Abstract: An oven suitable for roasting chickens and the like comprising at least one oven chamber (1, 2) each oven chamber comprising side walls (4), a floor (55), at least one door (3) and a ceiling, each oven chamber having a plurality of heating levels. At least one heating element cavity (12) external to and communicating with the oven chamber (1, 2) is provided with each heating element cavity (12) comprising at least one heating element (11, 15, 16). The oven has a plurality of air inlets (13, 14) into the oven chamber from the heating element cavity (12) corresponding to the heating levels in the oven chamber and at least one outlet for return air from the oven chamber into the heating element cavity; and air distributor (10) corresponding to each air inlet, each air distributor (10) circulating air from the heating element cavity (12) to the oven chamber through a respective inlet. A method of roasting items in an oven is also disclosed.