An oven system to heat a moving item includes a conveyor capable of moving at more than one speed along a path of movement; a heat source positioned along the path of movement; a baseline heating profile for heating the moving item at a constant velocity; a sensor to detect energy available for the heat source at a particular moment or over a period of time; and a system to dynamically modify, based on the energy available, the baseline heating profile into a modified heating profile including a variable conveyance speed, where, when the moving item exits the oven system, the energy supplied by the heat source to the moving item equals the energy to be supplied per the baseline heating profile.

Conveyor ovens for cooking food according to various embodiments include one or more passive tubes in a plenum positioned opposite one or more burner tubes, wherein the passive tubes have outer walls with apertures therethrough. In some cases, a burner assembly for a conveyor oven includes at least one burner tube extending into a plenum and positioned to receive at least a portion of a flame emitted by the burner assembly, wherein a rifling plate extends through the burner tube and is slidingly positioned within the burner tube. Also, in some cases a baffle in a plenum of the oven is positioned opposite the burner tube and defines a fluid conduit having an entrance into which air heated from the burner tube is received and an exit separate from the entrance and through which air is discharged.

A method for cooking is disclosed. In response to an oven being selected to cook a food item, a determination is made whether or not any oven is being engaged in cooking. If no oven is being engaged in cooking, then temperature-control mode is utilized to control oven temperature of the selected oven. If one oven is currently being engaged in cooking, then another determination is made whether or not the total current demand by the two ovens to cook respective food items exceeds a predetermined current limitation under temperature-control mode. If the total current demand does not exceed the predetermined current limitation, then temperature-control mode is utilized to control oven temperature of the two ovens. If the total current demand exceeds the predetermined current limitation, then time-control mode is utilized to control oven temperature of the two ovens.

A modular cooking apparatus includes a first interchangeable cooking module containing an impingement oven, a second interchangeable cooking module containing a hot air oven with built-in magnetron, and a single power connection for receiving three-phase electrical power. Each oven has a base load and a boost load. A first multiplexor is configured to direct electrical power from a first phase pair of the three-phase electrical power to either the base load or the boost load of the first oven. A second multiplexor is configured to direct electrical power from the first phase pair to the boost load of the first oven or to the boost load of the second oven. The modular cooking apparatus is configured such that either the first multiplexor or the second multiplexor can direct electrical power from the first phase pair to the boost load of the first oven.

Conveyor ovens for cooking food according to various embodiments include variable speed fans to deliver air from a plenum into at least two lower cooking zones below a conveyor of the oven, and at least one variable speed fan to deliver air from the plenum into one or more upper cooking zones above the conveyor, wherein a controller operates the fans delivering air into the lower cooking zones independently of each other and independently of the other fan. The fans can be controlled so that air delivered to a bottom side of the conveyor has a speed that is different in the different lower cooking zones and/or is different than air delivered to the top side of the conveyor. In some cases, the speed of the fans is predetermined and set in accordance with the type of food to be cooked.

A modular cooking apparatus is disclosed. The modular cooking apparatus includes a housing for containing a first and second interchangeable cooking modules. The first interchangeable cooking module contains a first oven, and the second interchangeable cooking module contains a second oven. A grease shield is located within the first oven. The second oven is different from the first oven. The modular cooking apparatus also includes a control panel for receiving cooking inputs, a controller for controlling the first and second interchangeable cooking modules, and a single power plug for receiving electrical power from a wall outlet.

A modular cooking apparatus is disclosed. The modular cooking apparatus includes a first interchangeable cooking module containing an impingement oven, and a second interchangeable cooking module containing a hot air oven having a cooking chamber. The hot air oven includes a cook rack having multiple air deflectors having different lengths located within said cooking chamber and a blower for directing heated air in a horizontal direction beneath said cook rack.

A cleaning system for an oven having shelves which provide for distributed jets of heated air, allows water accumulation within the shelves during cleaning by reducing airflow through the shelf, and then provides rapid expulsion of the water in cohesive streams after accumulation to provide high inertial cleaning.

A method for cooking is disclosed. In response to an oven being selected to cook a food item, a determination is made whether or not any oven is being engaged in cooking. If no oven is being engaged in cooking, then temperature-control mode is utilized to control oven temperature of the selected oven. If one oven is currently being engaged in cooking, then another determination is made whether or not the total current demand by the two ovens to cook respective food items exceeds a predetermined current limitation under temperature-control mode. If the total current demand does not exceed the predetermined current limitation, then temperature-control mode is utilized to control oven temperature of the two ovens. If the total current demand exceeds the predetermined current limitation, then time-control mode is utilized to control oven temperature of the two ovens.

A cleaning system for an oven having shelves which provide for distributed jets of heated air, allows water accumulation within the shelves during cleaning by reducing airflow through the shelf, and then provides rapid expulsion of the water in cohesive streams after accumulation to provide high inertial cleaning.