Cooking station and griddle with understructure and method thereof

A griddle configured to minimize effects of thermal stress and configured to be removably supported on an upper side of a cooking station, the griddle comprising:

• a rectangular flat cooking surface;
• a rectangular underside surface, the underside surface facing opposite the rectangular flat cooking surface, the underside surface including a front end, a rear end, a first end, and a second end, the front end extending parallel with the rear end, the first end extending parallel with the second end;
• and
• a reinforcement structure extending along and directly secured to the underside surface, the reinforcement structure extending to define diagonal reinforcement portions that extend to exhibit an x-configuration such that the diagonal reinforcement portions extend longitudinally so as to extend transverse along the underside surface relative to each of the front end, the rear end, the first end and the second end of the underside surface of the griddle;
• wherein the x-configuration defines a central intersection, the central intersection having a central plate coupled to the central intersection of the x-configuration.

A method for minimizing effects of thermal stress to a griddle, the method comprising:

• positioning a griddle over an upper side of a cooking station such that the griddle includes a rectangular cooking surface and an oppositely facing rectangular underside surface, the underside surface extending to define a front end, a rear end, a first end and a second end, the front end extending parallel with the rear end, the first end extending parallel with the second end;
• igniting a heating element below the griddle and within a base frame of the cooking station;
• and
• heating the griddle along the underside surface of the griddle such that the underside surface of the griddle includes a reinforcement structure directly secured thereto, the reinforcement structure extending to define diagonal reinforcement portions that extend to exhibit an x-configuration such that the diagonal reinforcement portions extend longitudinally so as to extend transverse along the underside surface relative to each of the front end, the rear end, the first end and the second end of the underside surface of the griddle, the x-configuration of the diagonal reinforcement portions defining a central intersection, the central intersection having a central plate coupled to the central intersection of the x-configuration.