In a professional kitchen, it’s all about being efficient, staying organized, and keeping everything clean. A key tool that chefs use to keep this in check is the insert. Inserts, which you might also hear called food pans or gastronorm pans, are available in different sizes and materials. They’re super handy for all sorts of things like storing, preparing, and serving food. So, whether you’re just starting out in the kitchen or you’ve been cooking for years, knowing about the various sizes of inserts and how to use them is super important for making your kitchen run smoothly.
What Are Kitchen Inserts?
Inserts are handy kitchen containers that you can use to store, cook, or serve food, especially in professional kitchens. They come in all sorts of sizes and are usually made to fit different types of equipment, like steam tables, warming trays, refrigerators, and prep stations. Inserts play a key role in helping to keep ingredients organized, maintaining the right temperature for food, and assisting with portion control.
In many professional kitchens, inserts play a key role in mise en place, which is a French culinary term that means “everything in its place.” This system helps keep kitchen operations running smoothly during service.
Understanding the Gastronorm System
Before we get into the various sizes of inserts, let’s take a moment to understand the Gastronorm (GN) system. The Gastronorm is a European standard for kitchen containers. It’s all about making sure that food pans of different sizes can fit into various types of equipment, like steam tables and refrigeration units. This system is now the go-to standard in professional kitchens all around the globe.
Gastronorm pans usually come in fractional measurements. The Full GN size is the biggest one, and all the other sizes come from this standard as smaller parts. A Half GN pan is just half the size of a Full GN pan, and that’s how it goes. The sizes match up perfectly with the standard kitchen equipment you’ll find in most commercial kitchens.
Here is a breakdown of how the Gastronorm sizing works:
- 1/1 (Full GN): This is the biggest size, and it serves as our reference point.
- 1/2 (Half GN): Half the size of a full insert.
- 1/3 (Third GN): A third of the full size.
- 1/4 (Quarter GN): A quarter of the full size.
- 1/6 (Sixth GN): A sixth of the full size.
- 1/9 (Ninth GN): The smallest standard insert size.
You can find each of these sizes in different depths like 20 mm, 40 mm, 100 mm, and so on. This gives you even more options based on the kind of food you want to store or serve.
Different Sizes of Inserts and Their Uses
Every size of insert has its own special role in the kitchen. Here are the usual insert sizes and what they’re typically used for in professional kitchens.
Full-Size Inserts (1/1 GN)
- Best for: Full-size inserts are the biggest and most adaptable options out there. They’re perfect for holding a lot of food, which makes them great for buffets, cooking in bulk, and storing things away. You’ll often find these being used to serve up big helpings of proteins like roasted meats, casseroles, pasta dishes, or even salad mixes.
- Example Use Case: At a buffet restaurant, you might find a big insert filled with mashed potatoes sitting in a steam table, keeping warm while everyone enjoys their meal.
- Benefits: Full-size inserts are great for big events, making it easy for chefs to store or serve food to a lot of guests without having to refill too often.
Common Depths: 20 mm, 40 mm, 100 mm, 150 mm, 200 mm
Half-Size Inserts (1/2 GN)
- Best for: Half-size inserts are great for serving up medium-sized portions of food. They’re super versatile and can easily fit into smaller steam tables, hot boxes, or refrigerators. People often use this for veggies, sauces, or smaller servings of proteins like chicken or pork chops.
- Example Use Case: A catering service could use half-size inserts to hold roasted veggies like carrots or green beans at an event, making it easier to fit several dishes in one serving station.
- Benefits: These inserts are great for saving space and can be set up side-by-side in steam tables, giving you more variety even in tight spots.
Common Depths: 20 mm, 65 mm, 100 mm, 150 mm
Third-Size Inserts (1/3 GN)
- Best for: Third-size inserts are perfect for those smaller servings or ingredients that don’t need a lot, like garnishes, little sides, or condiments. You’ll usually spot these inserts in prep stations or salad bars, where a bunch of small ingredients are needed all at once.
- Example Use Case: At a salad bar, a third-size insert can be used for toppings such as croutons, olives, or shredded cheese.
- Benefits: These inserts are great for showcasing a bunch of small items, making it super easy to keep everything organized and within reach.
Common Depths: 65 mm, 100 mm, 150 mm
Quarter-Size Inserts (1/4 GN)
- Best for: Quarter-size inserts are great for serving up side dishes or little bites, like diced veggies, small proteins, or sauces. People usually pair them with bigger inserts to create various elements of a dish.
- Example Use Case: At a pasta station, you can find quarter-size inserts filled with various sauces like marinara, alfredo, and pesto, so diners can pick their favorite.
- Benefits: These inserts really save space and give you some great options for serving and presenting dishes.
Common Depths: 65 mm, 100 mm, 150 mm
Sixth-Size Inserts (1/6 GN)
- Best for: Sixth-size inserts may be small, but they pack a punch! They’re just right for holding condiments, dips, little servings of dressings, or ingredients you need to prep ahead of time. You’ll often find these inserts in sandwich stations, salad bars, or prep kitchens.
- Example Use Case: You can use sixth-size inserts at a sandwich-making station to hold things like mayonnaise, mustard, or pickles.
- Benefits: Their compact size makes it easy to arrange them efficiently, which really helps to make the most of space in tighter prep areas or service lines.
Common Depths: 65 mm, 100 mm, 150 mm
Ninth-Size Inserts (1/9 GN)
- Best for: Ninth-size inserts are the tiniest ones, perfect for things like toppings, spices, or single ingredients that you only need a little bit of. You’ll often find them in busy places like sandwich shops or sushi stations.
- Example Use Case: A chef working at a sushi station might grab some ninth-size inserts to keep wasabi, ginger, or little portions of fish roe ready for individual servings.
- Benefits: These inserts are perfect for keeping small components organized, making sure everything is easily accessible without cluttering up your space.
Common Depths: 65 mm, 100 mm
Common Materials Used for Inserts
Inserts are made from different materials, and each one is perfect for specific tasks and personal preferences in professional kitchens. Here are the materials that are most commonly used:
- Stainless Steel: Super tough, won’t rust, and does a great job keeping your food at the right temperature. People often use stainless steel inserts for preparing and storing hot food.
- Polycarbonate: Polycarbonate inserts are super lightweight and tough, making them a great choice for storing and serving cold food. They’re clear, so you can easily check out what’s inside.
- Melamine: Melamine inserts are tough and won’t easily break. People usually choose them for serving cold food because they look great and are really sturdy.
- Silicone: Silicone inserts are super flexible and non-stick, which makes them just right for baking and handling delicate foods.
Every material comes with its own set of advantages and disadvantages. People often go for stainless steel because it’s tough and keeps things at the right temperature. On the other hand, polycarbonate inserts are popular since they’re lightweight and super easy to handle, making them great for salad bars or storing cold foods.
Application of Inserts in Professional Kitchens
Inserts are super handy tools that you’ll find in different kitchen stations, like:
- Prep Stations: Inserts are great for keeping your ingredients organized during mise en place, making sure that everything from diced veggies to sauces is right at your fingertips.
- Steam Tables and Buffets: Inserts go into steam tables to help keep food warm while it’s being served, like at hotel buffets, catering events, or in cafeterias.
- Cold Storage: You can use inserts in refrigerators or cold displays, especially in salad bars or dessert stations.
- Bain Marie Systems: In bain marie setups, you often find inserts being used to keep food warm with steam.
- Combi Ovens: Full-size inserts are perfect for combi ovens, making it easy for chefs to cook a lot of food in a neat and organized way.
The size and material of the insert you pick will change based on the food you’re serving or storing, but since sizes are standardized, they work well for various kitchen uses.
How to Choose the Right Insert Size for Your Needs
When picking the right insert size, chefs should think about a few things:
- Type of Food: Big inserts work well for bulk foods like roasts or casseroles, and the smaller ones are perfect for sauces, sides, and garnishes.
- Equipment Compatibility: Make sure the insert works with the equipment you’re using, like a steam table, combi oven, or refrigerator.
- Portion Control: Using smaller inserts can really help with portion control, especially in buffets or when you’re ordering à la carte. It’s a great way to keep waste to a minimum!
- Depth Considerations: The depth of the insert needs to fit the kind of food you’re storing. So, when it comes to soups and sauces, deeper inserts really do the trick, but if you’re looking to add some garnishes or toppings, shallow inserts are the way to go.
- Durability and Material: Stainless steel inserts work really well in high-heat situations, whereas polycarbonate might be a better choice for colder items. Durability really matters, especially in busy kitchens.
Maintenance and Care for Inserts
Taking good care of your inserts keeps things clean and helps them last longer. Check out these tips for taking care of things the right way:
- Cleaning: Make sure to clean your inserts right after using them to avoid any staining or food particles building up. Stainless steel inserts are pretty tough and can handle harsh detergents, but when it comes to polycarbonate inserts, it’s best to stick with non-abrasive cleaning products.
- Storage: Make sure to keep the inserts in a dry spot to prevent any corrosion if they’re metal or cracking if they’re plastic.
- Handling: Be careful not to drop or mishandle the inserts so you can steer clear of any dents, scratches, or breaks. It’s best to keep polycarbonate inserts away from really high temperatures to prevent any warping.
To wrap things up
Getting to know the various sizes of inserts and figuring out how to use them effectively can really change the game in a professional kitchen. When you’re cooking for a cozy café or a big banquet hall, picking the right size and material of inserts can really boost your productivity, keep food safe, and make everything run smoother.
Chefs who get the hang of using different insert sizes and materials will discover they have a really handy tool at their fingertips. Inserts make service smoother, keep food quality up, and help kitchens operate efficiently. When you’re gearing up for a catering event, running a restaurant kitchen, or getting meals ready for a hotel buffet, figuring out the right insert sizes to use at the right time can really elevate the quality of food you serve to your guests.
So, to wrap it up, inserts aren’t just simple containers; they’re actually key players in how a professional kitchen operates, influencing everything from food prep all the way to presentation. By really getting to know the ins and outs, chefs can boost their efficiency, improve food quality, and achieve greater success in the kitchen.
