Cook top having at least one cooking zone and method for operating a cook top

A cooktop, comprising:

• a cooking zone having at least two cooking sub-zones, the cooking sub-zones being positioned such that each of the cooking sub-zones is directly adjoining at least one other of the cooking sub-zones;
• heating units for heating the cooking sub-zones, respectively, the heating units disposed adjacent to one another without overlapping such that a cohesive heatable surface is formed during joint operation of the cooking sub-zones;
• a control unit configured to operate the cooking sub-zones as a single cooking zone in a first operating mode, and configured to operate at least two of the cooking sub-zones as separately controllable cooking areas in a second operating mode such that an electrical power of the at least two of the cooking sub-zones is different when the at least two of the cooking sub-zones are energized;
• and
• an apparatus for detecting an occupancy of the cooking sub-zones by at least one food preparation vessel and allowing execution in the first operating mode of a detection of the occupancy of one of the cooking sub-zones, with the heating units of cooking sub-zones which are occupied by a food preparation vessel, being supplied only with a same electrical power in the first operating mode,
• wherein in the first operating mode the cooking sub-zones not occupied by a food preparation vessel are deactivated and remain deactivated, even in the presence of a food preparation vessel placed on the deactivated cooking sub-zones after expiration of an initial occupancy detection phase, until reactivation of a subsequent occupancy detection phase that is initiated by a user, and
• the subsequent occupancy detection phase can only be initiated by the user.