Infrared wok heater

An infrared heater for a bowl-shaped cooking wok having a central region and an annular region surrounding the central region, the heater comprising:

• (a) a ribbon-type, gas-fired burner head to which a pressurized mixture of combustion air and a gaseous fuel is supplied which is expelled from the head through a cylindrical array of minute jet openings to produce, when ignited, an omnidirectional flame projected from a lower portion of the array and from an upper portion thereof;
• (b) a block of refractory material which when heated to an elevated temperature by the burner head emits infrared radiation, the block having a base section provided with a circular cavity having a central zone and an outer zone;
• an intermediate section having a central opening communicating with the central zone of the cavity and a circular array of bores communicating with the outer zone of the cavity, and a top section having a central opening aligned with the central zone of the intermediate section and a circular array of bores aligned with the bores of the intermediate section;
• said burner head being placed within said block so that the flame projected from the lower portion of the cylindrical array impinges on the wall of the cavity whereby the resultant radiation is emitted through the bores in the intermediate and top sections to provide secondary infrared radiation beams, the flame projected from the upper portion of the cylindrical array impinging on the wall of the opening in the intermediate section whereby the resultant radiation is emitted through the openings in the intermediate and top sections to provide a main beam;
• and
• (c) means to seat the wok above the block so that its central region is heated by the main beam and its annular region is heated by the secondary beams.