HIGH PERFORMANCE COOKING OVEN WITH STEAM CHAMBER

摘要

The method and apparatus of the invention describes an oven (10) having a housing formed by an enclosure (12), the enclosure (12) having a cooking chamber (18) in a portion thereof. The oven housing may also include an inlet (20) and outlet (22) positioned in predetermined relationship to the cooking chamber (18) and a conveyor belt (24) on which food products to be cooked are positioned. The conveyor belt (24) travels through the oven housing from the inlet (20) to the outlet (22) and defines over a separate portion thereof a conveyance path through the cooking chamber (18). The oven (10) further includes at least a source of steam (32) for creating a cooking atmosphere in the cooking chamber (18). The cooking chamber (18) of the oven (10) is defined at its lower limit (36) by the level of steam within the housing and the inlet (20) and outlet (22) are positioned below this lower limit (36) to maintain the stream within the cooking chamber (18). In this manner, the escape of steam from the cooking chamber (18) is substantially prevented or controlled.