Abstract: A method (110) for operating a cooking appliance (10) includes receiving data (16) from an image sensor (14) operably associated with a food-receiving area (12) of the cooking appliance (10), the data (16) comprising an image (24) of a food product (F), determining whether the image (24) of the food product (F) corresponds with one of a plurality of known food product types accessible by the cooking appliance (10) based on an analysis of the image (24) of the food product using an identification model (31), and in response to the image (24) of the food product (F) not corresponding with any one of the plurality of known food product types, designating the image (24) of the food product (F) as a new food product type and causing the new food product type to be added to the plurality of known food product types accessible by the cooking appliance without retraining the identification model (31).

Abstract: Controlling a heating process is provided. An image of a raw food item is captured. Using a generative model, synthesized images of the cooked food are generated at different levels of doneness based on the raw image. A selection of one of the synthesized cooked images is received. The food item is cooked to the levels of doneness corresponding to the one of the synthesized cooked images.

Abstract: Controlling a heating process is provided. An image of a raw food item is captured. Using a generative model, synthesized images of the cooked food are generated at different levels of doneness based on the raw image. A selection of one of the synthesized cooked images is received. The food item is cooked to the levels of doneness corresponding to the one of the synthesized cooked images.