A modular food holding system includes a plurality of individual modularized food holding chambers, each of the plurality of food holding chambers being physically and communicatively removably connected to one another. Each of the food holding chambers includes a food holding cavity and at least one of a heating element and/or a cooling element for heating or cooling the food holding cavity. A chamber base is physically and communicatively removably connected to one of the food holding chambers and operation of at least one food holding chamber is controlled by the chamber base.

A panel assembly that includes a core having first and second opposing major surfaces, a first laminate skin secured to the first major surface of the core, a second laminate skin secured to the second major surface of the core, and at least a first layer of polyimide aerogel incorporated into one of the first laminate skin or the second laminate skin.

A panel assembly that includes a core having first and second opposing major surfaces, a first laminate skin secured to the first major surface of the core, a second laminate skin secured to the second major surface of the core, and at least a first layer of polyimide aerogel incorporated into one of the first laminate skin or the second laminate skin.

A secure delivery container can have a body with a chamber that can receive one or more items for delivery to an end recipient and a door actuatable to close the chamber in a locked position and open to allow access to the items. The container can have a heat transfer system with one or more heat transfer elements in thermal communication with one or more surfaces of the body that define the chamber and configured to heat or cool said one or more surfaces to heat or cool the delivery items in the chamber. The container can also have control circuitry configured to control the operation of the one or more heat transfer elements. The container can also have a transceiver configured to wirelessly communicate with a remote electronic device, the transceiver configured to receive information from the remote electronic device and communicate said information to the control circuitry, the transceiver configured to communicate operational information from the one or more heat transfer elements, or control circuitry to the remote electronic device.

A secure delivery container can have a body with a chamber that can receive one or more items for delivery to an end recipient and a door actuatable to close the chamber in a locked position and open to allow access to the items. The container can have a heat transfer system with one or more heat transfer elements in thermal communication with one or more surfaces of the body that define the chamber and configured to heat or cool said one or more surfaces to heat or cool the delivery items in the chamber. The container can also have control circuitry configured to control the operation of the one or more heat transfer elements. The container can also have a transceiver configured to wirelessly communicate with a remote electronic device, the transceiver configured to receive information from the remote electronic device and communicate said information to the control circuitry, the transceiver configured to communicate operational information from the one or more heat transfer elements, or control circuitry to the remote electronic device.

A modular holding cabinet is provided. The cabinet includes a housing defining an internal volume and an open front providing access into the internal volume. The housing supports at least one plate therewithin. The housing supports one or more end walls that are each aligned spaced outboard from an end face of a plate such that an air gap is established therebetween. The internal volume defines a plurality of discrete heating zones located above each of the one or more plates, each discrete heating zone receives heat from a first heater disposed within the respective plate and a plurality of second heaters disposed above the respective plate. The housing includes a plurality of displays and a plurality of inputs, with one of the plurality of displays and one of the plurality of inputs associated with each discrete heating zone.

A method of using a storage and cooking device having multiple thermal containers includes disposing a first food item in a first thermal container, a second food item in a second thermal container, and a third food item in a third thermal container. A volume of fluid is cooled and circulated through at least a portion of the device such that thermal energy from at least one of the first, second, or third food item is transferred to the cooled fluid. The device is transitioned from a first operating mode to a second operating mode in response to a criterion being satisfied. When in the second configuration, the volume of fluid is heated and circulated through at least a portion of the device such that thermal energy is transferred from the volume of fluid to at least one of the first, second, or third food item.

A food holding pan communication system includes a food holding pan having a pan identifier and configured to receive food items. A pan identification station includes a pan receiving area, a pan identifier reader, and at least one sensor directed at the pan receiving area and configured to acquire data regarding a food item received by the food holding pan. A processor is communicatively connected to the at least one sensor to receive signals from the at least one sensor. The processor is configured to determine a type of food item in the food holding pan.

A food holding and warming cabinet has a user-operated humidity management system. It has a hybrid heating system with both a hot air convection heating component and a radiant heating component. The humidity management system enables a user to manually control the introduction of humidity into the cabinet holding environment or the reduction or mitigation of the humidity within the cabinet holding environment.

A system to store food products within a heated compartment is provided. The system includes an enclosure that receives stacked trays, and an elevator to lift trays to a position to receive a plurality of food products from a conveyor or another source. A fork may be provided that receives a cooked food product thereon and rotates to allow the cooked food product to fall into the positioned tray while being maintained in a horizontal manner. A shuttle moves a full tray into a heated compartment, which moves trays therewithin to organize them for future use within a restaurant operation.