What is a chef base fridge?
A chef base is a low refrigerated drawer unit designed to sit directly under countertop cooking equipment. Its one-piece reinforced stainless steel top supports a griddle, char grill or hot plate, while the drawers below hold ingredients in gastronorm pans at fridge temperature. It is the most efficient layout for a busy grill station: the cook reaches down, grabs the next portion and puts it straight on the heat.
How to choose a chef base
Number of drawers
The Atosa MGF8450 has 2 drawers and the MGF8453 has 4 drawers, each fitted with stainless steel GN pans. Choose more drawers if you hold a wide range of proteins and garnishes on the line.
Match the width to your cooking equipment
Check the chef base width against the griddle, grill or hot plate you plan to put on top, so the equipment sits fully on the reinforced top. See our hot plates and char grills.
Built for the heat
Because it lives under the hottest part of the kitchen, a chef base must cope with high ambient temperatures. The Atosa chef bases are rated for 43°C ambient and hold 1°C to 8°C, with automatic defrost and a digital controller.
Easy to clean and move
Heavy-duty drawer slides, removable drawers and magnetic gaskets make daily cleaning simple, and castors, where fitted, let you roll the unit out to clean behind it.
Chef base vs under bench fridge
A chef base is lower and built to carry hot cooking equipment on top. A standard under bench fridge is bench height with a prep top, and is not usually designed to have cooking equipment placed on it.
Inomak chef bases
We also stock Inomak low boy chef base fridges, 660mm high, with 6 drawers (1790mm wide) or 8 drawers (2240mm wide) on telescopic runners for 1/1 GN pans.
Delivery, warranty and our price-beat guarantee
We deliver Australia-wide by tailgate truck, usually within 2 to 5 business days to Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane and Adelaide and 4 to 12 days elsewhere. Every chef base comes with the manufacturer's warranty, and prices are shown inc GST with the ex GST price alongside. Found a lower price? Send us the link under our Price-Beat Guarantee and we'll send you a one-off discount code.
Chef base FAQs
Can I put a char grill on a chef base?
Yes, that is what it is designed for. The reinforced top supports countertop cooking equipment. Check the equipment width and weight against the chef base specifications.
What temperature does a chef base run at?
Our Atosa chef bases hold 1°C to 8°C. Keep chilled food at 5°C or below, as Australian food safety rules require.
Do the GN pans come with it?
It depends on the model. The Atosa MGF8450 and MGF8453 come with stainless steel GN pans in the drawers, but some other models don't include them, so check the product page.