The range of food warmers is distinguished by a wide variety of shapes and designs, which allows you to choose any food warmer for every taste.
The most popular are table bain-marie for main courses. They come in different shapes: round, rectangular, oval, square. They consist of a lower part, an insert-container and a lid. In the lower part there are burners for fuel on a special stand, and containers are inserted from above. With the help of inserts-containers of standard sizes (GN1 / 1, GN1 / 2, GN1 / 3) it is possible to place from one to three dishes in one bain-marie. Heating is carried out using candles or gel, and in some models - using electricity. The lids differ in the way they are opened. The classic version is a flat lid with a handle in the center, which opens just like a lid on any saucepan. A slight inconvenience is that the guest needs to put it somewhere when he applies food. But these food warmers are usually cheaper. Much more convenient are the Roll Top lids, which fold back, like a breadbox. They are of two types and differ in that they can open 90 ° or 180 °. The latter are much more convenient, since they greatly facilitate the replacement of empty gastronorm containers.

Bain-marie is a type of heating equipment for distribution lines. Bain-marie is one of the high-tech thermal equipment. They are intended for short-term preservation of food in a hot state until the time of their distribution to the consumer, as well as for transportation of ready-made food.
Food warmers are installed at catering establishments separately or in technological lines of hot shops and distribution lines of self-service enterprises. The most common place to use food warmers is in buffets.
There are several types of food warmers, depending on what kind of dish is served in them. In accordance with the approved sanitary rules, the temperature of ready-made meals for short-term storage in a hot plate (no more than 2-3 hours from the moment of preparation) in a heated state during distribution should be:
- for main courses and side dishes - not lower than 65C;
- for soups, sauces - not lower than 75C;
- for hot drinks - not lower than 75C.
Heat treatment in food warmers is carried out both by traditional methods (surface heating by means of heat transfer) and by using intensified methods that allow increasing the heat transfer coefficient. This type of equipment includes various devices with infrared and combined heating.
Bain-marie for the first courses looks a little different. They consist of a stand-base and one or two containers with first courses inserted into it. The food warmers are equipped with round electric cast iron burners, which are mounted on a special heating shelf, which has a height of no more than 450 mm from the floor level. Each burner has its own thermostat, the heating range can vary from 20C to 300C.
Manufacturers also offer models of food warmers, where the burners are made in the form of a solid surface according to the principle of a stove with a glass-ceramic work surface and infrared heating. These bain-marie have zonal temperature control and are intended for first and second courses in cookware.

There are also food warmers for hot drinks: for serving tea or coffee. However, it is impossible to prepare a drink in them, since, unlike a samovar, you cannot boil water in them due to the insufficiently high temperature.
Not only tabletop, but also stationary food warmers are in great demand. These are sectional modular units that are part of the dispensing lines. Bain-marie of this type consists of a body, a set of special containers for short-term storage of food (bain-marie) and heating elements. The bottoms of the gastronorm containers can be heated by heating elements designed to work in an air environment ("dry" bain-marie) or by the principle of a water bath, as well as by steam. "Water" food warmers are better, as they allow you to maintain the taste and nutritional qualities of food without scorching and overdrying. Heating and maintaining the required temperature in the baths of such food warmers is carried out with water heated by hermetically sealed heating elements. This heating method allows you to effectively change the heating temperature. A thermostat is used to maintain the set temperature. For safety reasons, to prevent switching on without water, the bain-marie is equipped with a safety thermostat.
To drain the water, a drain tube is brought into the lower part of the container, which ensures safe operation and sanitization.
Steam ovens are equipped with steam generators located in the lower part of the inner volume. The food in the bain-marie is heated with saturated water vapor formed by heating the water volume with a heating element to a temperature of 80-85C.

What can you not find in a modern kitchen! Some fruits of scientific and technological progress are even difficult to identify at first glance, let alone come up with a name for them. It is to such items that the food warmer belongs. Many of us have seen it in restaurants or hotel buffets, but gradually it starts to seep into regular kitchens as well, because it's a handy and practical gadget. What is it, bain-marie?

What is a bain-marie and why is it needed

A food warmer is a device for storing prepared food at a certain temperature. The description is similar to a refrigerator, but the bain-marie has one fundamentally different feature - it keeps the dishes warm, and the lid does not allow them to weather. Thus, the food in the oven for a long time looks as if it has just been removed from the stove.

The food warmer looks like an oval, round or rectangular container on a stand with a lid. Inside it there are several separate containers (rarely more than four), where cooked food is placed. In addition, the device is equipped with a thermostat and, sometimes, protection that prevents the device from turning on if there is nothing inside.

It should be noted that the bain-marie is not intended for cooking. You can neither cook soup nor brew tea in it - the degree of heating is not enough for this. It serves solely to maintain the temperature of hot dishes, since repeated heating does not affect their taste for the better, and this is known to any chef.

Modern food warmers are made from environmentally friendly and safe materials that help maintain the required temperature, are reliable and durable.

Types of food warmers

Food warmers can be divided into groups according to many characteristics: shape, purpose (for first courses, for second courses, for sauces, for drinks), materials, the number of working containers, and so on. However, the main classification is based on the structural features and the nuances of the functioning of the devices, thanks to which the food remains warm.

Today there are three types of food warmers:

1. A variety that does not have an additional heating device, working on the principle of a thermos. The temperature is maintained due to the tightness of the lid and the double walls of the dishes. This bain-marie is designed to keep warm for a short time.
2. Heated by electricity. Such models can most often be found on buffets, in restaurants and similar public institutions.
3. Heating by means of a tablet candle or a gas burner - as a rule, these are compact devices that can be found in ordinary kitchens.

Depending on the installation method, the devices can be table-top or stationary. Table food warmers are used both at home and at outdoor events. They are distinguished by their small size, but, nevertheless, they keep well the first and second courses, as well as drinks and sauces hot.

Heating in tabletop models is carried out either thanks to a gas burner, or due to the presence of special heating elements. Stationary food warmers are not designed to be moved. They represent a whole complex of containers where you can find several different first or second courses, as well as sauces. They are usually found in large catering outlets.

Device of bain-marie

The device of bain-marie affects not only the quality of their functioning, but also the convenience of using them. Therefore, we will consider some details in more detail.

Material from which the device is made can be very different: chrome-plated steel, ceramics, heat-resistant glass, granite and marble. This parameter affects not only the appearance, but also the quality and duration of the temperature retention.

Lid. It can be removable, like a pan, reclining and rolling. The last two options, as practice shows, are much more convenient, since they do not require looking for a place where to put the removed cover. And the roll-back and flip-open lids close more tightly, which allows you to keep the warmth and flavor of the food. The only plus of the removable cover is the low cost of the devices equipped with it. Among the hinged lids, those that have an angle of 180 degrees are preferable - they are more convenient to use and maintain.

Thermostat. This appliance serves to demonstrate and maintain the temperature that is optimal for each dish. In some cases, it is directly related to the power supply and can turn the heating on or off depending on whether the temperature rises or falls. It also prevents the inclusion of an empty device. Ideally, the range of the thermostat should be between 30 and 90 degrees, narrower modes will be less convenient. One of the important characteristics is the location of the thermostat - it should be easily accessible for the cook and hidden from visitors so that no one accidentally knocks down the settings. The ideal temperature for first courses, drinks and sauces is 75 degrees Celsius, for second courses - 65 degrees.

Stand holder must be reliable and stable. If you plan to use the food warmer for "representative" purposes, that is, on a buffet, in the direct access of visitors, then it is important that the stand complements the overall design of the device.

Additional elements. The food warmer can be equipped with a humidifier, lighting, a fan, rotating shelves (they are often used for displaying goods), wheels for moving around the kitchen, an electric cord, drawers for storing cutlery and many other parts. When purchasing, it should be remembered that most of these components do not affect the direct functionality, but at the same time increase the cost. Based on this, before buying, you first need to decide exactly what kind of food warmer you need, where it will stand, what dishes are planned to be stored in it, and other important nuances. This will help you avoid wasting extra money on unnecessary features.

It is not necessary to mention that all parts must be securely fixed, and the device itself must be free of chips, cracks and other defects.

In what ways is food processed in bain-marie

As we mentioned earlier, heating can be carried out in different ways: by means of a burner, electricity, or simply the design does not allow food to cool down. However, in most cases, it is not the container with food itself that heats up, but the heating is done indirectly. For example, chafing-dishes have containers of water, so food is heated like in a water bath. In other models, air plays the role of water, but such models are less convenient, since the dishes in them can dry out and burn.

The most innovative bain-marie uses infrared illumination as heating to ensure maximum heat dissipation without any drawbacks.

There are also combined options. They are the most convenient, since different technologies are more preferable for different dishes. For example, first courses are best kept warm using traditional water and dry methods. But for the second courses, infrared radiation will be preferable, which will prevent them from burning or drying out.

Benefits of using

All well-known restaurateurs and hotel owners have long appreciated the advantages of equipping such a device as a bain-marie. But in home kitchens, he is still a rare guest. And in vain. What are the undoubted advantages you get with this interesting piece of kitchen utensils?

1. Ready meals retain their freshness for a long time and do not require reheating, which would negatively affect the taste.
2. It greatly simplifies the work of chefs, who can cook a large amount of a dish at once, and then serve it fresh and warm as needed.
3. The food warmer saves time for food service customers who can receive the ordered dish immediately, without wasting time waiting for it to be cooked.
4. The food warmer is affordable and saves electricity or gas, which would have to be spent on preparing many small portions of the same dish.
5. At a picnic or at an off-site event, the food warmer allows you to bring ready-made meals and maintain the temperature they need any amount of time until the guests sit down at the table.
6. These devices are easy to use and undemanding to maintain.

Rules of operation and care

First of all, it is worth remembering that the bain-marie is designed to maintain the temperature regime of various types of food, and not for warming up. That is, only hot, freshly cooked, fried or otherwise prepared dishes can be placed there. If you have frozen food, you must first reheat them in the microwave or oven, and only then place them in the bain-marie.

Do not try to adapt a stationary food warmer for moving. It is better to purchase a specially mobile model.

In restaurants, before each use, food warmers are carefully examined for defects and violations of sanitary and hygienic standards.

Bain-marie care is easy. In principle, it is sufficient to wash it regularly. True, most appliances do not tolerate aggressive cleaning with abrasive products and hard sponges. It is better to use soft sponges and a solution of soda, which is enough to boil and soak containers in it for a quarter of an hour so that all burnt pieces quickly fall behind. Countertop food warmers fit easily into the dishwasher. If you have an option with the principle of a water bath, then after each use, the water must be drained, rinsed and wiped dry.

This word came to us from the French language, which means "pot, pot". The food warmer is a special device designed to keep ready meals warm. For a long time, bain-marie was used primarily in catering, restaurants and hotels for room service. However, today they are increasingly found in ordinary houses and apartments. It is a truly practical and indispensable tool.

How does the food warmer work?

This type of tableware is invariably exquisite tableware. The food warmer is an elegant round, rectangular or oval container with a stand and a lid. The material of manufacture is predominantly stainless steel. Inside the device there is one or more removable containers, into which the finished dish is directly placed.

To keep food warm, the bain-marie can have double walls and an absolutely sealed lid. However, in households, devices with heating candles installed under the bottom of the dishes are more often used to constantly heat the finished dish.

The materials in the removable container also contribute to keeping food warm. Most often it is heat-resistant glass, porcelain or ceramics.

How to use the food warmer?

The food warmer is not only an exquisite and useful, but also extremely easy-to-use device. You simply place a hot dish in a container, serve it to the table, and light a tealight. The food in the warmer will remain warm in an hour and two hours after serving.

Because of this, this cutlery is perfect for large feasts, because at any moment you can serve the guests warmed, as if only taken from the stove, dishes. It is indispensable in everyday life, especially if you leave for work earlier than the rest of the family and want to please them with something lukewarm for breakfast.

And finally, the bain-marie will easily decorate any outdoor feast and bring a touch of sophistication to the atmosphere of any picnic.

Hot, tasty and aromatic food is what every housewife strives for. Many people find it very difficult to make a festive serving of a daily meal. In fact, properly selected high-quality kitchen utensils can easily cope with the task. What it is, and where to get it, we will discuss further.

Of course, any freshly prepared dish is tastier and healthier than a frozen one. It was in order to prolong this time as long as possible that the food warmers were invented. In the household, such equipment is not particularly used, more in restaurant complexes, but everyone can buy it, the equipment is widely available.

The bain-marie is a dish made of a special material that allows you to keep the temperature of the dish at a certain level for the required time. It is a stand (heated frame) with vessels of various shapes. Additionally may include thermostats, indicators and display. With its help, food retains its aroma and original taste for a long time. It can often be used to serve dishes at buffets, celebrations and other important events.

Most of the bain-marie makers are not intended for cooking (only storage!) Food, but there are also specialized devices in which you can cook.

Depending on the place of use, the utensils are stationary and mobile, respectively. It is easy to use, easy to install on a table and has a compact size (up to 5 liters in volume). It is worth noting the extreme convenience of this device for outdoor recreation, where everything cools down much faster, and the bain-marie will help keep food hot for longer. In addition, the appliance fits easily into a kitchen cabinet, has a stylish custom design that makes serving the dish truly royal.

Types of bain-marie

Depending on the food, food warmers are divided into:

1. For the first courses. Outwardly, they are not very wide, but they have high walls, which allows you to maintain an optimal temperature, both on the surface and at the bottom.
2. For second courses. A wide vessel with low walls. Thanks to its special shape, food is evenly heated in a short time.

They are in shape: square, round, oval, rectangular.

By the type of material for making kitchen utensils, there are:

1. Glass. Heat-resistant glass easily withstands temperature changes. In addition, it makes the serving of the dish special, since it is clearly visible through the transparent walls.
2. Ceramic / marble. They are highly durable and aesthetically pleasing. It is ideal for home use.
3. Steel. Because steel is durable, it can be cleaned in the dishwasher. This type is often used in restaurants.
4. Porcelain. The material heats up instantly and retains heat longer than other types.

Additionally, the bain-marie can be finished with other material from the inside. The lid of the vessel can be removable or hinged.

Heating is carried out in different ways:

1. From candles or burners (gas). Such a bain-marie is simple and absolutely safe, moreover, it creates a warm and romantic atmosphere for your feast.
2. With a tight lid and additional walls. This is a kind of kitchen thermos. Food only holds the temperature for a few hours.
3. Electrical. This type is very common in restaurants, cafes and bars. They can work for a long time.
4. Combined type.

Buyers are often interested in which bain-marie to prefer? Stop your choice on the one that best suits your requirements (size, color, type of heating, etc.).

How to choose a bain-marie?

If you decide to buy a food warmer for your own kitchen, consider the following:

1. Dimensions. If you have a small family, you can take a bain-marie with one compartment. If you want to use it to serve dishes on the festive table, you can get a bain-marie for several compartments at once, which will allow you to serve several different dishes at the same time.
2. A place. If you have a small apartment, you shouldn't buy a large-sized food warmer, otherwise you simply won't find a place for it on the dining table.
3. Color and design. For the home, you should select the dishes that match the interior of your room.

Having considered the differences and features of the bain-marie, we can say that such dishes are indispensable in every kitchen. Having chosen the optimal model for yourself, you will personally experience the benefits of this useful device.

Household food warmer: your assistant in the kitchen

Bain-marie are not the most popular guests in our kitchens. Where there is a possibility of seeing them - in restaurants, hotels, canteens - we often simply do not pay attention to them. However, this does not prevent us from using the result of their work - food cooked some time ago, but still warm (and not reheated!). Bain-marie is especially popular when organizing buffets and catering companies that provide catering services.

What is a bain-marie and what is it for

The food warmer is a food container designed to keep cooked food warm. Why was there a need for food warmers at all? The fact is that repeated heating at home and in public catering points negatively affects the taste of ready-made meals. Any cook and any housewife will inform you about it. As for the bain-marie, it is able to keep food warm for a certain time. Most often, bain-marie is used for heating main courses and side dishes. Another purpose of the food warmer is not just keeping them warm at the place of preparation, but also the transportation of finished products to the place of their use.

• second courses and side dishes: 65-70 ° С;
• soups and sauces served hot: 75-80 ° C;
• hot drinks: 75-80 ° С.

In order to maintain the temperature inside the bain-marie, suitable for a particular dish, thermostats are used - one or more, depending on the number of containers used. Also, sometimes there is a protective device that will not allow you to turn on the food warmer if it turns out to be empty (without liquids and food).

It should be borne in mind that food warmers are not at all adapted directly for cooking: it is impossible to cook soup or brew coffee in them, since the temperature maintained in them will clearly not be enough.

What is especially pleasant is that this device does not carry any particularly significant additional costs - even electric models (and they are not the only ones available on the market) use energy very economically, and others may not use any fuel at all or work from special burners or candles.

Varieties of food warmers

There are several classifications of food warmers - they can be divided into groups depending on the type of device for keeping the food warm, on the purpose, on the material of the cooking surface of the food warmer, on the shape, on the type of lid and on the number of working containers in the food warmer.

Depending on the type of device that allows you to keep the dish warm, the bain-marie can be of the following types:

• hermetically sealed, with a lid and without additional heating - they are able to retain heat for a certain time due to double walls with an air space between them;
• electrically heated - they are most common on professional distribution lines;
• heated by a candle or burner - they are in demand mainly in the household.

Depending on the purpose, the bain-marie can be:

• desktop (they are mobile or portable);
• stationary.

Tabletop models are best for use in small kitchens, as well as for catering. Stationary models are whole complexes consisting of several modules or sections. They can be found only in the kitchens of large catering outlets - in restaurants and hotels.

The material from which the container of the bain-marie is made directly depends on how well it can retain heat, as well as how safe it will be for finished products. Depending on the material of manufacture, food warmers can be of the following types:

• steel (chrome-plated or polished);
• ceramic or porcelain;
• made of heat-resistant glass;
• marble or granite.

Set of four ceramic food warmers

The most widespread are the first three materials, but marble and granite are used extremely rarely. It should be borne in mind that we are talking about materials that are in direct contact with food, but the outer finish of the bain-marie can be metal, ceramic, and even wood. Elite models of these containers can be finished with precious metals - gold or silver.

The shape of the bain-marie can be very different:

• round;
• rectangular;
• oval;
• square.

Round food warmer

In addition, there are food warmers of non-standard shape, as well as those in which the shape of the working container and the outer contour do not coincide.

There are two main types of lids for bain-marie:

• classic - it opens like a pan;
• Roll Tot type - it leans upward in the same way as a regular bread bin (the opening angle can be 90 ° or 180 °).

The most convenient and hassle-free service models are considered to be models with a Roll Tot cover that opens 180 °: you will not need to figure out where to put the removed cover, and it is much easier to wash such food warmers than those where the opening angle is half the size.

By the number of working containers, bain-marie can be:

• with one container;
• with several containers.

Multiple containers usually mean two, three or four, more is much less common.

Chafing-dish food warmers

"Chafing dish" is a special name for a whole category of food warmers, which are widely used in organizing buffets and buffets. These are desk-type devices of a rectangular shape, into which the container is inserted. The sizes of these containers are standardized - they are GN1 / 1, GN1 / 2, GN1 / 3. They are made of chrome-plated or polished stainless steel, and they are heated with hot steam (like in a water bath). They are good for keeping main dishes, side dishes and hot baked goods warm.

Classic chafing dish

Chafing-dishe bain-marie is a kind of modules that can be used both individually and in combination with several other similar modules.

Methods for cooking food in bain-marie

As mentioned above, the heating of the bain-marie can be carried out in several ways - from electricity, from a burner (candle), or without additional devices. However, these are not all the differences associated with the heating method.

So, in most models, it is not the body of this device itself that heats up, but the container with water located under it (as in the chafing-dish bain-marie). In other models, it is not liquid that is heated, but air, in this case it is customary to classify the bain-marie as a "dry" type. The disadvantage of the latter is that the food in such devices often turns out to be overdried, and sometimes burns a little.

Recently, advanced high-tech models of food warmers have appeared - they implement infrared heating. This method allows you to get the highest possible heat transfer coefficient.

In addition to the described models, there are also combined models on sale - those in which two or more heating methods are successfully combined. They can be called the most versatile options, because in each specific case, you can choose the method that will be optimal for your dish. For example, it is believed that it is better to keep first courses warm in one of the traditional ways (dry or in a steam bath), but infrared technology is well suited for second courses.

Popular models of food warmers for home use

What model of bain-marie is better to buy for home use? First of all, it will have to be practical and compact. Below are descriptions of several of these models from different manufacturers.

The food warmer VS-1534 ($ 35) has a usable volume of 1.9 liters, the bowl is made of heat-resistant glass, and the lid is made of stainless steel. One candle is used for heating. This bowl is also suitable for heating food in the microwave.

The round-shaped food warmer from the company ($ 110) looks original and stylish - its bowl is also made of heat-resistant glass, and the lid, legs and stand are made of stainless steel. Heating is carried out in a manner similar to the previous one, however, the useful volume is larger - 2.5 liters.

A marble container is allocated to a German manufacturer's bain-marie with dimensions of 20x9.7 cm ($ 70). Handles and stand are made of polished steel. The lid can be removed in the usual way, sealed to the working container. The temperature is maintained by dense double walls.

A bain-marie from the same manufacturer with two containers ($ 66) can also become a real decoration of the festive table. The capacity of each container is 0.8L. They are made of snow-white porcelain and placed in a beautiful wrought-iron stand.

The food warmer ($ 50) differs in larger dimensions, which also has two containers, but already 1.5 liters each. The containers are made of heat-resistant glass, the handles and lid are made of stainless steel. Food stays warm thanks to two candles underneath the containers.

It is impossible to call the bain-marie a must-have item - after all, in our country, housewives prefer more traditional ways of heating food. However, on the festive table, bain-marie will look at least original and at the same time will bring some benefit if the celebration promises to be long.