Apparatus for heating food

An apparatus for toasting a food item arranged to receive and support said food item during toasting and comprising a heating element arranged to heat a surface of the food item by radiant heat, and an inner compartment that houses the heating element and adapted to receive the food item, wherein the apparatus is arranged to operate in a first mode where the heating element operates at a first power and a second mode where the heating element operates at a second power, the apparatus further comprising a mode-switching snap-acting thermally sensitive actuator positioned within the inner compartment so as to be responsive to a temperature within the inner compartment, the mode-switching snap-acting thermally sensitive actuator having a first position and a second position and being arranged to switch from the first mode to the second mode at a predetermined temperature by snapping from the first position to the second position, the apparatus further comprising a vertically moveable carriage, wherein the vertically moveable carriage is arranged to force the mode-switching snap-acting thermally sensitive actuator to return to the first position.