Food warming apparatus and method
AssigneeDuke Manufacturing Co.
InventorSteven M. Shei
Life of this patent
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Abstract
In general, one embodiment of the invention is directed to food holding apparatus for holding pre-cooked food at a selected holding temperature. The apparatus comprises a cabinet having at least one holding compartment therein, and pre-cooked food in the holding compartment, the food having been previously cooked in a cooking appliance. At least one radiant heat source is spaced above the food a distance less than 12 inches for delivering radiant heat to the food. A control mechanism varies the amount of radiant heat delivered by the heat source to the food to maintain the food at the selected holding temperature. A related method is also disclosed.
Claims32
Food holding apparatus for holding pre-cooked food at a selected holding temperature, said apparatus comprising:
- a cabinet having at least one holding compartment therein;
- pre-cooked food in the holding compartment, said food having been previously cooked in a cooking appliance;
- at least one radiant heat source spaced above the food a distance less than 12 inches for delivering radiant heat to the food;
- and
- a control mechanism for varying the amount of radiant heat delivered by the heat source to the food to maintain the food at said selected holding temperature.
5 Food warming apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said distance is less than 4 in.
A method of preserving cooked food, comprising the steps of:
- cooking food in a cooking appliance to provide pre-cooked food;
- placing the pre-cooked food in a holding compartment of food warming apparatus for a duration of holding time;
- and
- heating the pre-cooked food in the holding compartment for at least a portion of said duration of holding time by delivering radiant heat to the food;
- said heating step comprising varying the amount of radiant heat delivered to the pre-cooked food to maintain the food at a selected holding temperature.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.