Food wells can be hot, cold or a combination of the two for use in both the front and back of house.
Hot and cold food wells effectively keep food at proper temperatures and accessible for speed of service. This equipment most often appears in cafeterias, buffets and catering applications. Although more commonly used with non-prepackaged foods, drop-in hot and cold food wells can also accommodate packaged items, such as beverages, fruit and yogurt.
Cold wells used in commercial foodservice adhere to NSF 7 guidelines, while drop-in merchandisers follow NSF 2 guidelines. In addition, NSF 4 guidelines apply to holding hot food items in wells. To ensure food safety guidelines are adhered to, hot drop-in wells must hold food at 150 degrees F; cold food wells are required to hold product between 33 degrees F and 41 degrees F.
Food wells have a basic format, construction and makeup. Standard features with this equipment include stainless-steel construction, remote controls and compressors that slide out for easy maintenance. For on- or off-site catering, countertop wells feature an outer shell and are portable, while built-in units are static and designed to be fabricated into counters.
For versatile use, operators can choose from various food well configurations, with the most common holding 12-inch-by-20-inch stainless pans. By incorporating adapter plate accessories, food wells can provide added flexibility to accommodate a combination of 1/3-, 1/6- and 1/2-size pans. Some well merchandisers are built to hold 18-inch-by-26-inch sheet pans in different sections. Curved drop-in wells are also available.
Some food wells are designated for specific uses. For example, soup warmer wells are available in 4-, 7- and 11-quart round models. Integrated counter merchandisers have either slightly recessed sheet pan merchandising or vertical drop-in cold and hot configurations, which meet changing menu needs.
Hot food wells with stainless-steel top rims and optional drains are available in both electric and gas versions. This type uses water baths or waterless wells that keep food at proper temperatures.
Cold food wells are available in mechanically cooled models, forced-air units that push air on top of product and a more recent technology that cools wells using refrigeration lines. Operators can also choose simplified, less costly versions of this equipment that utilizes ice pans. Most cold food wells have compressors underneath, although models are available with remote compressors and condensing systems for operators with smaller footprints that require noise reduction in the kitchen.
Some hot food wells maintain food temperatures with heated convected air rather than steam. This type eliminates the need for water and uses less electricity than traditional wells since heat is transferred more directly. Well technology that incorporates eutectic fluid to efficiently cool pans is also available. With this method, food pans can be flush mounted rather than recessed.
Minimal optional components are available for food wells, such as adapter bars for different pan configurations, telescope covers, low-profile configurations, water pans and inset covers. Other add-ons include autofill devices that automatically add water to built-in warmers’ wells and drains that operators can easily open and close.
Convertible hot and cold food wells provide independent temperature controls with each well. There are also units with various tilts and angles that meet NSF guidelines.
This equipment category has benefited from technological innovations. Hot food wells are now available with a heating method that reduces energy use from 1200 to 1000 watts down to 500 watts with separate heating mechanisms for each well.
