Food staging device, method of storing foods, and method of making a sandwich

• US 20070254079A1
• Filed: 04/28/2006
• Published: 11/01/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Restaurant Technologies Incorporated (Goldman Sachs Group Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Restaurant Technologies Incorporated (Goldman Sachs Group Incorporated)
• Inventors: Schackmuth, Glenn, Simmons, Paul, Sus, Gerald, Ewald, Henry
• Granted Patent: US 7,905,173 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 426/523
• CPC Class Codes: F24C 15/166 with integrated heating means
• CPC Class Codes: F24C 15/18 Arrangement of compartments additional to cooking compartments, e.g. for warming or for storing utensils or fuel containers; Arrangement of additional heating or cooking apparatus, e.g. grills

Abstract

A cooked food staging device and method are provided. The device and method are particularly suited for storing breaded, battered or bread food items for extended periods of time without becoming soggy. A heated compartment having a slot has a flexible member covering at least a portion of the slot to restrict airflow and to permit access to the food items contained therein, which may be contained on trays, without the necessity of removing the tray to view and remove selected food items therefrom.

Claims

1. A method of storing previously cooked food comprising:

providing a device for holding a plurality of food portions comprising, at least one compartment for holding the food portions, said compartment comprising at least one slot, having a compartment height and being bounded by an upper heated compartment surface;

a heating device for maintaining the compartment at an elevated temperature;

a cabinet defining a volume that encloses said compartment therein, said cabinet including at least one slot for inserting the food portions into said compartment and for removing the food portions contained in said compartment; and

a flexible member covering at least an upper portion of the slot, said flexible member being readily deflectable to permit access to the interior of the compartment for removing food items therefrom, the flexible member permitting a limited amount of airflow into and out of the compartment through a lower portion of the compartment slot; and

placing the previously cooked food into said device for holding a plurality of food portions.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising storing the previously cooked food in said device for a period of time.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said compartment is further bounded by a lower heated compartment surface.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said device further comprises a gap between said flexible member and the bottom of said cabinet.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein said flexible member comprises an upper portion and a lower portion, and the lower portion has a high air permeability.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein said flexible member has a high air permeability.

7. A method of preparing a sandwich comprising:

providing a device for holding a plurality of food portions comprising, at least one compartment for holding the food portions, said compartment comprising at least one slot, having a compartment height and being bounded by an upper heated compartment surface;

a heating device for maintaining the compartment at an elevated temperature;

a cabinet defining a volume that encloses said compartment therein, said cabinet including at least one slot for inserting the food portions into said compartment and for removing the food portions contained in said compartment; and

a flexible member covering at least an upper portion of the slot, said flexible member being readily deflectable to permit access to the interior of the compartment for removing food items therefrom, the flexible member permitting a limited amount of airflow into and out of the compartment through a lower portion of the compartment slot;

placing previously cooked food into said device for holding a plurality of food portions;

storing the previously cooked food in said device;

removing the previously cooked food from said device;

assembling the previously cooked food with another sandwich component to form a sandwich; and

optionally adding additional sandwich ingredients to the previously cooked food.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein said compartment is further bounded by a lower heated compartment surface.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein said device further comprises a gap between said flexible member and the bottom of said cabinet.

10. The method of claim 7 wherein said flexible member comprises an upper portion and a lower portion, and the lower portion has a high air permeability.

11. The method of claim 7 wherein said flexible member has a high air permeability.