An oven has a first conveyor, a first burner that directs heat toward the first conveyor from above the first conveyor, and a second burner that directs heat toward the first conveyor from below the first conveyor. A method includes providing foodstuff on a conveyor, exposing the foodstuff to heat directed toward the foodstuff from above the conveyor, and exposing the foodstuff to heat directed toward the foodstuff from below the conveyor. Another oven has a first conveyor and first conveyor insulators that surround the first conveyor and define a first zone. Another method includes introducing foodstuff to a first conveyor belt within a first insulated zone, introducing heat into the first insulated zone, and retaining a portion of the heat within the first insulated zone. Another oven has an insulated cooking zone that closely envelopes a cooking path and an insulated oven zone that substantially envelopes the cooking zone.

A belt cooking apparatus (10) includes a lower frame structure (12) and an upper frame structure (14) in registry with the lower frame structure. A lower cooking conveyor belt (16) is supported by the lower frame structure (12) and correspondingly an upper conveyor belt (18) is supported by the upper frame structure (14). Heating element assemblies (20) are mounted on the lower frame structure (12) just below the lower cooking belt (16) as well as on the upper frame structure (14) just above the upper cooking belt (18). Food products are cooked while positioned between the upper and lower moving cooking conveyor belts (16) and (18) by heat generated by the heating element assemblies (20) while being advanced by the conveyor belts.

A food processing apparatus including a tank having an inlet end for receiving food product and an outlet end for discharging food product, the tank having an inner wall defining a compartment and including a solid, imperforate wall portion, fluid being contained in the compartment, and a rotatable auger mounted in the compartment, the auger for advancing food product within the compartment from the inlet end toward the outlet end, the auger including flights having a flight wall with a radial edge, a clearance space being defined between the radial edge of the flights and the solid, imperforate wall portion of the inner wall. Flow of fluid through the clearance space may be inhibited. One of the inner wall and the flight wall may include a perforated wall portion. Flow of fluid between the first auger section and the second auger section may be provided through the perforated wall portion.

A food processing apparatus includes a pressure vessel defining a compartment having an inlet end for receiving food product and an outlet end for discharging food product, an open-top screen mounted within the compartment and movable relative to the compartment between a first position, for food processing, and a second position, to facilitate cleaning, a rotatable auger mounted such that at least a portion of the auger is within the screen, the auger being operable to advance food product within the compartment from the inlet end of the pressure vessel toward the outlet end, and a transfer mechanism including a conduit in communication with the compartment, a fluid discharge positioned substantially within the conduit, and a pressurized fluid source in communication with the fluid discharge and operable to propel a fluid through the fluid discharge to move food product through the conduit.

Systems and methods of bun handling include a cassette with opposed side walls. The cassette includes a front wall, an open rear face opposite the front wall, and a floor between the opposed side walls. A cover extends between the opposed side walls above the floor. The cover is movable relative to the opposed side walls and the floor. A slot is defined through the floor from the open rear face in a direction towards the front wall.

The present invention discloses a movable type grill roaster. In the present invention, bucket depressions and a rod rolling part are provided in a chain. Accordingly, when grilling rods constituting a grill roasting plate are sequentially transferred via the chain, the grilling rods may be transferred while being rolled. The phenomenon in which meat adheres to the grilling rods is prevented. The sequentially supplied grilling rods are arranged at stable locations, and thus there is overcome the problem in which meat falls between the grilling rods constituting a grill roasting plate. When the grilling rods fall to a collection container, the falling grilling rods may be evenly distributed without being concentrated on any one point in the collection container via a fall guide piece. The convenience in use is improved during a grilling rod supply process, a meat roasting process, and a grilling rod collection process.

In one aspect, a spiral cooking device includes a first cooking zone with air configured to move horizontally therethrough in a first direction, a second cooking zone with air configured to move horizontally therethrough in a second direction different than the first direction, and a spiral conveyor belt at least partially positioned in the first and second cooking zones and configured to transport food product thereon through the first and second cooking zones. In one aspect, a spiral cooking device includes a spiral conveyor belt providing a central opening inside the belt and a conveyor belt drive member positioned externally of the central opening. In one aspect, a conveyor belt cleaning device is provided. In one aspect, a cooking device includes a frame including a plurality of coupled pipes for providing structural support to the device and at least one of the pipes is configured to have liquid pass therethrough.

A food dispenser, components thereof, and associated methods. The food dispenser dispenses food to a food cooking device. The food dispenser includes a loader having a bed and at least one pusher for pushing food along the bed toward the food cooking device. A hopper includes a plurality of food racks holding a plurality of food items in the hopper to be transferred to the bed of the loader. The food racks hold the plurality of food items in multiple arrays, one array in front of the other, and each array includes a plurality of columns. A dispensing driver dispenses food items from the hopper to the bed of the loader.

A food processing apparatus includes a pressure vessel defining a compartment having an inlet end for receiving food product and an outlet end for discharging food product, an open-top screen mounted within the compartment and movable relative to the compartment between a first position, for food processing, and a second position, to facilitate cleaning, a rotatable auger mounted such that at least a portion of the auger is within the screen, the auger being operable to advance food product within the compartment from the inlet end of the pressure vessel toward the outlet end, and a transfer mechanism including a conduit in communication with the compartment, a fluid discharge positioned substantially within the conduit, and a pressurized fluid source in communication with the fluid discharge and operable to propel a fluid through the fluid discharge to move food product through the conduit.

An automated grill system includes a food product dispensing system for dispensing uncooked food product; a dual-sided grill system for cooking the uncooked food product; a staging system for receiving cooked food product; and a non-continuous indexed conveyor belt for conveying the uncooked food product from the food product dispensing system to the dual-sided grill system and for conveying the cooked food product from the dual-sided grill system to the staging system.