How to Set Up and Use Chafing Dishes

Any buffet table can be elevated to a higher level of elegance and food-service efficiency by using chafing dishes. Not only do chafing dishes keep food warm for the duration of a party, they can also add beauty to the food presentation and raise the level of the food on the table for easy serving. Chafing dishes are traditionally made of silver; however, modern chafing dishes are often made of light metal or ceramic.

Things You'll Need

• Lighter
• Sterno cups
• Matches or lighter
• Water

Instructions

1. Place each chafing dish in the appropriate location on your buffet table in order to keep the lines of people moving. Use a commonsense approach--you want the buffet line to move seamlessly from soup and salad, through the entree choices and finish with dessert.

2. Place the empty water pan into the frame of each chafing dish and fill with about one inch of water.

3. Insert the food trays into the frame of each chafing dish, making sure that the tray fits tightly onto the lip of the water pan.

4. Remove the lids from the sterno cups and light them individually with a match or lighter. Place each sterno cup under a chafing dish and close the lid.

5. Monitor the water level for the duration of the serving time and add more water as necessary.

6. Stir the food items from time to time to ensure even heating.

Tips & Warnings

• Heat the food before adding it to the chafish dishes.

• For large chafing dishes, you can use more than one sterno.

• If your party is outside, wrap aluminum foil around at least three sides of the chafing dish to block the wind.

• Be mindful of the flames from the sterno. Have a working fire extinguisher available in the event of fire.

References

• Brachetti Bros. Gourmet Catering: Chafing Dish Instructions
• Academic Dictionaries and Encyclopedias: Chafing-dish