A characteristic of edible oil used for frying operations may be determined using a sensor such as a spectrometer or capacitive sensor. Other attributes indicative of a prior, present, or future frying operations can be specified, and an analytical model indicative of a composite aging parameter can be applied using one or more attributes along with data obtained from the sensor indicative of oil degradation. Application of the analytical model may be used to trigger various actions relating to oil management, such as ranging from automatically generating a notification to an operator or automatically initiating oil management operations such as top-off, oil removal, or oil replacement in a frying apparatus.

A system for transporting and measuring the quality of cooking oil exiting a fryer unit using a portable oil transport apparatus. The portable oil transport apparatus has at least one sensor for measuring the quality of oil passing through the system. The portable apparatus may be connected to a storage receptacle for disposing of spent cooking oil, or may be connected back to the fryer unit to reuse the oil, based upon the measured quality of the oil. The portable oil transport apparatus may have an oil filter for filtering out unwanted components contained in the cooking oil. The oil quality sensor is capable of measuring the electrical properties of the oil to determine whether the oil should be reused or disposed of.

An apparatus for preparing food is provided, and includes a food-receiving chamber sized to receive at least one food item, a cutting structure configured to cut the at least one food item when pressed into contact therewith, an impeller for impelling the at least one food item into contact with the cutting structure, an oil chamber for storing oil, a heating system for heating the oil, and an oil introduction system in communication with the oil chamber, the oil introduction system being operable to introduce at least one of an oil mist and an oil spray in the frying chamber.

A smoke evacuating fryer, comprising a fryer body, an exhaust vent, a lid engaged on the fryer body, and a frying basket and a smoke evacuating and filtering apparatus provided within the fryer body An air intake gap is provided at a location where the lid and the fryer body are joined. The smoke evacuating and filtering apparatus is provided on the fryer body (1) and abuts against the frying basket. Air introduced into the air intake gap is passed over the frying basket, filtered by the smoke evacuating and filtering apparatus and then discharged via the exhaust vent.

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.

A cooking system includes an appliance defining a food product volume and a fluid aperture fluidly coupled to the food product volume, a conduit configured to fluidly couple a fire suppressant supply to the fluid aperture, the fire suppressant supply being configured to provide a fire suppressant agent, a flow restrictor positioned along the conduit and configured to restrict a flow rate of the fire suppressant agent through the conduit, and a check valve positioned along the conduit. A portion of the conduit extends between the check valve and the fluid aperture and fluidly couples the check valve to the fluid aperture. The conduit is configured to introduce the fire suppressant agent from the fire suppressant supply into the food product volume of the appliance through the fluid aperture.

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.

A shell form and a method of using the shell form requires a wire form and a wire clip, a tortilla placed therebetween during the time that the tortilla is cooked in hot oil forming a taco shell.

An apparatus for preparing food is provided, and includes a food-receiving chamber sized to receive at least one food item, a cutting structure configured to cut the at least one food item when pressed into contact therewith, an impeller for impelling the at least one food item into contact with the cutting structure, an oil chamber for storing oil, a heating system for heating the oil, and an oil introduction system in communication with the oil chamber, the oil introduction system being operable to introduce at least one of an oil mist and an oil spray in the frying chamber.

Device for dispensing a food item into a hot fluid comprises a bowl having a permanent base and a movable plate positioned about the permanent base. A bottom of the bowl defines an opening for receiving a shaft extending therethrough. The shaft is coupled to the movable plate. A shank is selectively engaged with the bowl, the shank having a handle at a proximal end thereof. A lever is pivotably attached to the shank. The pivotal attachment is spaced apart from the bowl. The lever is detachably coupled to the shaft to impart translation of the movable plate. During operation, the lever is manipulated from a first position to a second position to push the shaft to move the movable plate to thereby eject the food item out of the bowl and into a hot fluid.