METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR GENERATING AND APPLYING STEAM FOR FOOD COOKING AND FINISHING

摘要

Food cooking apparatus for melting cheese disposed on a food product. The cheese topped food product, for example a bun half, burger party an d cheese stack, is transferred in and out of a cooking chamber by a trolley. Entry of the trolley to the cooking chamber starts a cooking cycle. A steam generator provides pressurized steam from a location just above the cheese by a distan ce of up to about 2.0 inches for a short time until the cheese is melted. The trolley carries a transport medium upon which the food product is placed. A pluralit y of holes is disposed in the medium to remove from it any water formed by condensation. The steam generator includes a heated platen and a lid that fo rm a steam generating chamber. Water is injected into the chamber onto the heated platen in a small enough quantity that substantially all of the water is converted to steam substantially instantaneously. The steam quickly pressurizes the chamber and is forced through passageways disposed in bosses that extend from the platen into the chamber. The steam exits the passageways on the outside surface of the platen.