Systems and methods for shaping food items are provided. The systems and methods can shape the food items into taco shapes. A system can include a basket, a tool, and an insert. The basket includes troughs and a handle. The tool includes guides that receive patties made of, for example, potatoes, meat, and/or other food items. The insert includes wedges sized and shaped to fit through the guides and into the troughs of the basket. The tool is assembled with the basket in use, and frozen patties are placed in the guides. The insert is assembled with the tool such that the wedges contact the patties. The assembly is placed in hot oil to cook the patties. As the patties cook and soften, the insert moves downward relative to the tool and basket, and the wedges urge the patties into the troughs and into a taco shape.

Systems and methods for shaping food items are provided. The systems and methods can shape the food items into taco shapes. A system can include a basket, a tool, and an insert. The basket includes troughs and a handle. The tool includes guides that receive patties made of, for example, potatoes, meat, and/or other food items. The insert includes wedges sized and shaped to fit through the guides and into the troughs of the basket. The tool is assembled with the basket in use, and frozen patties are placed in the guides. The insert is assembled with the tool such that the wedges contact the patties. The assembly is placed in hot oil to cook the patties. As the patties cook and soften, the insert moves downward relative to the tool and basket, and the wedges urge the patties into the troughs and into a taco shape.

A system for presenting and preparing foodstuffs that include a plurality of individual foodstuff blocks provided formed into basic shapes comprises a heating device including a heatable cooking receptacle for one or more foodstuff blocks with a heatable grill surface and at least one heating mandrel projecting from the grill surface; wherein the heating mandrel is insertable into a passage opening provided in each respective foodstuff block and is adapted to the contour of the passage opening so as to avoid an air gap between the wall of the passage opening and the heating mandrel.

A system for presenting and preparing foodstuffs that include a plurality of individual foodstuff blocks provided formed into basic shapes comprises a heating device including a heatable cooking receptacle for one or more foodstuff blocks with a heatable grill surface and at least one heating mandrel projecting from the grill surface; wherein the heating mandrel is insertable into a passage opening provided in each respective foodstuff block and is adapted to the contour of the passage opening so as to avoid an air gap between the wall of the passage opening and the heating mandrel.

A fully-automated sushi making apparatus, comprising a fixed plate (1), a container module (2), an annular shielding module (3), a center shielding module (4), a dispensing module (7), a ring-shaped isolation module (5), a cylindrical pushing module (6), an extraction module (8), a recovery module (9), and a controller (10). The controller controls vertical drive units (52, 62, 81) and horizontal drive units (31, 41, 51, and 61) to drive the connected annular shielding module, ring-shaped isolation module, and cylindrical pushing module to perform layerwise removal of rice from the container module, then drives the center shielding module, the dispensing module, and the cylindrical pushing module to add sushi ingredients into the hollow center of the rice removed from the container module, and finally drives the extraction module, the annular shielding module, and the center shielding module to move in unison to extract the completed sushi.

A fully-automated sushi making apparatus, comprising a fixed plate (1), a container module (2), an annular shielding module (3), a center shielding module (4), a dispensing module (7), a ring-shaped isolation module (5), a cylindrical pushing module (6), an extraction module (8), a recovery module (9), and a controller (10). The controller controls vertical drive units (52, 62, 81) and horizontal drive units (31, 41, 51, and 61) to drive the connected annular shielding module, ring-shaped isolation module, and cylindrical pushing module to perform layerwise removal of rice from the container module, then drives the center shielding module, the dispensing module, and the cylindrical pushing module to add sushi ingredients into the hollow center of the rice removed from the container module, and finally drives the extraction module, the annular shielding module, and the center shielding module to move in unison to extract the completed sushi.

A kit for molding and storing malleable foodstuff includes (a) a molding tube; (b) a plunger slidable within the molding tube for tamping foodstuff received therein to form a shaped food article corresponding in shape to an interior of the molding tube; and (c) at least one storage tube sized and shaped for storing the shaped food article therein with reduced surface area contact relative to the molding tube.

A kit for molding and storing malleable foodstuff includes (a) a molding tube; (b) a plunger slidable within the molding tube for tamping foodstuff received therein to form a shaped food article corresponding in shape to an interior of the molding tube; and (c) at least one storage tube sized and shaped for storing the shaped food article therein with reduced surface area contact relative to the molding tube.

An objective of the apparatus is to enable users to cut, seal, and crimp a sandwich. The apparatus is a sandwich maker that can apply pressure from both sides of the sandwich while sealing and crimping the sandwich, so as to make a perfectly rounded and spill proof sandwich. Additionally, the apparatus includes alignment pointers that enable users to create a crimped sandwich with perfectly crimped edges. Further, the apparatus includes multiple pieces and shapes that serve specific purposes and gives users the option to use them mutually exclusively. Furthermore, each of the different pieces of the apparatus have aesthetically appealing shapes and air gaps in the center, which enables users to release the sandwich easily.

An objective of the apparatus is to enable users to cut, seal, and crimp a sandwich. The apparatus is a sandwich maker that can apply pressure from both sides of the sandwich while sealing and crimping the sandwich, so as to make a perfectly rounded and spill proof sandwich. Additionally, the apparatus includes alignment pointers that enable users to create a crimped sandwich with perfectly crimped edges. Further, the apparatus includes multiple pieces and shapes that serve specific purposes and gives users the option to use them mutually exclusively. Furthermore, each of the different pieces of the apparatus have aesthetically appealing shapes and air gaps in the center, which enables users to release the sandwich easily.