Half Size Pans

Steam table pans are named by their size based on their relation to a standard hotel size pan, which is 12” x 20.” For example, two half size hotel pans will equal one hotel pan, three third size pans equal the standard pan and nine ninth pans make up a hotel pan. Remember this when designing your steam table layout and do not forget to purchase divider bars when using anything lower than standard pan as the lip of the pan will need something to hang on to in the middle of the opening.
It’s a long day for any steam table pan, sitting in a hot water bath, hot holding dishes from refried beans to lasagna. By the end of the day or shift, the bottom of a steam table pan can look like a nuclear bomb went off and charred the remnants to the bottom of the pan. The hours of time it takes to remove this build up are numerous and what some buffets and catering companies are starting to do is line the pans with plastic liners. These disposable liners remove any laborious work from the process of cleaning steam table pans. Just empty the pan, lift out the liner and rinse the pan off. Easy as pie!