A cooking apparatus includes a base, a first cooking assembly, a second cooking assembly pivotably coupled to the first cooking assembly, and a pair of removable cooking surfaces, the first cooking assembly and the second cooking assembly each being rotatably coupled to the base and configured to receive a respective removable cooking surface. The first cooking assembly and the second cooking assembly are moveable between an opened state and a closed state. The first cooking assembly and the second cooking assembly are configured to rotate about a first rotational axis while in the closed state and pivot relative to one another about a second rotational axis while in the opened state.

A cooking apparatus includes a base, a first cooking assembly, a second cooking assembly pivotably coupled to the first cooking assembly, and a pair of removable cooking surfaces, the first cooking assembly and the second cooking assembly each being rotatably coupled to the base and configured to receive a respective removable cooking surface. The first cooking assembly and the second cooking assembly are moveable between an opened state and a closed state. The first cooking assembly and the second cooking assembly are configured to rotate about a first rotational axis while in the closed state and pivot relative to one another about a second rotational axis while in the opened state.

An integrated front-of-house and back-of-house restaurant operations system integrates automated and manual restaurant operations into an order-based system. The system interfaces with disparate devices and systems to provide order-based monitoring and control of operations within an establishment.

A thermal processing apparatus (20) includes a spiral conveyor system (22) configured into an ascending spiral stack (26). An air balance tunnel (40) includes a tunnel housing (76) positioned inside of a thermal processing chamber adjacent an outlet opening (36). A conveyor belt (24) travels through the housing on its way out of the processing chamber. An air pervious ejector assembly (78) is positioned within the housing at an elevation above the conveyor belt (24). An air pervious evacuation sheet (80) is located within the housing at a location beneath the conveyor belt (24). An air pervious cover assembly (150) is positioned over the conveyor belt (24) at a location just before the conveyor belt enters the air balance tunnel (40). The cover sheet (150) is connectable to the ejector assembly (78) so as to remove the ejector assembly from the tunnel housing (76) by manually moving the cover assembly (150).

The invention relates to hydraulic control for carrying out a method of producing a cracker from cereals, which are pressure-baked in a heated mold and expanded afterwards. In particular the hydraulic control system, comprising of a plurality of hydraulic cylinders, will lead to an increased expansion speed or an increased speed for opening the dies, resulting in constant high-quality food products.

The invention relates to hydraulic control for carrying out a method of producing a cracker from cereals, which are pressure-baked in a heated mold and expanded afterwards. In particular the hydraulic control system, comprising of a plurality of hydraulic cylinders, will lead to an increased expansion speed or an increased speed for opening the dies, resulting in constant high-quality food products.

A food processing machine for processing a food product includes a processing module having a housing with a sidewall, opposing end walls, and a chamber between the end walls and a conveyor extending through the end walls and the chamber and configured to convey the food product through the chamber. A microwave generating device is coupled to the sidewall and configured to generate microwave energy. A waveguide assembly is configured to receive the microwave energy, direct the microwave energy along a waveguide axis, and subsequently direct the microwave energy in a transverse direction that is transverse to the vertical direction through the sidewall and into the chamber such that the microwave energy heats the food products.

A food preparation system arranged in a kitchen includes a gantry fixed with the kitchen, at least one robot arm having an end effector supported on a base in the kitchen, where the base is movably mounted on the gantry, defining a reaching distance of the robot from the end effector to the base, along a travel path of the base on the gantry, a storage container arranged in the kitchen, within the reaching distance of the at least one robot arm, and configured for storing a food item, at least one ingredient distribution device arranged in the kitchen, within the reaching distance of the at least one robot arm, and configured for dispensing at least one ingredient on the food item, and an oven arranged in the kitchen, within the reaching distance of the at least one robot arm, and configured for baking the food item.

A food preparation system arranged in a kitchen includes a gantry fixed with the kitchen, at least one robot arm having an end effector supported on a base in the kitchen, where the base is movably mounted on the gantry, defining a reaching distance of the robot from the end effector to the base, along a travel path of the base on the gantry, a storage container arranged in the kitchen, within the reaching distance of the at least one robot arm, and configured for storing a food item, at least one ingredient distribution device arranged in the kitchen, within the reaching distance of the at least one robot arm, and configured for dispensing at least one ingredient on the food item, and an oven arranged in the kitchen, within the reaching distance of the at least one robot arm, and configured for baking the food item.

The present invention relates to a small, lightweight, portable or easily removable high temperature oven with a rotating floor, designed to bake one pizza at a time, and operate between 300 and 1400° F., with mechanisms to independently regulate the temperature of the dome and the floor of the oven, using thermocouples, infrared sensors, other temperature sensors, industrial oven controllers, other programmable logic controllers, solenoid gas valves, or proportional response gas valves, baffles and ventilation systems and other heat sources, control sensing and regulation systems, to imitate the baking conditions of a heavy ceramic traditional Italian cupola oven. Different embodiments include portable catering ovens, food truck ovens, very small pizzeria ovens, and residential ovens with automatic controls, that are approximately conventional residential countertop depth.