A portable food tray pre-wash and water recycling apparatus and method for pre-washing reusable food trays prior to placement in a separate cleaning and sanitizing unit that significantly reduces water wasted in kitchen and scullery areas. The apparatus includes a portable cabinet having a slot in a top end for inserting a food tray, laterally opposed spray nozzles beneath the slot that spray both sides of the tray, laterally opposed rotating brushes beneath the nozzles that scrub the tray, a tray support and brush comb member that supports the tray in a vertical position and removes particles from the brushes, a series of removable incrementally smaller gauge filters vertically spaced beneath the brushes that slide in from one side to filter the water, a water reservoir beneath the filters, a heating unit to heat and disinfect the filtered water, and a pump that recycles heated water back to the nozzles.