Food holding system

A method of holding food, the method comprising:

• placing food in a food holding space of a food holder;
• installing the food holder in a food holder space of a food holding unit;
• operating a heated gas delivery system of the food holding unit to heat gas and to direct the heated gas downward from a first heated gas outlet of the food holding unit into a first gas passage of the food holder;
• permitting the heated gas to flow downward along the first gas passage between the food holding space and a first upstanding wall of the food holder;
• after permitting the heated gas to flow downward along the first gas passage, permitting the heated gas to flow in a gas supply plenum underlying the food holding space;
• and
• after permitting the heated gas to flow in the gas supply plenum, permitting the heated gas to flow upward into the food holding space to heat the food in the food holding space.

A food holding unit for maintaining cooked food at a proper temperature, the food holding unit comprising:

• a food container comprising at least a bottom wall;
• a food support being removably receivable in the food container and comprising a food support surface spaced from the bottom wall of the food container when the food support is received therein to define a plenum therebetween;
• a cabinet having a front and a back, the cabinet having opposite first and second sides, the cabinet having a food holder space sized and shaped to receive the food container, the food holder space having an open front in open communication with a surrounding environment outside the food holding unit, the open front being sized and shaped to permit the food container to be inserted into and removed from the food holder space through the open front;
• ductwork extending along the first side of the cabinet, the ductwork including an outlet arranged to direct gas downward into the food container and into the plenum;
• a heating element disposed in the ductwork for heating gas in the ductwork;
• and
• a blower disposed at an elevation above the outlet, the blower being configured to emit gas from the blower downward to move gas in the ductwork through the outlet.