Integrated system for food preparation and warming

A computer-implemented method of food warming, comprising:

• displaying, on a user interface of a terminal physically distinct from a food warming device and communicatively coupled to control circuitry of the food warming device, food item loading instructions according to a scheduled food preparation menu, the food item loading instructions including a first loading instruction for a first food item to be warmed in a first heating zone of the food warming device and a second loading instruction for a second food item to be warmed in a second heating zone of the food warming device;
• activating a first loading visual indicator of a first plurality of lighted visual indicators on the food warming device associated with the first heating zone, to place the first loading visual indicator in a first visual indicator state, based on the scheduled food preparation menu;
• activating a second loading visual indicator of a second plurality of lighted visual indicators on the food warming device associated with the second heating zone, to place the second loading visual indicator in the first visual indicator state, based on the scheduled food preparation menu;
• displaying, on the user interface, a visual representation of the food warming device including visually distinct indicators of the first heating zone and the second heating zone corresponding to the first loading visual indicator and the second loading visual indicator;
• and
• commanding control circuitry of the food warming device to control heating of the first heating zone according to a first heating profile and heating of the second heating zone according to a second heating profile,
• wherein the food warming device comprises a housing, the first heating zone and the second heating zone each being arranged on a shelf or a respective shelf of the housing,
• wherein each of the first and second heating zones comprises:
• a thermally conductive heater plate;
• a temperature sensor;
• and
• a food presence sensor, and
• wherein the control circuitry is electrically coupled to the heater plate of the first heating zone, the heater plate of the second heating zone, the temperature sensor of the first heating zone, and the temperature sensor of the second heating zone and is configured to:
• drive the heater plate of the first heating zone to a first series of temperatures according to the first heating profile and based on a first feedback signal from the temperature sensor of the first heating zone;
• and
• drive the heater plate of the second heating zone to a second series of temperatures according to the second heating profile and based on a second feedback signal from the temperature sensor of the second heating zone.

A food warming device comprising:

• a housing;
• a first heating zone and a second heating zone each arranged on a shelf or a respective shelf of the housing, each of the first and second heating zones comprising:
• a thermally conductive heater plate;
• a temperature sensor;
• and
• a food presence sensor;
• control circuitry electrically coupled to the heater plate of the first heating zone, the heater plate of the second heating zone, the temperature sensor of the first heating zone, and the temperature sensor of the second heating zone and configured to:
• drive the heater plate of the first heating zone to a first series of temperatures according to a first heating profile and based on a first feedback signal from the temperature sensor of the first heating zone;
• and
• drive the heater plate of the second heating zone to a second series of temperatures according to a second heating profile and based on a second feedback signal from the temperature sensor of the second heating zone;
• a first plurality of lighted visual indicators associated with the first heating zone, including a first loading visual indicator;
• and
• a second plurality of lighted visual indicators associated with the second heating zone, including a second loading visual indicator;
• wherein the control circuitry of the food warming device is configured to be communicatively coupled to a terminal that is physically distinct from the food warming device and is configured to be commanded to control heating of the first heating zone according to the first heating profile and heating of the second heating zone according to the second heating profile,
• wherein the first loading visual indicator is configured to be activated to place the first loading visual indicator in a first visual indicator state based on a first signal from the terminal that is based on a scheduled food preparation menu,
• wherein the second loading visual indicator is configured to be activated to place the second loading visual indicator in the first visual indicator state based on a second signal from the terminal that is based on the scheduled food preparation menu, and
• wherein the terminal is configured to display visually distinct indicators of the first heating zone and the second heating zone corresponding to the first loading visual indicator and the second loading visual indicator, respectively, in a visual representation of the food warming device shown on a user interface on a display of the terminal.