A prep table combines three things: a refrigerated cabinet below, a row of recessed openings on top that hold GN pans of ingredients, and a cutting board along the front edge. Cold air is directed over or around the top pans so that sliced vegetables, cheeses and sauces stay chilled while the lid is open during service.
The pan rail is the weak point. The pans are exposed to warm kitchen air whenever the lid is up, so the design, the depth of the pans and how full they are all affect whether ingredients stay below 5 °C. Good practice is to close the lid during lulls, avoid overfilling pans above the rim, and swap pans from the cabinet below rather than topping up warm ones.
A sandwich and wrap counter in a Mumbai office complex might run two prep tables side by side: one for vegetables, sauces and cheese, the other for cooked fillings, with the cabinet below holding backup pans for the lunch rush.