just about taste; it’s about safety. A well-executed event requires seamless temperature control, ensuring dishes stay piping hot and cold items remain refreshingly cool. This is where Cambro’s insulated transport solutions come into play, allowing caterers to manage diverse menu items in any environment confidently. Utilize these top Cambro products and practical tips to make temperature control simple and effective, indoors or outdoors.
1. Food
Insulated Transporters
Cambro’s insulated carriers, like Cam GoBoxes®, Ultra Pan Carriers® and Camcarriers®, are a caterer’s best friend when it comes to maintaining hot or cold temperatures. Constructed with high-performance insulation, these units maintain safe food temperatures for hours without electricity, making them ideal for mobile caterers and outdoor events.
Keep in mind, our insulated transport units are designed to maintain the temperature of food and not to increase its temperature. The hotter or colder the food is when loaded into your transporter, the longer it will stay that way.
- Best Practices:
- Fill Your Unit: The fuller your Cambro carrier is, the better it will retain heat. When your compartment is half empty, it will retain heat for a shorter amount of time. If you’re transporting a small amount of food, we suggest using a ThermoBarrier® (available for GoBoxes and hard-sided carriers) to minimize empty space and discourage food temperature loss.
- Avoid Opening the Door: When you open the door or lid, your unit loses temperature. The less you open it, the less the inside temperature will be disturbed.
- Add a Maintenance Tool:
- Camchiller®: Freeze a Camchiller overnight, slide it onto the top rail of your unit and close the door for 20 minutes. Afterward, load it with cold food and close the door promptly.
- Camwarmer®: Heat 2 Camwarmers in a 350°F oven for 45 minutes and slide them into the bottom rail of your unit. DO NOT put the Camwarmers directly on the bottom of your unit. Close the door for 20 minutes. When you’re ready, load with hot food and close the door immediately. *Not for use with GoBoxes.
Electric Transporters
Electric insulated transport units are designed to maintain food temperatures for more than 4 hours and during events with prolonged serving times. If you know you’ll need to access the contents of your unit frequently, electric transporters like the UPCH400, UPCH800 and Pro Cart Ultra® Universal are the ideal solution. These units and more are Energy Star-rated, which means they not only help reduce your carbon footprint but also significantly lower utility bills. In fact, a Cambro insulated transport unit can save businesses up to 30% on energy costs compared to non-certified models.
BONUS: Transport hot and cold food in the same unit, at the same time with Pro Cart Ultra Pan Carriers. Using gentle, non-radiant heat, Pro Cart Ultra Pan Carriers safely maintain food temperatures between 150˚F (65,6˚C) to 165˚F (73,9˚C) with the capability of adjusting temperatures from 140˚F (60˚C) to 185˚F (85˚C); using thermoelectric cooling technology, Pro Cart Ultra Pan Carriers are adjustable from 32.5˚F (.28˚C) to 40˚F (44,4˚C) without the use of a compressor.
2. Beverages
Our beverage servers are considered the best in class by catering professionals worldwide. The Camtainer® and Camserver® are both made with sturdy, high-density polyethylene
and are reinforced with thick foam insulation to hold beverages like coffee, water and iced tea at the desired temperature for hours without needing an external power source. They’re built to withstand the rigors of transport, making them ideal for catering and outdoor events.
Place the Camtainer in an accessible location to make self-service easy and reduce potential spills. After events, clean and sanitize the Camtainer to keep it in top condition and ready for future use.
3. Ice
Ice is an essential component for beverages from water to cocktails, and Cambro’s SlidingLid™ Ice Caddies make it simple. Our caddies are designed for easy transport and access, keeping ice clean and frozen for use throughout the event. It is not unheard of for ice to stay frozen in our caddies
for not only hours but days.
Designed with a lid that slides back and under during use to reduce the risk of cross-contamination, a recessed well and drain shelf keep water away from ice to keep it frozen longer.
Tips for Mastering Temperature Control at Any Event
- Pre-Event Prep
- Insulated Transport Carriers
- Hot Food: Slide a pan of hot water into the bottom rails of your hot box and close the door for 20 minutes. Remove pan, load it with hot food and close the door immediately.
- Cold Food: There are two ways to pre-chill your unit.
- Slide an ice-cold pan of water onto the bottom rails of your unit and close door for 20 minutes. Remove pan, load with cold food and close the door immediately.
- Place the entire carrier in your walk-in or freezer with the door open for as long as possible, preferably overnight.
- Beverage Servers
- Fill the Camtainer or Camserver with hot or cold water, depending on the type of drink you’re serving. Let it sit for a few minutes before emptying and refilling with your final drink. Ensure the lid is closed tightly after filling and avoid reopening to discourage temperature loss.
- Insulated Transport Carriers
- Monitor Temps Throughout the Event
- Regularly check food temperatures with thermometers to ensure food isn’t falling into the Danger Zone during service.
- Post-Event Cleanup
- This is an important but sometimes forgotten step in the catering process. Cleaning is essential for extending the life of your Cambro insulated transport unit. When you’re using your unit and spills occur, you may wipe them up and think that the job is done. However, after the event is over, we suggest thoroughly washing your carrier to discourage lingering smells, potential stains and difficult-to-clean conditions.
- Click here to read our best practices for cleaning both Cam GoBoxes and hard-sided units, including beverage servers.
Investing in Cambro gives caterers peace of mind knowing that temperature control challenges are handled with a reliable product that will last event after event. Click here to assess our detailed catering guide that will help you decide which Cambro product is best for your needs!
AUTHOR: ADRIANA COCHRAN IS THE DIGITAL COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER AT CAMBRO.
