Griddle with improved upper platen

An upper platen comprising:

• a heat source;
• a non-stick sheet adjacent the heat source;
• a tensioner coupled to the non-stick sheet and the heat source, the tensioner operable to maintain tension in the non-stick sheet;
• a griddle having a lower cooking surface, the upper platen rotatable between a closed position in which a cooking surface of the upper platen is substantially parallel to a cooking surface of the griddle, and an open position in which the cooking surface of the upper platen is pivoted away from the cooking surface of the griddle;
• and
• a counterbalance assembly including:
• at least one spring configured to aid in raising the frame from the closed position to the open position;
• a pivot shaft configured to connect to the frame;
• a pivot lever arm having a bore sized to receive the pivot shaft and an outer circumference spaced radially from the bore, the pivot lever arm having at least one detent formed along the outer circumference;
• and
• a roller biased into engagement with the outer circumference of the pivot lever arm, such that the roller is biased into engagement with the at least one detent when the detent is registered with the roller, whereby the roller and the detent provide a stable rotational orientation of the frame when engaged;
• wherein the upper platen is supported on a frame rotatable between the closed position and the open position and the frame rotates about a frame pivot axis substantially parallel to the cooking surface of the griddle.