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05/11/2026

How Do I Keep Casseroles and Pies Hot With a Limited Power Supply?

A reader running a pop-up with a very limited electricity supply asked how to keep casseroles and pies hot. Soup kettles handle the curries and soups, but the dry foods had them stumped.

Hot food in the UK has to hold at 63°C or above, so whatever you use must manage that properly, not just keep things vaguely warm. With power tight, I would look at gas first. A propane dry bain-marie runs off a bottle rather than your hook-up, takes gastronorm dishes straight in, and keeps pastry crisp instead of soggy. Insulated hot boxes are the other half of the answer, no gas and no electricity at all, they simply hold the heat already in the food.

Cook in smaller batches and top up as you sell, and check with a cheap temperature probe rather than guessing. One safety note: a propane bain-marie must be fitted by a Gas Safe registered engineer, never a DIY job.

Full answer here:
https://www.mobcater.co.uk/how-do-i-keep-casseroles-and-pies-hot-with-a-limited-power-supply.html

04/11/2026

Can I Connect a Commercial Griddle to a Gas Bottle With Orange Hose?

Janey from the UK asked whether a Parry griddle could run off orange hose and a regulator screwed straight onto the bottle, like a camping stove, rather than replacing the copper pipework in a burger van.

That setup rarely passes a gas safety check. Inside a van, orange hose sits near a hot griddle, gets splashed with fat and perishes, and a bottle next to the cooker means any leak collects at floor level because propane is heavier than air. The good news is that sound existing copper can often be reused, with a Gas Safe registered engineer fitting an isolation valve and a proper flexible connection, which costs far less than a full repipe.

Full answer here:
https://www.mobcater.co.uk/can-i-connect-a-commercial-griddle-to-a-gas-bottle-with-orange-hose.html

03/11/2026

Can I Use CE Marked Camping Stoves for Catering Without Flame Failure Devices?

Nicholas from Plymouth asked...

Nicholas spent around £300 on a CE marked camping burner range and griddle, then heard they can't be used commercially because they have no flame failure devices. Sadly, that's right. A flame failure device shuts the gas off if the flame blows out, and the UKLPG Code of Practice 24 expects one on every burner in a mobile unit, so a Gas Safe engineer can't certificate kit without them. David explains why it matters, the flash burn he saw that made him take it seriously, and how to move to proper commercial kit without breaking the bank.

Full answer here:
https://www.mobcater.co.uk/can-i-use-ce-marked-camping-stoves-for-catering-without-flame-failure-devices.html

02/11/2026

Can I Store LPG Bottles Under the Counter in My Catering Trailer?

Emmilene from Southend on Sea asked whether she could fit two gas bottles under the work counter of the horse trailer she is turning into a mobile creperie, because space is so tight.

It is a common question, and the answer is no. LPG is heavier than air, so even a small leak from a cylinder inside the trailer sinks and pools along the floor, right beside the burners on the crepe machines. The bottles belong in a lockable box on the A frame, or in a compartment sealed from the inside, opened only from outside and vented at floor level, with a Gas Safe registered engineer agreeing the layout before you build.

Full answer here:
https://www.mobcater.co.uk/can-i-store-lpg-bottles-under-the-counter-in-my-catering-trailer.html

01/11/2026

Why Does My LPG Fryer Keep Going Out When the Gas Bottle Is Running Low?

Paul from Newbury asked why the fryer in his catering trailer cuts out in the last hour or two of every gas bottle, so he finds lukewarm oil just as an order comes in.

As a propane bottle nears empty, it cannot turn liquid into vapour fast enough for a full load. The pressure drops, and it drops most at the far end of the pipe run, so the fryer's flame failure device shuts it down, exactly as it should. An automatic changeover regulator, fitted by a Gas Safe registered engineer, switches to the reserve bottle on its own and shows a red indicator when the empty one needs swapping. It is also worth asking the engineer to check the pressure at the fryer with everything lit.

Full answer here:
https://www.mobcater.co.uk/why-does-my-lpg-fryer-keep-going-out-when-the-gas-bottle-is-running-low.html

31/10/2026

What Safety Signs Do I Need for My Food Trailer?

Azeem from London asked which safety signs a food trailer actually needs before it starts trading.

The answer is fewer than most people think, and most cost a few pounds each. The one that matters most is on your gas. If you run on LPG, the cylinder locker needs a warning sign saying it holds propane, is highly flammable and that there is no smoking or naked flames nearby. David also covers the gas emergency notice, fire point signs over your extinguishers, the hand wash only sign nearly every EHO expects, the no smoking sign, and the allergen notice for customers.

Full answer here:
https://www.mobcater.co.uk/what-safety-signs-do-i-need-for-my-food-trailer.html

30/10/2026

Can I Use My Garage Office as a Food Prep Room for My Pizza Business?

Nath from Wiltshire asked whether a converted garage, already used as an office, could also be the prep room for making pizza dough, with hands and utensils washed back in the house.

The room sounds well set up, but walking through the house to wash your hands with dough on them is exactly what an EHO wants to stop. Most officers will expect a wash hand basin in the prep room itself, with hot and cold running water. If plumbing one in is awkward, a self contained portable handwash unit costs roughly £300 to £500 and does the job. Keep the desk well away from the flour, too.

Full answer here:
https://www.mobcater.co.uk/can-i-use-my-garage-office-as-a-food-prep-room-for-my-pizza-business.html

29/10/2026

What Do EHOs Look For When Inspecting a Catering Trailer?

Ryan from Suffolk asked what an EHO will check on their first visit to a newly revamped Caribbean food trailer, and whether they really go easier on trailers than on restaurants.

They don't, really. A trailer is rated under the same scheme as a restaurant, and the first thing most EHOs check is the hand wash basin: separate from the washing up sink, with hot and cold running water, soap and paper towels. Then come temperatures, with fridges at 8°C or below, hot food held at 63°C, and for Caribbean food, plenty of questions about how cooked rice is cooled and reheated.

Full answer here:
https://www.mobcater.co.uk/what-do-ehos-look-for-when-inspecting-a-catering-trailer.html

28/10/2026

How Do I Deal With Hot Fryer Oil When Packing Up My Catering Trailer?

Nikki from Wales asked whether she has to wait hours for her fryer oil to cool before she can tow her trailer home, or whether she can move the hot oil into something safe.

Fryer oil cooks at around 175°C, and a full tank can take two to three hours to cool, so never tow with hot oil on board. The answer is to plan the shutdown rather than rush the pack up. Switch the fryers off a good hour before you stop serving and lean on the griddle for that last hour, so the oil cools while you clean down. If you do drain it, use a stainless steel oil caddy, never a plastic tub or bucket, because they soften and split.

Full answer here:
https://www.mobcater.co.uk/how-do-i-deal-with-hot-fryer-oil-when-packing-up-my-catering-trailer.html

27/10/2026

Can I Plug My Catering Trailer's 32 Amp Hook-Up Into a 13 Amp House Socket?

Nick from Southend on Sea asked whether he could put a normal 3 pin plug on the end of his horsebox's 32 amp hook-up lead, so he can plug in at a house or any venue without a round socket.

You can, but know the limit. A 13 amp socket gives you roughly 3kW. That will run a fridge, lights and a small heated display, but not a 3kW water boiler on top of a hot plate. First, check which way round the ends are, because a lead with pins at both ends is live in your hand. David explains how to set it up safely.

Full answer here:
https://www.mobcater.co.uk/can-i-plug-my-catering-trailers-32-amp-hookup-into-a-13-amp-house-socket.html

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