GN Hotel Pans: The Industry Standard, Demystified

In the high-speed, meticulously organized world of professional kitchens, efficiency, consistency, and food safety are paramount. At the heart of this operational flow is a seemingly simple piece of equipment: the GN hotel pan. More than just a pan, it is a modular building block of commercial food service. Understanding its standards, especially the common 1/2 size, is essential for anyone in the culinary industry.

What Does "GN" Mean?

"GN" stands for Gastronorm, which is both a size standard and a system. Originating in Europe (the name is a combination of the words "Gastro" for culinary and "Norm" for standard), it has been adopted by commercial kitchens worldwide. The brilliance of the Gastronorm system is its modularity. All GN containers and the equipment that holds them are designed to be based on fractions of one full-size GN pan.

The foundational full-size GN pan measures:

◆Length: 530 mm (20.87 inches)

◆Width: 325 mm (12.8 inches)

◆Depth: Variable (see below)

This specific dimension is the "1/1" or full-size pan. All other sizes are fractions of this footprint, allowing them to fit perfectly side-by-side in steam tables, holding cabinets, refrigeration units, and shelving designed to the GN standard.

The 1/2 Hotel Pan: A Workhorse of the Kitchen

The 1/2 hotel pan is one of the most versatile and frequently used sizes in the GN system.

◆Dimensions: Its footprint is exactly half of a full-size pan. It measures 325 mm x 265 mm (approximately 12.8 in x 10.4 in). The depth, however, is the critical variable that defines its capacity.

Understanding Depth and Capacity:

Hotel pan depths are standardized and indicated by a number. The capacity for a 1/2 pan changes dramatically based on this depth.

◆GN 1/2 100 (Shallow): Approximately 1.75 inches deep. Capacity: ~ 4.75 quarts (~ 4.5 liters).

Best for: Shallow baking, holding pre-portioned items (e.g., chicken breasts, fish fillets), storing mise en place in low-cooler shelves, and use as a lid for deeper pans.

◆GN 1/2 200 (Medium Depth): Approximately 3.5 inches deep. Capacity: ~ 9.5 quarts (~ 9 liters).

Best for: This is the ultimate all-purpose pan. It's perfect for holding, storing, transporting, and serving a wide variety of foods in a steam table—sauces, vegetables, pastas, soups, and proteins.

◆GN 1/2 400 (Deep): Approximately 6.5 inches deep. Capacity: ~ 19 quarts (~ 18 liters).

Best for: Bulk storage, brining large cuts of meat, mixing salads in volume, or holding large quantities of soup or stew. These are less common in steam tables due to their weight when full.

Common Uses and Applications of the 1/2 Pan

1.Steam Tables (Bains-Marie): This is its primary home. A standard well in a steam table is designed to hold one full-size GN pan. You can fit two 1/2 pans in a single well, allowing a kitchen to offer two different menu items (e.g., mashed potatoes and green beans) in the same physical space. This flexibility for menu variety is its greatest strength.

2.Storage and Organization: In walk-in coolers and freezers, 1/2 pans are ideal for organizing ingredients. Their standardized size allows them to stack neatly on shelving. You can have a 1/2 pan of diced onions next to a 1/2 pan of sliced peppers, ensuring an orderly and efficient workstation for line cooks.

3.Transportation: Their sturdy construction (typically 18/8 stainless steel) makes them perfect for moving prepped food from a prep kitchen to a satellite station or for catering events. They are designed to be carried safely with matching GN pan carriers.

4.Baking and Cooking: While sheet pans are more common for baking, hotel pans are frequently used for tasks like baking lasagna, cooking large quantities of scrambled eggs, or preparing custards in a water bath.

5.Portion Control: Using a standard pan size helps kitchen managers with portioning and inventory control. It's easier to calculate how many servings are in a half-pan of rice than in an arbitrary container.

Materials and Options

◆Stainless Steel: The professional standard. It is durable, non-reactive, corrosion-resistant, and can withstand extreme temperatures from blast freezers to convection ovens. Look for type 304 (18/8) stainless steel for the best quality.

◆Perforated: Some 1/2 pans have perforated bottoms. These are designed to sit inside a solid pan of the same size and are used for boiling (e.g., corn, lobsters), steaming, or draining fried foods while keeping them warm.

◆Lids: Clear polycarbonate plastic lids are available for all GN sizes. They are essential for safe, stackable storage, preventing cross-contamination and odor transfer in the refrigerator.

Why the System is Indispensable

The GN system, and the 1/2 pan within it, eliminates guesswork. A chef in Paris, New York, and Tokyo all use the same exact sizes. This means:

◆Equipment from any manufacturer is guaranteed to be compatible.

◆Recipes can be scaled accurately for specific pan sizes.

◆Kitchens can be designed with precise layouts for maximum efficiency.

Conclusion:

The GN 1/2 hotel pan is far more than a container. It is a fundamental component of a professional kitchen's language and logistics. Its standardized size and modular design provide the flexibility to hold, store, cook, and serve a multitude of items, while its durable construction ensures it can withstand the rigors of a commercial environment. Whether used for holding mashed potatoes on a buffet line or organizing prepped vegetables in a cooler, the 1/2 pan is a testament to the efficiency and order that defines great culinary operations.

gn hotel pans 1/2

Stainless steel GN hotel pans

gn hotel pans