Food server

A food server for simultaneously cold storing foods to be served hot and foods to be served cold, and for heating the foods to be served hot while keeping cold the foods to be served cold, the server comprising:

• a cabinet having first and second adjacent insulated food storage compartments, said first compartment being defined between opposing vertical side walls, a vertical back wall, a horizontal upper panel, and a horizontal lower panel, said side walls and panels having outer edges defining a forwardly facing opening;
• a plurality of vertically spaced, horizontally extending trays within the first compartment for holding food placed within the first compartment;
• means for slideably supporting the trays between the side walls so that the trays are free to slide horizontally forward out of the opening;
• a door secured to the cabinet for covering the opening;
• a plurality of vertically disposed front plates each secured to a corresponding one of the trays, each front plate being closely adjacent the front plates of adjacent food trays to restrict thermal losses as the door is opened and one of the trays is slide forwardly out of the opening;
• means for refrigerating the first compartment to a temperature below ambient temperature;
• means, independent of the means for refrigerating the first compartment, for refrigerating the second compartment to a temperature below ambient temperature;
• means for heating the first compartment to a temperature above ambient temperature;
• and
• control means for selectively activating and deactivating both the means for refrigerating the first compartment and the means for heating the first compartment for selectively cooling or heating the first compartment depending on whether cold storing or heating of the food stored in the first compartment is desired.

A food server for cold storing foods to be served hot and for heating the foods, the server comprising:

• a cabinet having an insulated food storage compartment being defined between opposing vertical side walls, said compartment including a first region and a second region;
• means for refrigerating the compartment to a temperature below ambient temperature;
• means for heating the compartment comprising means for circulating air through the compartment and means for heating the circulating air, said circulating means comprising a blower for forcing the circulating air from the first region and through the compartment to the second region, said means for heating the circulating air comprising heating elements adjacent the side walls and extending from the first region to the second region;
• control means for selectively activating and deactivating both the means for refrigerating the compartment and the means for heating the compartment for selectively cooling or heating the compartment depending on whether cold storing or heating of foods stored in the compartment is desired, so that foods placed in the compartment are refrigerated for a predetermined duration and then heated without being removed from the compartment;
• and
• means for controlling humidity in the compartment during operation of the means for heating the compartment.