Food pan cooling system with thermal shims and associated preparation table

A food pan cooling system, comprising:

• a housing with a food item holding arrangement including a recessed well area defining at least a first food pan receiving location and a second food pan receiving location;
• wherein the first food pan receiving location includes a first cooled wall structure in the recessed well area to at least in part define the first food pan receiving location, the first cooled wall structure having an internal space through which a cooling fluid circulates and a first surface facing the first food pan receiving location;
• and
• a first food pan positioned in the first food pan receiving location;
• a first thermal shim connected to the first cooled wall structure in a gap between the first surface of the first cooled wall structure and the first food pan, the first thermal shim having a first shim surface and a second shim surface, the first shim surface at least partly in contact with the first surface of the first cooled wall structure, and the second shim surface facing a sidewall of the first food pan;
• and
• a mount arrangement configured to permit adjustment of a position of the first thermal shim along a height of the cooled wall structure.

A method of enhancing thermal transfer between a cooled wall structure of a food pan cooling system and a food pan supported by the food pan cooling system, the method comprising:

• the cooled wall structure having an external surface and an internal space through which a cooling fluid circulates;
• releasably mounting a thermal shim against the external surface of the cooled wall structure such that the thermal shim is located between the external surface of the cooled wall structure and a food pan receiving location such that a position of the thermal shim along a height of the cooled wall structure is user adjustable;
• and
• positioning a food pan in the food pan receiving location such that a wall portion of the food pan is spaced apart from the external surface of cooled wall structure by a gap, located between the wall portion and the external surface of the cooled wall structure, and in which the thermal shim is located, and the wall portion of the food pan is in direct contact with the thermal shim for transferring heat from food product in the food pan, through the thermal shim and to the cooled wall structure.