What is this?

[volvoman]

Every so often, I browse apartments online to see what’s out there. I came across this particular unit, and it had something in the kitchen. I’ve never seen before. I’m not sure if this is an additional oven? An old-school microwave? Something completely different? Just curious as to what it is and how it works.

 

[vacbear58]

Although it seems very high my guess is that its a food and plate warming cabinet - not so much for heating food up as keeping it warm once its cooked.

We had a couple of versions here in the UK, the Belling company produced something rather like this but far and away most popular was the "Hostess" trolley as shown below. Vegetables can be kept warm on the top and your plates, joints etc. in the heated cabinet underneath. Whilst they claimed the food could be kept warm for several hours. I find with mine (which has a full height, two level heated cabinet) its ideal when preparing a meal where there are several elements all with different timings which need to be served together for example roast beef or chicken, gravy, several vegetables and roast potatoes. Rather than have everything needing to be ready at once, the finish time of each element can be staggered and food kept hot in the trolley until all is ready for serving - maybe 10 - 15 minutes. Its a domestic application of hot cupboards or trolleys widely used in commercial catering.

The doors on the unit shown shout Frigidaire to me, I wonder if could be matched with a 30 inch Flair

 

[petek]

I'd guess a warming cabinet as well and this one I'm also guessing is controlled by some of those 4 knobs on the front of the exhaust hood. Why else would a hood have that many dials.