Cooking apparatus and method for use of same

A cooking apparatus comprising:

• an oven housing defining a cooking chamber, a circulation chamber, and a catalyst chamber, the catalyst chamber being superposed to the circulation chamber, the circulation chamber being superposed to the cooking chamber, the cooking chamber having an operational cooking temperature during a cooking cycle;
• a door providing access to the cooking chamber and sealing the cooking chamber when the door is in a closed position;
• a first heating element located in the cooking chamber and a second heating element located in the circulation chamber, the second heating element having a greater power than the first heating element;
• the catalyst chamber including a catalytic converter and a third heating element, the catalytic converter having an operational catalyst temperature during the cooking cycle, the catalytic converter controlling emissions passing therethrough during the cooking cycle, the operational catalyst temperature being greater than the operational cooking temperature;
• an airflow circulation loop between the cooking chamber and the circulation chamber;
• an exhaust airflow path from the circulation chamber to the catalyst chamber to an exterior of the oven housing, the exhaust airflow path being a non-return exhaust airflow path;
• and
• a fan subassembly located within the oven housing, the fan subassembly circulating convection air along the airflow circulation loop with a portion of convection air being diverted onto the exhaust airflow path.

A cooking apparatus comprising:

• an oven housing defining a cooking chamber, a circulation chamber, and a catalyst chamber, the catalyst chamber being superposed to the circulation chamber, the circulation chamber being superposed to the cooking chamber, the cooking chamber having an operational cooking temperature during a cooking cycle;
• a door providing access to the cooking chamber and sealing the cooking chamber when the door is in a closed position;
• a first heating element located in the cooking chamber and a second heating element located in the circulation chamber, the second heating element having a greater power than the first heating element;
• the catalyst chamber including a catalytic converter and a third heating element, the catalytic converter having an operational catalyst temperature during the cooking cycle, the catalytic converter controlling emissions passing therethrough during the cooking cycle, the operational catalyst temperature being greater than the operational cooking temperature;
• the catalytic converter including an electric heater and woven catalytic screens;
• an airflow circulation loop between the cooking chamber and the circulation chamber;
• an exhaust airflow path from the circulation chamber to the catalyst chamber to an exterior of the oven housing, the exhaust airflow path being a non-return exhaust airflow path;
• an air intake mounted to the oven housing, the air intake being located in communication with the circulation chamber, emissions passing through the catalytic converter are offset by air passing into the air intake;
• and
• a fan subassembly located within the oven housing, the fan subassembly circulating convection air along the airflow circulation loop with a portion of the convection air being diverted onto the exhaust airflow path.