An automatic cooking system is provided to reduce and/or optimize the amount of cooking medium required to operate the fryer, while improving the temperature and flow characteristics of cooking medium in the fryer. To this end, the cooking vat of the system is designed with one or more heating elements and one or more lanes for flow of cooking medium and food products between inlet and outlet ends, with the heating elements defining a low profile and/or being mounted externally to the cooking vat to avoid impeding flow of the cooking medium. One example of such a heating element is a printed heating element that is coupled to or directly printed on the cooking vat. This arrangement reduces the total volume of retained cooking medium needed to flow and move food products along a length of the cooking vat during a cooking process.

A capacitive sensor and control system is configured to detect the presence (or absence) of a filter pan and of fluid within a filter pan. Configured in a filter pan of a deep fryer, the sensor determines when a level of liquid within the filter pan is at or above the level of the. The sensor is in communication with the control system and the sensor sends a signal to the control system representative of the presence of liquid within the filter pan and at the level of the sensor. The controller receives the signal from the sensor, and allows operation of a fluid management system and its associated plumbing to completely and safely move oil into and out of the filter pan.

The present invention can provide a frying apparatus having an oil recycling and purifying function and a frying oil separating function including: a main body casing, at least one oil tank, a cooking heater, an oil purifying and circulating unit, a rotary drive unit, and an oil-outflow preventive cover, whereby a cooking oil used for cooking fried foods can periodically or continuously purified and recycled to have a constant purity, thus cooking the fried foods hygienically and also improving the taste of the fried foods, minimizing the consumption of the cooking oil to reduce costs.

A cooking vessel for a cooking system is provided that includes a table including a longitudinal axis, a first end, a second end opposite the first end, a trough positioned along the table that is more proximate the second end than the first end. The cooking system further includes an inlet header positioned at the first end that is configured to emit cooking fluid onto the table such that the cooking fluid is to flow across the table toward the trough, and a plurality of oil nozzles positioned along a base of the table, wherein each of the plurality of nozzles is configured to emit oil along an upper surface of the base toward the trough.

The present invention is a cooking-oil filtration system for automated cooking apparatus which has a solids-removing filter for cleaning cooking oil from the food-fryer and returning oil to the cooking apparatus. The system comprises a solids-removing filter enclosure which includes a plurality of doors having electronically controlled locks with lock-state feedback, a controller including memory and software for controlling the system and a user interface, a number of electrically-controlled pumps, valves, actuators and sensors, the user interface comprising screens with icons representing system set-up, status, and actions. The screens include a main screen, an operator controls screen with controls including door-lock controls displaying door-lock status and controls to lock and unlock the doors, such unlocking permitted only when at least one pump is off and the filter-chamber pressure is below a predetermined pressure, one or more status screens displaying filter operation status, and one or more setup screens.

A product matter of generally expanding the life of edible cooking oil used to deep fry wherein a combination of diatomaceous earth and anhydrous magnesium silicate are used as a fry and filtering aid.

A gas fryer and associated methods of cooking food products are disclosed. The gas fryer includes an infrared burner and a fry pot including an interior casing defining a cooking chamber, with the interior casing including a bottom wall and opposing sidewalls that extend upwardly from the bottom wall. The opposing sidewalls include lower, central, and upper sidewall panels that are angled from one another to define a tapered profile that narrows towards the bottom wall. The tapering of a well defined at a lower chamber portions of the cooking chamber allows for a shallow depth at this portion of the fry pot and easy visibility and access for cleaning. Furthermore, the opposing sidewalls and a rear end wall of the interior casing include heat exchange fins on an external surface.

A fryer includes a cooking chamber for holding a cooking medium at least one heating element positioned within the cooking chamber, and a chain conveyor for selectively advancing food product through the cooking chamber along a movement path. The chain conveyor includes first and second chains coupled together by a plurality of baskets extending therebetween. The movement path includes a series of legs, including a first leg wherein the food product moves substantially vertically from above the cooking medium to a greatest depth within the cooking medium and including a second leg subsequent to the first leg wherein the food product moves substantially horizontally at the greatest depth within the cooking medium. Automated filtering systems and methods for removing debris from cooking medium are also provided.

Systems are disclosed for cleaning a fryer using a washing element coupled to a bottom wall of a cooking chamber. An upper portion of the washing element extends above the bottom wall of the cooking chamber and includes a plurality of spray jet nozzles that are separated at predetermined angles relative to one another around a periphery of the upper portion of the washing element to orient the plurality of spray jet nozzles so as to spray a plurality of pressurized streams of the cooking medium to predetermined areas of the cooking chamber, including at least one corner of the cooking chamber. Also disclosed is a fryer that includes a spreader bar that maintains an electric heating coil in the serpentine pattern. The spreader bar is coupled to the upper surface of the electric heating coil and is disposed at a predetermined distance away from the bottom wall.

A cooking oil disposal assembly includes a pot for receiving used cooking oil. A filter is removably positionable in the pot and the filter is comprised of a fluid permeable material to filter particles from the used cooking oil. A cover is hingedly coupled to the pot and the cover is positionable between a closed position and an open position. A bowl is removably positionable in the cover and the bowl is comprised of a fluid impermeable material to capture the used cooking oil. The bowl is disposed of when the bowl is removed from the pot to facilitate the used cooking oil to be disposed without pouring the used cooking oil down sewer pipes. A blower is coupled to the cover and the blower urging air upwardly onto the bowl when the blower is turned on to cool the used cooking oil in the bowl.