Patent ID: 8171845

Claim:
A temperature controlled food tray system, comprising: a first food tray mounted on a top surface of a first tray support, the first food tray having an uppermost surface adapted to support food thereon and a cooling element that, when activated, cools the first food tray independent of whether airflow is present in the system; wherein the cooling element is disposed between the uppermost surface of the first food tray and the top surface of the first tray support and is configured to have cooling fluid circulated there through; a cooling outlet fluidicly coupled to the cooling element of the first food tray; at least one radiant heating element coupled above the first food tray that, when activated, directs radiant heat toward the uppermost surface of the first food tray; and at least one controller, the at least one controller being configured to activate the radiant heating element and to deactivate the cooling element of the first food tray to thereby operate the first food tray as a heating food tray, the at least one controller being further configured to deactivate the radiant heating element and to activate the cooling element of the first food tray to thereby operate the first food tray as a cooling food tray.