Strategic heat shield and burner assembly

A strategic heat shield and burner assembly comprising:

• (a) a stand having a central member defining a wall with a central opening therethrough and having a top edge, a first wall surface and a second wall surface;
• (b) a burner positioned centrally within the central member and coupled to the central member,
• wherein said burner is positioned to radiate heat to a vessel placed above the burner on the stand, wherein the vessel has a bottom wall portion and exterior sidewall portion;
• and
• (c) a removeably couplable heat shield configured to approximate the shape of the top edge of the central member, wherein the heat shield comprises an interior surface, an exterior surface, and a top edge and a bottom edge,
• wherein the bottom edge heat shield includes a central tab, a first side tab and a second side tab, wherein the heat shield can be removeably coupled to the top edge of the central member without the use of additional fasteners by positioning the top edge of the central member with the central tab positioned against the first wall surface of the central member, and the first and second side tabs are positioned on either side of the central tab and positioned against the second wall surface of the central member,
• wherein the top edge of the heat shield is positioned beneath the bottom wall portion of the vessel and oriented to be substantially proximate the vessel, wherein the heat shield is further configured to shield the exterior side wall portion of the vessel from heat created by the burner and said heat is primarily deflected to the bottom wall portion of the vessel.