A kitchen appliance, method, system and computer readable medium for sous vide cooking are disclosed. The kitchen appliance includes: a heater for heating fluid; a first temperature sensor for sensing a temperature of a food item contained in a sous vide bag within the fluid; a second temperature sensor for sensing a temperature of the fluid; and a controller, operatively connected to the heater and in communication with the temperature sensors, wherein the controller comprises a memory and a processor configured to: receive, from the first temperature sensor, one or more first temperature samples indicative of a temperature of the food item; receive, from the second temperature sensor, one or more second temperature samples indicative of a fluid temperature; control operation of the heater according to the one or more second temperature samples and a target cooking temperature; and store, in memory in a non-volatile manner, the one or more first temperature samples.

The present invention provides a cooking embodiment and method for cooking food through the manipulation of the distance between a food product and a heat source. Also, food temperature auxiliary systems used in conjunction with the aforementioned embodiment and method. The embodiment and method involve continuously measurement of cooking surface's temperature and system's humidity. The embodiment and methods also include optionally using multiple of the same embodiment if cooking more than one type of food is required at the same time. The auxiliary systems relate to build material supply hating and cleaning diagnostics, and monitoring operation of the embodiment.

Methods and devices to enhance cooking are described. A device to enhance cooking includes a shaft. The shaft has one end that is adapted to be outside an object and a second end to be inserted into the object. The shaft includes at least one opening that is coupled to the second end. The at least one opening of the shaft is configured to output at least a portion of the heat that travels through the first end of the shaft into the object to reduce a cooking time of the object.

An improved fluid level sensor includes a radially magnetized magnet integrated into a float, and a Hall sensor adapted to monitor the magnet field emitted from the magnet. This arrangement provides a continuously variable signal across a range of travel, such that a controller receiving the signal can produce precise fluid level measurements and detect operational states of an associated device based on fluid behavior. In addition, the present fluid level sensor is suitable for use in harsh service environments, both because it is physically resilient to fouling, and because the controller is capable of detecting fouling by sensor behavior. In the context of a steam cooker, the present fluid level sensor can also sense low-water, overfill and fouling conditions, while remaining relatively insensitive to food residue, water scale buildup, corrosion and foaming.

A sous vide assembly for use in a microwave oven includes an outer tank and an inner tank positioned inside the outer tank to define a heating gap therebetween. The inner tank and the outer tank are filled with water and are in fluid communication with each other through one or more apertures. One or more vertical dividers are positioned within the inner tank and extend along the vertical direction to define a plurality of food chambers and a cover is mounted over the one or more vertical dividers and is movable between an open position and a closed position to provide selective access to the plurality of food chambers and keep food submerged during the sous vide cooking process.

A food class of a food item is recognized. A target doneness score is defined for the food item based on the food class and a desired doneness level. A recurrent model is utilized to determine a current doneness score of the food item according to sensor data captured of the food item. The current doneness score and the target doneness score are utilized to control a heating system to cook the food item.

The invention relates to a particle with a core-shell structure, the core of which comprises at least one thermochromic semiconductor and the shell comprises at least two layers—an inner layer in contact with the core and comprising a mineral material or an organo-mineral hybrid material; and—an outer layer comprising a mineral material or an organo-mineral hybrid material, different from that of the inner layer. The invention also relates to a method for producing this particle, and the use thereof as a temperature indicator, in particular in a culinary article, such as a pan.

Beverage cooling device (2) for rapidly cooling a beverage and serving the beverage when cooled, after having been dispensed from a beverage preparation machine (100) in the device, comprising a heat exchange container (3) comprising a closed chamber (4) containing a phase-change coolant capable of accumulating and restoring cooling energy and a beverage cavity (5) with an open upper end (6) for receiving the beverage; the closed chamber (4) and cavity (5) being separated by at least one heat conductive inner wall (8). The device is arranged to be handled separately from the beverage preparation machine and comprises a control unit (13) comprising a communication module (14) arranged for communicating to the beverage preparation machine information representative of the presence of the device at proximity of the beverage preparation machine and/or of a cooling state of the coolant in the chamber. The invention also relates to a system comprising a beverage preparation device and the cooling device.

A cooking system is provided. The cooking system includes a housing, a heating elements, a cooking accessory, a temperature sensor, and a controller. The housing has an internal heating compartment, where the heating element is positioned therein. The cooking accessory has a cooking surface and is configured to be receivable within the internal heating compartment. The temperature sensor is positioned within the internal heating compartment and configured to measure a temperature of the cooking accessory. The controller is configured to operate an output of the heating element. The output of the heating element is related to the measured temperature of the cooking accessory and independent of an air temperature of the internal heating compartment.

Beverage preparation apparatus for preparing a beverage comprising: —a water tank (2) for storing water, —a brewing unit (3) for receiving a dose of beverage ingredients, —a water line (5) for supplying water from the water tank to the brewing unit (3) including a pressure pump (4) for supplying pressurized liquid to the brewing unit and a fluid heater (29) for heating liquid, —a control unit (6) for selectively controlling the activation of the pressure pump, wherein it further comprises a fluidic interrupter (7) positionable in fluidic interruption position for interrupting the fluidic communication between the water tank (2) and the water line (5) and, reversely, positionable in fluidic communication position for restoring the fluid communication between the water tank and the water line and wherein the control unit (6) is arranged for automatically activating an anti-freeze mode by activating the fluidic interrupter (7) in fluidic interruption position and by running the pressure pump (4) to at least partially empty the water line (5) from water contained therein.