Systems and methods for cutting and cooking a substance are disclosed. Exemplary implementations may: convey, via a primary conveying subsystem, a layer of food substance along a conveyance path along which the layer of food substance is conveyed; cut, via a cutter, the layer of food substance into food pieces; apply, via a primary pressurized fluid outlet, primary pressurized fluid such that the food pieces are released from the cutter; heat, via the heating mechanism, a chamber; apply, via a secondary pressurized fluid outlet, secondary pressurized fluid so that the food pieces are held flat to the primary conveying substrate, and hold, via a secondary conveying subsystem, the layer of food substance flat between the primary conveying substrate and a secondary conveying substrate for at least a portion of the chamber.

An oven with a sensor positioned to detect an event that will cause a decrease in the internal temperature of a tunnel. The oven includes a controller configured to increase the thermal output of a heating element in anticipation of the upcoming decrease in the internal temperature. In some embodiments, the oven is a conveyor over and the sensor is positioned to detect a food item approach the tunnel on a conveyor. In some embodiments, the amount of current provided to an electric heating element is increased by increasing the target temperature. In some embodiments, the amount of current provided to the electric heating element is increased by a predetermined offset.

An oven with a sensor positioned to detect an event that will cause a decrease in the internal temperature of a tunnel. The oven includes a controller configured to increase the thermal output of a heating element in anticipation of the upcoming decrease in the internal temperature. In some embodiments, the oven is a conveyor over and the sensor is positioned to detect a food item approach the tunnel on a conveyor. In some embodiments, the amount of current provided to an electric heating element is increased by increasing the target temperature. In some embodiments, the amount of current provided to the electric heating element is increased by a predetermined offset.

An oven has a first conveyor, a first burner that directs heat toward the first conveyor from above the first conveyor, and a second burner that directs heat toward the first conveyor from below the first conveyor. A method includes providing foodstuff on a conveyor, exposing the foodstuff to heat directed toward the foodstuff from above the conveyor, and exposing the foodstuff to heat directed toward the foodstuff from below the conveyor. Another oven has a first conveyor and first conveyor insulators that surround the first conveyor and define a first zone. Another method includes introducing foodstuff to a first conveyor belt within a first insulated zone, introducing heat into the first insulated zone, and retaining a portion of the heat within the first insulated zone. Another oven has an insulated cooking zone that closely envelopes a cooking path and an insulated oven zone that substantially envelopes the cooking zone.

An oven has a first conveyor, a first burner that directs heat toward the first conveyor from above the first conveyor, and a second burner that directs heat toward the first conveyor from below the first conveyor. A method includes providing foodstuff on a conveyor, exposing the foodstuff to heat directed toward the foodstuff from above the conveyor, and exposing the foodstuff to heat directed toward the foodstuff from below the conveyor. Another oven has a first conveyor and first conveyor insulators that surround the first conveyor and define a first zone. Another method includes introducing foodstuff to a first conveyor belt within a first insulated zone, introducing heat into the first insulated zone, and retaining a portion of the heat within the first insulated zone. Another oven has an insulated cooking zone that closely envelopes a cooking path and an insulated oven zone that substantially envelopes the cooking zone.

Food service equipment comprises a multiple-pass feeder conveyor and toaster which comprises an upper inclined food product infeed conveyor ramp for causing the food products to proceed in a first direction extending from the rear of the appliance toward the front of the appliance and onto the upper run of a first upper endless conveyor. The upper run of the first upper endless conveyor conveys the food products into a semi-circular return product feeder which causes the food products to be conveyed in a second opposite direction extending from the front of the appliance toward the rear of the appliance and into an entry space defined by means of the lower run of the first upper endless conveyor and the upper run of a second lower endless conveyor, the two conveyors being synchronized together. The pair of conveyors convey the food products between heated platens respectively associated with the two conveyors whereby the food products are cooked or toasted. Additional pairs of conveyors can also be incorporated within the system, in a vertically stacked array, so as to effectively increase the length of travel experienced by the multiple food products without increasing the footprint of the equipment. In addition, upper and lower heated platens are operatively associated with the first and second upper and lower endless conveyors, and the upper heated platen is movably mounted within the food service equipment so as to move upwardly and downwardly and thereby permit different food products, having different thickness dimensions, to be conveyed through the food service equipment.

Systems and methods for cutting and cooking a substance are disclosed. Exemplary implementations may: convey, via a primary conveying subsystem, a layer of food substance along a conveyance path; cut, via a cutter, the layer of food substance into food pieces; apply, via a primary pressurized fluid outlet, primary pressurized fluid such that the food pieces are released from the cutter; apply, via a secondary pressurized fluid outlet positioned above the primary conveying substrate and pointed toward the primary conveying substrate, secondary pressurized fluid so that the food pieces are held flat to a primary conveying substrate; heat, via a heating mechanism, air within a chamber to provide an environment suitable for dehydrating the food pieces passing through the chamber; and convey the food pieces for at least a portion of the conveyance path through the chamber and hold the food pieces flat with a secondary conveying subsystem.

Systems and methods for cutting and cooking a substance are disclosed. Exemplary implementations may: convey, via a primary conveying subsystem, a layer of food substance along a conveyance path; cut, via a cutter, the layer of food substance into food pieces; apply, via a primary pressurized fluid outlet, primary pressurized fluid such that the food pieces are released from the cutter; apply, via a secondary pressurized fluid outlet positioned above the primary conveying substrate and pointed toward the primary conveying substrate, secondary pressurized fluid so that the food pieces are held flat to a primary conveying substrate; heat, via a heating mechanism, air within a chamber to provide an environment suitable for dehydrating the food pieces passing through the chamber; and convey the food pieces for at least a portion of the conveyance path through the chamber and hold the food pieces flat with a secondary conveying subsystem.

A method and baking oven (1) for baking food products comprising cheese or constituted by cheese are described. The baking oven comprising a baking chamber (2), a conveyor belt (3) movable in a continuous way in the baking chamber for supplying the ingredients and for unloading the food products, heating means (4) to heat the ingredients in the baking chamber and extracting means (9) to extract air and vapor from the baking chamber, which are configured to obtain a food product having residual humidity of less than 5% by weight and a consequent shelf-life longer than 4 months.

A method and baking oven (1) for baking food products comprising cheese or constituted by cheese are described. The baking oven comprising a baking chamber (2), a conveyor belt (3) movable in a continuous way in the baking chamber for supplying the ingredients and for unloading the food products, heating means (4) to heat the ingredients in the baking chamber and extracting means (9) to extract air and vapor from the baking chamber, which are configured to obtain a food product having residual humidity of less than 5% by weight and a consequent shelf-life longer than 4 months.