Abstract: Apparatus for cooking food has a lid (18), a base (12) and a container (14) removable from the base (12) and suitable to contain food. A first heating unit (16a) associated with the base (12) has a plurality of electric heating elements (22) configured to achieve a specific heating surface to heat the container (14) and to be selectively activateable depending on the sizes and position of the container (14) on said base (12). The first heating unit (16a) has a control and command unit (20) associated with the heating elements (22) and sensitive elements (28) configured to recognize the position, size and shape of the container (14) and is configured to selectively command the heating elements (22) on the basis of the recognition by the sensitive elements (28) of which heating elements (22) are activated or can be activated in order to heat the container (14) directly.