Apparatus for storing, refrigerating and heating food items

Apparatus for storing, refrigerating and heating food items in serving containers comprising in combination:

• a. serving containers containing food items,
• b. a tray supporting the serving containers,
• c. at least one opening extending through the tray surface,
• d. means supporting and positioning one of said serving containers containing a food item to be heated within said opening,
• e. a rack for said tray,
• f. said rack having means for mounting said tray thereupon,
• g. heating means carried by said rack in alignment with the tray opening and being in contact with the bottom of said serving container containing food to be heated when the tray is mounted on the rack, said heating means being so positioned that it supports said serving container vertically above and out of contact with said container supporting and positioning means,
• h. means for refrigerating said rack to refrigerate all said food items in said serving containers on said tray, and
• i. means for actuating said heating means to heat said food item in said refrigerated serving container which is in contact with said heating means while other food items in serving containers on the tray remain refrigerated.

Apparatus for storing, refrigerating and heating food items in serving containers in a single environment comprising in combination:

• a. serving containers containing food items,
• b. a tray supporting said serving containers,
• c. at least one opening extending through said tray surface,
• d. means supporting and positioning one of said serving containers containing a food item to be heated within said opening,
• e. a cover for said container containing said food item to be heated,
• f. an enclosure for said tray,
• g. means for mounting said tray within said enclosure,
• h. heating means carried by said enclosure in alignment with said tray opening and being in contact with the bottom of said serving container containing food to be heated when the tray is mounted in the enclosure, said heating means being so positioned that it supports said serving container vertically above and out of contact with said container supporting and positioning means,
• i. means for refrigerating said enclosure to refrigerate all said food items in said serving containers on said tray, and
• j. means for actuating said heating means to heat said food item in said refrigerated serving container in contact with said heating means while other food items in serving containers on the tray remain refrigerated.

Apparatus for simultaneously refrigerating and selectively heating food items in serving containers comprising in combination:

• a. serving containers containing food items,
• b. a tray supporting the serving containers,
• c. at least one hole in the tray,
• d. a rib adjacent the portion of the tray surrounding the hole periphery,
• e. one of said serving containers containing a food item to be heated having means on the container periphery which engages said rib to support and position said container within said hole so that the bottom of the container extends through said hole,
• f. a cover for said serving container containing said food item to be heated,
• g. a rack supporting said tray,
• h. support means affixed to said rack and positioned under the tray in close proximity thereto, said support means having an upper surface,
• i. a heating plate mounted on said support means which plate extends above the upper surface of the support means and contacts the bottom of said serving container containing food to be heated positioned within the tray hole, said plate being so positioned that it supports the container vertically above and out of contact with said rib adjacent the periphery of the hole in the tray when the tray is supported on the rack,
• j. an enclosure for said rack,
• k. refrigerating means associated with said enclosure for refrigerating all said food items in said serving containers on said tray, and
• l. control means connected with said heating plates for actuating said heating plate to heat the food item in said refrigerated serving container in contact with said plate while other food items in serving containers on the tray remain refrigerated.