When you take a seat at a Mexican restaurant, you may be surprised to find that your plate is already hot. But why is this the case? To ensure that your plate stays warm on the busiest of days, the dishes with the food can be placed under a heating lamp to keep it very warm and fresh. Some dishes are not only heated, but often the dish and the food are placed in a boiler or oven. This is done to prepare the order and keep everything in order.
In addition, there is usually a shelf between the place where the cooks cook and place the food on a plate and from which the waiters take the food served. This shelf is usually called a window. Therefore, the dishes get EXTREMELY hot. Although this isn't the right way to do it, not all cooks know or fully care about OSHA.
You often see heat lamps and strip heaters in the restaurant's pickup area, where the chef leaves food for the waiter to bring to the table. I have tried hot dishes in many restaurants and they are usually like that because they are waiting to be picked up under the lights. That the dish has the right temperature to complement the meal is common in many types of restaurants. Hot dishes are a nice touch to any hot meal, and restaurants that invest in a method for heating dishes will have customers who will appreciate it. While heating up plates may cost more, many restaurants find it worth it as they have loyal, satisfied customers who will continue to dine with them in the future. Warming up dishes before serving them is a common practice in restaurants to ensure that food is kept at a constant temperature throughout its journey to your table.
When your waitress puts the hot plate on your table, you'll often be told to keep an eye out for it when you eat at a fancy restaurant. Since many Mexican restaurants use pre-cooked ingredients and dishes that are stored on a steam table, they prepare food instead of cooking it. I know this from many years of experience working in a restaurant and trying not to burn myself or my customers out. Some restaurants have a small oven that they keep at a low temperature, usually less than 150 degrees, for the sole purpose of storing your dishes in it. As an expert in restaurant operations, I can tell you that serving hot plates is an important part of providing quality service. Not only does it ensure that your meal stays warm throughout its journey from kitchen to table, but it also adds an extra touch of luxury that customers appreciate.
Investing in heating lamps or ovens may cost more upfront, but it pays off in customer satisfaction.
