Programmable oven with menu selection

A method of operating a cooking apparatus for cooking food and wherein said apparatus comprises a housing, support means located in said housing for supporting food to be cooked, a lower electrical heating element located in said housing below said support means, first and second separate laterally spaced apart upper electrical heating elements located in said housing and supported above said support means and the food to be cooked, means for supplying electrical power to said lower electrical heating element and to said first and second upper electrical heating elements, a control means comprising a programmable controller having a plurality of different menus stored therein, said method comprising the steps of:

• selecting any one of said different menus stored in said controller,
• selecting any one of (a) said first heating element, (b) said second heating element, (c) the combination of said first and second heating elements,
• each menu having parameters for controlling the time and amount of electrical power applied to said (a) first heating element, (b) said second heating element selected, (c) the combination of said first and second heating elements selected,
• after termination of electrical power applied to (a) said first heating element, (b) said second heating element, (c) the combination of said first and second heating element selected, defaulting said controller to a given menu.

A cooking apparatus for cooking food, comprising:

• a housing,
• a support means located in said housing for supporting food to be cooked,
• an upper electrical heating element located in said housing and supported above said support means and the food to be cooked,
• means for supplying electrical power to said upper electrical heating element,
• control means for controlling electrical power applied to said upper electrical heating element,
• said control means comprises a programmable controller having a plurality of different menus stored therein,
• menu selecting means for selecting any one of said plurality of different menus stored in said controller,
• heating element selecting means for selecting said upper heating element,
• each menu having parameters for controlling the time and amount of electrical power applied to said upper heating element,
• said controller being programmed to default to a given menu after termination of electrical power applied to said upper heating element.