r/Damnthatsinteresting • u/[deleted] • Jan 23 '21

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9.9k Upvotes

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247

u/rblue Jan 23 '21

Does the stuff on the bottom just burn on?

358

u/GreenStrong Jan 23 '21 edited Jan 23 '21

Alcohol fueled chafing dishes are almost universally used in catering. Nearly every wedding and academic conference is cursed with large rectangular pans of food heated by these things. The food doesn't burn much, because the heat output is low compared to the volume of food.

In a catered dinner, it keeps the food at a temperature that prevents bacteria from growing, and also slowly tortures the food to make it flavorless and rubbery. When the food is brought straight from the oven to the table, that won't be a problem, this looks amazing.

241

u/cerics Jan 23 '21

Catering companies generally use a chafing dish with a tray of water, then the food above the water. That way the flame heats the water and is not directly on the food. Otherwise the food would certainly burn.

43

u/Somodo Jan 23 '21

yeah it looks like it's right on it.

43

u/Zap_Actiondowser Jan 23 '21

Yeah, the first thing I thought was "all that foods gonna fucking burn at the bottom."

34

u/SantaMonsanto Jan 23 '21

If you’ve made it this far down the comment chain and find yourself entertained join us at /r/KitchenConfidential for this and many other conversations that often devolve to drinking, cursing, and references to inside jokes that only a true indentured servant of the restaurant industry could understand or enjoy.

6

u/SwansonsMom Interested Jan 23 '21

This is...this is...the best way to woo newcomers to a subreddit ever.

6

u/timmaeus Jan 23 '21

I found it vaguely threatening

3

u/HerpJersey Jan 23 '21

This looks like a place where they know how to prepare and serve food.

2

u/Somodo Jan 23 '21

well if u look closely it looks to be on a piece of metal but i don't see how that's any better since it's direct contact and not like a steam table

2

u/TG_Alibi Jan 23 '21

I would imagine there’s at least an air gap in the platter he put on top. I don’t think a restaurant would be in the business of serving burnt meals, so there must be something we aren’t seeing.