Food condition maintaining device
AssigneeMeister Cook, LLC
InventorErik Magner
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The inventive food holding apparatus comprises a holding area that accommodates food and warms the food with heat radiated by a bottom surface and with warm convection air. Part of the convection air forms an air curtain having a Bernoulli effect that removes excess moisture from the external surface of the food and maintains the food in a warm, crisp condition. The apparatus conditions food to attain a biologically safe noncooking temperature and to retain its freshly cooked texture and internal moisture for more than two hours. This lets restaurants serve the food longer to its customers, allowing efficient batch cooking and significantly decreasing food waste.
Claims19
A method for maintaining the freshly cooked texture and internal moisture of cooked food for at least two hours at a biologically safe noncooking temperature, comprising the steps of:
- holding the food in an apparatus;
- generating within the apparatus a flow of recirculating warm convection air;
- radiating heat from the warm air, flowing within a cavity of the appliance below the food at a velocity of from about 250 feet per minute to about 800 feet per minute, to the food;
- applying the recirculating air, warmed to from about 225 degrees F. to about 350 degrees F. and flowing at a velocity of from about 250 feet per minute to about 1500 feet per minute, onto and about the food;
- generating from the flowing warm air a warm air curtain flowing apart from the food and enveloping the food in an area of negative pressure that removes excess moisture from the outer surface of the food.
A method for maintaining the freshly cooked texture and internal moisture of cooked food for at least two hours at a biologically safe noncooking temperature, comprising the steps of:
- holding the food in an apparatus;
- generating within the apparatus a flow of warm convection air;
- warmed to from about 225 degrees F. to about 350 degrees F. and flowing at a velocity of from about 250 feet per minute to about 1500 feet per minute, onto and about the food;
- generating from the flowing warm air a warm air curtain flowing apart from the food and enveloping the food in an area of negative pressure that removes excess moisture from the outer surface of the food.
A method of maintaining the condition of cooked food, comprising:
- placing cooked food in a holding portion within an apparatus;
- radiating heat from the holding portion to the food within the apparatus;
- and
- generating a warm air curtain within the apparatus of flowing air about the food and creating an area of negative air pressure to remove excess moisture from the surface of the food;
- wherein the radiating heat and the warm air curtain maintain the cooked food at a biologically safe noncooking temperature.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.