Abstract: A fail-safe control system for operating a power relay to energize an electrical load such as a resistive heating element in a cooking apparatus includes first and second driving transistors connected in series with the control winding of the power relay and a source of power. A logic circuit, such as a microcomputer, produces pulses having specified characteristics at a single output port in order to energize the control winding. A circuit interconnecting the output port of the logic circuit with the driving transistors includes a first branch connected with the first transistor and a second branch connected with the second transistor. The first branch of the circuit includes an operational amplifier connected by a capacitor with the logic circuit output port in a manner that the first branch will drive the first transistor for a sufficiently long period of time initially in order to energize the relay control winding and cause the power relay to pull in.