A stand alone container for housing dehydrated foodstuff and for use in a foodstuff machine has a continuous sidewall with first and second ends forming a storage area. A piston is complementarily positioned within the sidewall proximate the first end and is slidable with respect to the sidewall. The container contains dehydrated foodstuff located in the storage area and a removable cover positioned proximate the second end. The foodstuff machine includes a machine housing having an access opening for receiving the container having dehydrated foodstuff therein. A hydrating and positioning system moves from a loading position when the container is in the access opening to a hydrating position with the container second end above the first end and then to a transfer position where the first end is positioned above the second end. A liquid dispenser is positioned above the container when the container is in the hydrating position. The foodstuff machine has a transfer arm having an operative end for receiving the container and is movable from a first position that supports the container in the transfer position to an extrusion position where the container is located over a cooking station. A piston rod is operatively associated with the piston in the container and moves to force the piston toward the second end of the container to force hydrated foodstuff through the die to form uncooked strips which drop into the cooking station.

The invention relates to a air-based fryer apparatus (100) including a shield (101) for use in a cooking apparatus (100) having a food preparation chamber (102) to receive a food support (103), a system (104) for circulating a flow of hot air inside the food preparation chamber (102) and a heating element (105) to heat at least the circulated air. The shield (101) is configured to be disposed between the heating element (105) and the food support (103). The shield (101) comprises a plurality of inclined surfaces (112) and a plurality of apertures (111) between the inclined surfaces (112) through which the flow of hot air can pass, wherein the inclined surfaces (112) are adapted to block a direct line of sight through the apertures (11) in the shield (101) from the heating element (105) to the food support (103) to prevent air flowing from the food support (103) to the heating element (105) through the apertures without being defelected by the inclined surfaces. The invention allows, among various advantages, reducing fumes generated by an air-based fryer during cooking process.

An apparatus for cooking food which includes a receiving container provided for receiving food, a stirring device arranged inside the receiving container, at least one main heating system and at least one ventilation motor for generating a heating airflow, the receiving container and the stirring device being designed to be imparted with a relative rotation movement.

Fire protection mist nozzles for industrial oil cookers, oil cookers with fire protection systems, and method of oil cooker fire protection are provided. The mist nozzles operate at pressures between 170 and 250 psi, and provide a unique distribution pattern that allows for variable installations for protection in certain operative environments including oil cookers with various hood configurations. The fire protection nozzles includes a base defining an inlet and an outlet along an axis. The base includes an orifice having an inlet diameter and an outlet diameter. The outlet diameter is preferably greater than the inlet diameter; and the orifice defines a K-factor of less than 1.0 gpm/psi. The nozzle includes a diffuser aligned with the orifice. The diffuser has a preferably substantially domed portion with a maximum diameter that is less than the summation of the inlet diameter and the outlet diameter of the orifice.

Systems and methods for supplying fresh cooking oil to fryers and removing used cooking oil from the fryers of facilities. The systems and methods include utilizing one or more portable vehicles to carry fresh and used oil for delivery and collection to and from fryers in remote kitchens, or kitchens where hard piped oil lines are not preferred. Also provided are methods of delivering cooking oil to, and removing cooking oil from, the facility via one or more additional vehicles that travels between the facility and one or more depots. In one embodiment there is provided a bulk cooking oil distribution system having a bulk fresh cooking oil tank and a bulk used cooking oil tank. The system includes a fresh cooking oil tank and a used cooking oil tank, where these tanks are associated with a portable device for delivery and pickup of cooking oil in a facility.

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.

Food containing water is improved. A fryer controls water which is an ingredient of food as an object placed between a pair of opposed plate antennas, to be more specific, the water activity of the object, by generating electromagnetic waves between the pair of opposed plate antennas. Then, the fryer applies a DC electric field of +100 V as an offset electric field on the water phase side relative to the oil phase in an AC electric field to irradiate food with electromagnetic waves at a frequency of 50 kHz. Thus, the interfacial polarization between the water phase and the oil phase can be increased to decrease the interfacial tension between the water phase and the oil phase by approximately 60% and bind water in a pearl-chain structure, thus decreasing the water activity.

A safety shield is provided that protects persons from hot fluids used with cooking pots used for deep frying over an open flame. The safety shield construction includes an adjustable band that attaches to the outside of a cooking pot, and having an outwardly protruding surface to re-direct spilled hot fluids away from a human user standing near the cooking pot. The safety shield provides a safety zone that deflects any spilled hot fluids away from the human user. The safety shield has an overall inverted V-shape, and as an alternative embodiment can have additional somewhat vertical barriers that help to prevent any spilled cooking oil from touching the human user.

A cooking appliance includes a housing and at least one upwardly facing cooking wall on which food product can directly sit for cooking, where the cooking wall is supported by the housing and has an associated drain path for residual cooking fluid and/or for cleaning fluid, where the drain path includes an outlet end. A mobile fluid receptacle located in an installed use position within the housing is positioned below the cooking wall. The mobile fluid receptacle is movable to a transport position fully disengaged from the housing. The mobile fluid receptacle maybe configured to sit in a generally horizontal use orientation when in the installed use position, as well as an upright orientation when disengaged from the housing.

A method and tool(s) for maintaining a liquid fryer or broaster having a frypot for holding frying liquid including a V-shaped or conical bottom. The method can include: Providing a tool having a generally normally flat blade extending longitudinally from a handle end to a distal end, the blade comprising a material having sufficient stiffness to impart scraping force to the distal end over a range of temperatures including 150 F., but sufficient flexibility to slide past steps and angles, including acute angles, while scraping the frypot. Scraping an internal wall of the frypot, beginning above and then down to and past the V-shaped or conical bottom. Draining the remaining frying liquid. Cleaning the interior of the frypot/vat. Refilling the frying liquid. The tool(s) can be elongated with different widths and leading edges and have characteristics like above.