Food serving system

Abstract

A portable food serving system for keeping food cold or for cooling hot food and keeping it cool that does not require a power source includes a generally rectangular inner pan and outer pan. Each of the pans has a bottom wall. The outer pan also has four sidewalls with a drain plug on one of them and rails at the bottom to form feet. The inner pan fits within the outer pan and the bottom wall of the inner pan is raised above the bottom wall of the outer pan. The inner pan has a plurality of compartments located therein with spaces formed between the compartments. A plurality of baffles extend upwardly from the bottom wall of the outer pan and extend into the spaces between the compartments. The system also includes a plurality of clips for releasably locking the inner pan with the outer pan. Ice and a cooling liquid may be placed in the spaces between the compartments and between the bottom walls of the pans. A cover fits over the pans.

1 . A food serving system for cooling food and keeping it cool comprising:
 a pair of generally rectangular pans including an inner pan and an outer pan, each of said inner and outer pans having a bottom wall and said outer pan having four sidewalls;   said inner pan fitting within said outer pan and said bottom wall of said inner pan being raised above said bottom wall of said outer pan to form a space therebetween;   said inner pan having a plurality of compartments located therein with spaces formed between said compartments;   a plurality of baffles extending upwardly from said bottom wall of said outer pan and extending into the spaces between said compartments; and   means for releasably locking said inner pan with said outer pan,   wherein ice and a cooling liquid may be placed in the spaces between said compartments and between said bottom walls of said pans.   
   
   
       2 . The food serving system of  claim 1  wherein each of said pans has a lip forming the periphery of each of said pans and a plurality of recesses located along the periphery of said inner pan. 
   
   
       3 . The food serving system of  claim 2  wherein said releasable locking means includes a plurality of clips, each of said clips fitting within a respective recess of said inner pan. 
   
   
       4 . The food serving system of  claim 1  further including a cover fitting over said pans. 
   
   
       5 . The food serving system of  claim 1  wherein said inner pan includes two compartments. 
   
   
       6 . The food serving system of  claim 1  wherein said inner pan includes three compartments. 
   
   
       7 . The food serving system of  claim 1  wherein said outer pan includes a plurality of feet. 
   
   
       8 . The food serving system of  claim 1  further including a drain located within one of said sidewalls.