Abstract: A food tray adapted for holding previously cooked food items is provided. The food tray has one or more sidewall structure openings to allow venting of the interior volume of the tray through the tray sidewall structure openings. The food tray allows food items contained in the volume of the food tray to be stored over an extended period of time at an elevated temperature without significant deleterious effects to the appearance, taste and texture of the food. The food tray may also include a slide member for adjusting the amount of venting through the sidewall structure openings. Also provided is a method of storing food within a food tray to be contained in a heated compartment.

Abstract: A universal food holding cabinet for keeping precooked food warm. The food holding cabinet includes a plurality of row assemblies that each includes first and second spaced apart heater plates to form a food holding cavity. A bezel extends across an edge of the upper heating plate of a row assembly and an edge of the lower heating plate of an adjacent row assembly. The bezel includes an air duct for cooling components associated with displays carried by the bezel. The bezel is fastened to the upper heater plate and the lower heating plate with an interlock that helps to mitigate oil migration among the row assemblies.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a device and a method for cooking food on a grill having opposed upper and lower platens wherein a gap spacing between the platens is adjusted in an initial stage and in subsequent stages of the cooking time for the meat. The method includes causing the food to be located between two opposed platens, the opposed platens each having opposed cooking surfaces and the opposed cooking surfaces defining a gap spacing that is adjustable, and adjusting the gap spacing between the platens so that during an initial stage of the cooking the gap spacing is equal to or less than the nominal initial uncooked thickness of the food, and during one or more subsequent stages of the cooking, after the initial stage, the gap spacing between the platens is varied.

Abstract: A food product steamer and method of producing a steamed food product are provided. The food product steamer includes rotatable platforms that can be covered and uncovered by one or more rotatable, concave hoods. In a first position for the platform(s), the plafform(s) supports a food product over a steam-emitting opening above a steam generator. In a first position for the hood, the hood covers the food product such that steam from the steam generator is trapped within the hood to steam the food product. In a second, open position, the hood is rotated where it can receive the food product when the food product slides or falls off the platform as the platform is rotated from its first position to a second, elevated position. At least one embodiment enables food products to be removed from either side of the steam generating base by using a double-acting hinge.

Abstract: A food holding device includes a holding bin and an optional heating component. The holding bin has a specified average surface roughness Ra on at least a portion of the surface intended to be contacted with food during storage of the food.

Abstract: A load control system and method of time multiplexing power to a plurality of holding shelves in a food holding cabinet to allow total cabinet power to be limited to electrical distribution capabilities. This method allows for individual shelf heaters to be utilized normally to maintain food temperatures during normal use and modulates power when multiple shelves demand heating that would normally exceed branch circuit capabilities thus tripping the breaker. The system monitors temperature of each shelf and based upon demand executes a logical demand schedule for each shelf heater output (time multiplexing or modulating AC power to each) such that total system demand does not exceed available power to the system.

Abstract: A food product steamer includes rotatable platforms that can be covered and uncovered by one or more rotatable, concave hoods. In a first position for the platform(s), the platform(s) supports a food product over a steam-emitting opening above a steam generator. In a first position for the hood, the hood covers the food product such that steam from the steam generator is trapped within the hood to steam the food product. In a second, open position, the hood is rotated where it can receive the food product when the food product slides or falls off the platform as the platform is rotated from its first position to a second, elevated position. At least one embodiment enables food products to be removed from either side of the steam generating base by using a double-acting hinge.

Abstract: Systems and methods for managing restaurant crew member staffing and positioning are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method comprises the steps of receiving at a computer processor from a database configuration data corresponding to a restaurant associated with a group of restaurants, receiving at the computer processor from the database first data corresponding to a projected consumer demand for items at the restaurant over a time increment, adjusting using the computer processor a transaction capability for a quantity of crew members required to fulfill the projected consumer demand while taking into account the configuration data, the adjustment accounting for differences between the projected consumer demand at the restaurant to a historical consumer demand associated with the group of restaurants, and dynamically determining using the computer processor the quantity of crew members needed over a predicted time increment based on the adjusted transaction capability.

Abstract: A system for managing restaurant crew member staffing comprises a computer having memory for receiving configuration data corresponding to a restaurant associated with a group of restaurants, first data corresponding to a projected consumer demand for items at the restaurant over a time increment, and second data corresponding to a historical consumer demand for items at the restaurant over the time increment, a computer-readable medium encoded with a computer program adapted to dynamically determine a quantity of crew members needed and a position for each crew member determined to be needed to staff each of a plurality of work areas at the restaurant over a plurality of the time increments based on the configuration data, the first data, and the second data, and a computer display for displaying the quantity of crew members needed to meet the projected consumer demand over the plurality of time increments, and the work areas to which each of the determined quantity of crew members should be assigned.

Abstract: An apparatus and method of treating eggs and other food products and a method and apparatus for releasing an egg and other food products from a food-retaining ring are provided. The apparatus includes one or more food-retaining rings suitable to be disposed on a treating surface; and a ring shaped release tool, the exterior perimeter of the release tool being adapted to fit closely to the inside perimeter of the ring. The method of treating eggs and other food products comprises: adding a food product to a volume defined by an interior of a ring disposed on a cooking surface; treating the food product to form a self-supporting mass; and inserting a complementary-shaped release member within the ring containing the self-supporting mass, the release member being adapted to fit closely to an inside perimeter of the ring.

Abstract: A dispenser is provided for delivering a controlled quantity of a granular material. The dispenser includes a reservoir that retains granular material. The reservoir is supported in the dispenser with a passageway defined between opposing ends. A nozzle is provided for the outflow of material from the reservoir to a metering cup. A control plug is provided within the metering cup to adjust the controlled volume to be received within the cup from the reservoir. Once the metering cup is filled, the dispenser is inverted and the volume of material is directed from the cup, through the passageway and out of an opening adjacent a diffuser. The control plug is removable from the cup to vary the charge of material to be dispensed.

Abstract: A dual-sided cooking device is provided that determines whether the upper and lower cooking platens are substantially parallel to each other when in a cooking position. In addition, the method and device in accordance with the invention are capable of identifying a type of food item placed on a lower cooking platen of a two-sided cooking grill.

Abstract: A semi-automated food processing station, system and method is provided that allows food to be dispensed, stored and packaged in a suitable container, which may be an individual portion-sized container for serving to a customer. In one embodiment, the system includes an automated salting device, and may include a pivotable food receiving tray that automatically transfers the food items to one or more storage bins, where an infrared heater maintains the temperature of the food items by directing infrared radiation thereon. In a preferred embodiment, the infrared radiation passes through a filter that filters out the wavelengths of infrared radiation that may be irritating to an operator.

Abstract: A system and method for making a food item are provided. The apparatus includes a food item assembly and packaging station having a first work area for assembling and packaging a food item and a food order assembly station having a second work area for assembling a food order that includes a food item packaged on the first work surface. A conveyor is positioned beneath the first work area and extends from a position proximate to the first area to a position proximate to the second work area. A conveyor access opening is proximate to the first work area to provide worker access to the conveyor to permit manual placement of a food item assembled and packaged at the first work area onto the conveyor for conveying the packaged food item beneath the first work area to the location proximate the food order assembly station.

Abstract: A method is provided for storing a cooked food in a flexible-walled container having an opening. The method includes placing a quantity of food in a flexible-walled container and submerging at least a portion of the container in a liquid with the opening being located so that liquid does not enter the opening. At least the lower portion of the container is maintained in the liquid and the food is maintained in the container below the surface of the liquid. The liquid collapses the container to seal the container. The temperature of the liquid may be maintained at a non-ambient temperature to heat or cool the food as it is stored. The method may also include storing the food adjacent a work surface, or at a remote main vat and transporting the rack to the work surface at which a serving that includes the food is prepared.

Abstract: A loading device includes a feeder having a cutout and a sensor. When a sensor detects that an item is positioned in the cutout, a motor slides the feeder out of a first component to remove the item from the first component for delivery to a second component. Alternatively, the loading device is a pivotal arm which pivots to slide the item out of the first component.

Abstract: A method is provided for dispensing a controlled quantity of a granular material. The method employs a dispenser including a reservoir that retains granular material. The reservoir is supported in the dispenser with a passageway defined between opposing ends. The dispenser is first positioned in a loading orientation for the outflow of material from the reservoir through a nozzle to a metering cup. A baffle positioned proximate the opening of the metering cup stabilizes the controlled volume directed into the cup from the reservoir. Once the metering cup is filled, the dispenser is inverted. Then, the volume of material is directed from the cup through the passageway and out of an opening adjacent a diffuser, through which the material is spread.

Abstract: A container holder adapted to hold a container between two spaced apart prongs is provided herein. The prongs clamp the container with a clamping force large enough to hold the container, but small enough to avoid damaging the container. The prongs may be spaced apart to fit different-sized containers, while the clamping force still meets these criteria. The clamping force may be provided by a substantially constant-force spring or a variable-force spring. In a method according to the present invention, a stack of nested containers is held in a container holder as described, for subsequent removal of a selected container from the stack.

Abstract: An automated grill automatically transfers frozen food from a freezer component to grilling component by an automatic loading device in response to a signal. Frozen food is loaded in a loading side in the freezer component. When the signal is received indicating that the food is to be grilled, food in a feeding side is raised and delivered to the loading device. When a sensor detects that food is positioned in the loading device, the loading device removes the food from the freezer component and into the grilling component. The food is then grilled as it travels between two substantially vertical grilling structures each surrounded by a conveyor belt. Preferably, the conveyor belt is made of a non-stick coated Invar. A lateral sensor detects and compensates for lateral movement of the conveyor belts. After the food exits the grilling component, the food slides onto a heated holding area for serving.

Abstract: A commercial device and method for cooking food product in cooking oil includes a fry vat containing an amount of cooking oil used to cook discrete batches of uncooked food in discrete batches of a weight relative to the amount of cooking oil in the range of from about 0.0375 to about 0.1, with the total amount of food being cooked at any one time relative to the amount of oil in the fry vat being about 0.1 or less. Cooking the food results in an uptake of oil by the food in an amount of from about 5.5% to about 13% by weight of the uncooked food, and an oil turnover ratio of from about 0.0026 to about 0.007 per discrete batch. Replacement oil is periodically added, and a sufficient number of batches are cooked over 60 hours of operation to achieve at least one vat oil turnover.