Food cooking and heating apparatus

A food cooking and heating apparatus which comprises:

• a food holding oven having at least one front door movable between open and closed positions for access to the interior thereof;
• an air heating chamber having an inlet and an outlet;
• air heating means within said heating chamber;
• an intake passageway to conduct heated air from the outlet of said air heating chamber to an inlet of said food holding oven;
• an exhaust passageway to conduct air from said food holding oven to said air heating chamber;
• air temperature sensing means within said air heating chamber;
• a closed air convection system including blower means in said heating chamber for circulating air past said heating means, through said intake passageway, through said food holding oven, through said exhaust passageway and back to said air heating chamber;
• variable air volume means to vary the volume of air passing through said closed air convection system;
• means for selecting a desired temperature to be maintained within said oven and located outside of said closed air convection system;
• and a circuit for comparing said sensed temperature to said selected temperature, causing said air heating means to operate and said variable air volume means to increase when a difference in temperature exists and causing said air heating means to cease and the said variable air volume means to decrease said air volume to a minimum greater than zero when said selected temperature is reached.