Abstract: A food material slicing machine has a housing, a cutter mounted in the housing, a hopper pivotally mounted to the housing for receiving food material when the hopper is in a first position remote from the cutter and being pivotable to a second position in alignment with the cutter so that the food material in the hopper can be fed to the cutter, and a cutter cover plate connected to the hopper for movement with the hopper for covering the cutter when the hopper is in the first position, where it is loaded with food material, and for uncovering the cutter when the hopper is moved to the second position in alignment with the cutter. An actuator is mounted to the hopper for use in manually pivoting the hopper and cover plate therewith. A pusher plate is connected to the actuator and mounted in the hopper for pushing food material in the hopper into the cutter. A hopper cover plate is fixed to the housing and covers the otherwise open hopper when it is in the second position in alignment with the cutter.