Abstract: An apparatus for preparing lettuce heads with tightly packed overlapping leaves or vegetables with a similar structure. The apparatus includes a plurality of workstations and supports for receiving lettuce heads and for conveying the lettuce heads through the workstations. At the workstations, cutters are operably disposed for severing the bases of the outer leaves and for slicing into the tops of the outer leaves. A device, such as an air jet, is provided at one of the stations for removing the outer leaves. Additional cutters are provided at the work stations for transversely slicing the central part of the lettuce head and for severing a portion of the central part from the heart of the lettuce head. Still another cutter is disposed at one of the stations for severing pink parts from the heart. A cutter is also provided for severing the heart from the stalk. The edible parts such as the central parts and the heart are then collected in receptacles disposed at the work stations.