Electric oven with a heating element reflector

A cooking appliance, comprising:

• a housing having a cooking cavity;
• a heating element mounted inside the cooking cavity, wherein the heating element comprises a plurality of substantially straight segments that are arranged parallel to one another;
• a cooking surface located under the heating element;
• and
• a reflector mounted in the cooking cavity above the heating element, wherein the reflector is configured to reflect radiation emitted by the heating element toward the cooking surface, wherein a main body portion of the reflector includes a plurality of curved segments, each curved segment being aligned with a corresponding one of the straight segments of the heating element, and wherein a curved segment located at a central portion the cooking cavity has a larger focal length than a curved segment located at a side of the cooking cavity,
• wherein a first curved segment of the reflector located at a central portion of the cooking cavity has a first focal length, wherein a second curved segment of the reflector located at a side portion of the cooking cavity has a second focal length that is smaller than the first focal length, and wherein a third curved segment of the reflector having a third focal length that is smaller than the first focal length but greater than the second focal length is located between the first curved segment and the second curved segment.