A pan chiller system including a refrigeration package having a condensing unit, a heat exchanger and a pump for circulating a chilled liquid coolant, a pan chiller unit in communication with the refrigeration package and having an outer housing and a food well received within the outer housing and a plurality of hollow divider bars arranged within the food well. An opening is defined between adjacent divider bars, wherein each divider bar is configured for directly receiving the liquid coolant chilled and circulated by the refrigeration package.

A food preparation table includes a housing at least in part defining multiple food pan receiving locations and a cooling air flow path internal of the housing below the food pan receiving locations. A first food pan is positioned within a first one of the food pan receiving locations such that side walls and a bottom wall of the first food pan are within the cooling air flow path, a first one of the side walls of the first food pan includes a plurality of openings therein to permit some cooling air to enter the first food pan and flow in contact with food items therein.

A pan chiller system including a refrigeration package having a condensing unit, a heat exchanger and a pump for circulating a chilled liquid coolant, a pan chiller unit in communication with the refrigeration package and having an outer housing and a food well received within the outer housing and a plurality of hollow divider bars arranged within the food well. An opening is defined between adjacent divider bars, wherein each divider bar is configured for directly receiving the liquid coolant chilled and circulated by the refrigeration package.

A refrigerated food preparation table includes a housing defining both (i) an upper food preparation holding area with food pan receiving locations and (ii) a food compartment. A cooling system includes a cooling air flow path with a first region for delivering cooling air at least one of below or alongside food pans in the upper food preparation holding area and a second region, downstream of the first region, for delivering at least a portion of the cooling air into the food compartment after the portion of the cooling air has passed below or alongside food pans in the upper food preparation holding area. The cooling air flow path includes a third region, upstream of the first region, and an openable/closeable path portion into the food compartment from the third region for selective delivery of at least some cooling air from the third region into the food compartment.