A cooking system for cooking food includes a housing defining a hollow chamber configured to receive a food container. The housing has an upper portion defining an opening to said hollow chamber. A lid is movable relative to said housing. The lid contacts the housing in a closed position about the upper portion of the housing to close the opening to the hollow chamber. At least one heating element is associated with at least one of said housing and said lid. The cooking system is operable in a plurality of cooking modes including a pressure cooking mode and a convective cooking mode. In said pressure cooking mode, the cooking system is operable as a pressure cooker and in said convective cooking mode, the cooking system is operable as a convection cooker.

The present invention provides a cabinet (10) for the temporary storage of a heated food item. The cabinet (10) has a in base (12), a top (14) and opposing sides (16,18). The base (12), top (14) and opposing sides (16,18) define an interior space (20) of the cabinet (10) which is accessible through opposing apertures (22, 24) at each end of the cabinet (10). The cabinet (10) is provided with air movement means and air heating means operable to draw air from the interior space (20) of the cabinet (10), heat said air and utilise a portion of said heated air to produce air curtains across the opposing apertures (22, 24) of the cabinet (10). The remainder of said air is circulated within the interior space (20) of the cabinet (10).

A cooking system for cooking food is provided, the system including a housing defining a hollow chamber configured to receive a food container. The housing has an upper portion defining an opening to the hollow chamber. A lid is configured to cover the upper portion of the housing and the opening to the hollow chamber in a closed position. The lid is moveable to an open position where the lid does not cover the opening to the hollow chamber. At least one heating element is associated with at least one of the housing and the lid. The cooking system is operable in a plurality of modes including a pressure cooking mode and a dry cooking mode. In the pressure cooking mode, the cooking system is operable as a pressure cooker and in the dry cooking mode, the cooking system is operable as a dry cooker.

An apparatus and method for dehydrating a quantity of previously air popped corn so as to maintain its crunchiness includes a support ring having an upstanding continuous peripheral wall configured to nest atop an upper edge of a receptacle, the upstanding continuous peripheral wall being complementary to an open top of the receptacle and defining an interior area. A distribution conduit having a cylindrical configuration is coupled to an inner surface of the support ring and has opposed upstream and downstream ends defining a channel therebetween. The upstream and downstream ends are open and the distribution conduit has an elongate configuration and is oriented axially relative to the support ring. A blow-drying device may be releasably mounted in the upstream end of the distribution conduit for generating a heated air stream and blowing the generated heated air stream from the upstream to the downstream end when energized.

Devices for prolonging the quality of a warm food item contained within the device, the devices include an enclosure configured to receive the warm food item, the enclosure including a floor, a ceiling opposite the floor, sidewalk extending from the floor to the ceiling and defining an opening, the sidewalls, the floor, and the ceiling collectively defining an interior void of the enclosure, and a door operatively connected to the sidewalk in a position covering the opening in a closed position and configured to selectively move to an open position to provide access to the interior void through the opening, a convection heat source mounted inside the enclosure and configured to direct heated air within the enclosure, and a ventilation system mounted to the enclosure and configured to move air through the enclosure.

An air fryer comprises a main body and a lid assembly. The lid assembly is operable to removably cover the main body. The air fryer comprises a support structure removably assembled to the lid assembly; wherein the support structure is operable to be seated on a working surface for supporting the lid assembly, thereby providing convenient placement of the lid assembly.

A cooking unit includes a cooktop, a hood assembly, a duct assembly, and a fan. The cooktop defines a slot at least partially extending along a peripheral edge of the cooktop. The hood assembly includes a hood support extending upward from the cooktop and a hood coupled to the hood support. The hood support defines a conduit. The hood defines an intake and a hood chamber connecting the intake to the conduit of the hood support. The duct assembly includes ducting extending beneath the cooktop. The ducting connects the conduit to the slot. The fan is positioned to drive air into the intake, through the hood chamber, through the conduit, through the ducting, and out of the slot. At least a portion of the air exiting the slot returns to the intake such that an air curtain is generated between the slot and the intake.

A food thawing apparatus includes a cabinet structure defining a thawing chamber, and at least one air mover and associated air flow structure for causing an air flow through the thawing chamber. At least one air heating element is positioned for heating the air flow. At least one shelf is positioned within the thawing chamber for supporting a food product in the thawing chamber, the shelf including at least one integrated shelf heating element. A control system is configured for controlling the air mover, the air heating element and the shelf heating element so as to thaw the food product.

A food locker includes a housing, a food support member, a first door, a second door, and a lock. The housing includes a front wall a front wall, a rear wall, and a chamber. The front wall includes a first opening in communication with the chamber. The rear wall includes a second opening in communication with the chamber. The food support member is disposed within the chamber. The first door is supported by the housing and is movable between a closed position and an open position. The food support member is accessible through the first opening when the first door is in the open position. The second door is supported by the housing and is movable between a closed position and an open position. The food support member is accessible through the second opening when the second door is in the open position. The lock is operatively coupled to at least one of the housing and the first door and is actuatable between a locked configuration and an unlocked configuration. The lock is operable to (i) permit the first door to move from the closed position to the open position when the lock is in the unlocked configuration and (ii) prevent the first door from moving from the closed position to the open position when the lock is in the locked configuration.

A method of displaying a battery life for a warming cart battery is provided. The method includes the steps of detecting with a processor that a warming cart battery voltage is out of range of a predetermined threshold, determining with a processor an operation state of each of a plurality of periphery warming cart devices, and automatically setting a battery scale of a warming cart battery based on which of the plurality of periphery warming cart devices are in an active operation state.