An automated food preparation apparatus configured to provide a completed provision, such as a bagel, optionally toasted, and optionally with a spread. The automated food preparation system includes a food placement and pickup station, a cutting station assembly, a toasting station assembly and a spread applying station assembly. The provision is directed between the station assemblies through a grasping, locating and moving system. The system includes a plurality of food engaging forks that are configured to releasably grasp the food preparation, and, in turn, to locate and move the food preparation therethrough.

Use of stick deodorant technology as a container for spreading butter, peanut butter, jelly, jam, cream cheese and other spreadable food products.

Methods involve packaging butter sticks by adding unformed butter to an extruder, where the extruder shapes the butter into defined dimensions, cutting the extruded butter at a desired length to form butter sticks, cooling the butter sticks, and flow-wrapping the cooled butter sticks within an adhesive film. Systems for packaging butter sticks involve an extruder, a cutting device, a cooling device and a flow-wrapping device, where the extruder shapes unformed butter into defined dimensions, the cutting device slices the extruded butter into butter sticks, the cooling device increases a firmness level of the butter sticks, and the flow-wrapping device packages the butter sticks within a sealed, adhesive film. The extruder, the cutting device, the cooling device and the flow-wrapping device may be connected.

A food slicer assembly includes a housing defining a first opening and a second opening perpendicularly arranged. A slicing blade received at the second opening enters the first opening of the housing. A coupling releasably couples a food product or a food product packaging to the housing. The first opening receives a food product therethrough, the second opening receives the slicing blade therethrough, and the slicing blade slices the food product arranged in the first opening such that the food product is divided into multiple portions using the food slicer assembly. The slicing blade may pass into the first opening from a first end, and upon reaching the second end, the slicing blade seals the food slicer assembly at the first opening. The assembly may be a cheese slicer assembly for slicing a block of cheese so that a slice of cheese can be removed from the first opening.

A device is provided for holding a butter-like product packaged as an elongate solid or semi-solid stick or bar. The device has a base with opposed first and second sides. At least one anchor extends from the first side of the base, and an elongate handle extends from the second side of the base. The at least one anchor is configured for insertion into the butter-like product such that the device can hold and support the butter-like product. The handle is configured to be gripped or otherwise held by a user's hand for moving and maneuvering the device with a butter-like product secured thereto during use. The base is configured to interface to an end part of the butter-like product supported by the at least one anchor during use and also functions as a drip guard during use. Other aspects are described and claimed.

A block former (1) for the production of blocks of cheese (19) includes an upright drainage column (2) having a feed opening (3) for curd particles (4) at an upper end (5) of the drainage column (2). The drainage column (2) includes an inner wall (6) having an interior surface (7) against which a pillar of curd (8) formed of the curd particles (4) slides as the pillar of curd (8) moves downwardly through the drainage column (2). The upright drainage column (2) is divided into an upper part (9) and a lower part (10). The interior surface (7) at the upper part (9) has a first finish and the interior surface (7) at the lower part (10) has a second finish that provides higher friction with the pillar of curd (8) relative to the first finish.

The present invention is a new-type kitchen cutting tool suitable to be used in households, canteens, restaurants etc. It is an entirely-new multi-edge protective cutting tool consisting of several blade units and the supporting cutting tool holder for holding the blade unit, used for cutting the food material into slices, shreds and dices. The blade unit may be changed so that the food material may be cut into slices, shreds and dices with different sizes and thicknesses. The cutting tool edge, the thin thread functioning as the cutting tool edge and the chopping board may be protected through the combination of the protective plate and the elastic blade or the thin thread, greatly extending their service life. The present invention is featured as easy operation, convenient, safe, high efficiency, raw material-, energy- and time-saved, wide application range and good quality of processed products.

The present invention is a new-type kitchen cutting tool suitable to be used in households, canteens, restaurants etc. It is an entirely-new multi-edge protective cutting tool consisting of several blade units and the supporting cutting tool holder for holding the blade unit, used for cutting the food material into slices, shreds and dices. The blade unit may be changed so that the food material may be cut into slices, shreds and dices with different sizes and thicknesses. The cutting tool edge, the thin thread functioning as the cutting tool edge and the chopping board may be protected through the combination of the protective plate and the elastic blade or the thin thread, greatly extending their service life. The present invention is featured as easy operation, convenient, safe, high efficiency, raw material-, energy- and time-saved, wide application range and good quality of processed products.

An apparatus for sanitary and controlled dispensing of a butter stick or another food product having a rectangular stick form. The apparatus includes a dispensing housing, a coupler, a base, and a cover. The dispensing housing includes a rectangular body with a central cavity, an elongated opening about a first side of the rectangular body, and a pair of grippers about a second side and a third side of the rectangular body adjacent to the first side. The coupler is attached to a bottom of the dispensing housing. The coupler includes a flexible material that increases a width about the bottom of the dispensing housing. The base couples to and decouples from the bottom of the dispensing housing via the coupler. The cover couples to and decouples from a top of the dispensing housing via the coupler.

An apparatus for sanitary and controlled dispensing of a butter stick or another food product having a rectangular stick form. The apparatus includes a dispensing housing, a coupler, a base, and a cover. The dispensing housing includes a rectangular body with a central cavity, an elongated opening about a first side of the rectangular body, and a pair of grippers about a second side and a third side of the rectangular body adjacent to the first side. The coupler is attached to a bottom of the dispensing housing. The coupler includes a flexible material that increases a width about the bottom of the dispensing housing. The base couples to and decouples from the bottom of the dispensing housing via the coupler. The cover couples to and decouples from a top of the dispensing housing via the coupler.