Abstract: A new process for the continuous deep-fat cooking of a food to produce a processed comestible wherein the food is passed through an elongated cooking zone. Hot cooking oil is introduced and withdrawn from the cooking zone at a plurality of points to produce hydraulic effects which insure proper contact of the food with the cooking oil.Said cooking oil is continuously flowed upwardly through a plurality of spaced points dispersed over the entire bottom surface of the entrance end of the cooking zone and continuously withdrawn downwardly downstream therefrom. Withdrawn oil may be reintroduced directly without being reheated at a point downstream of the point of withdrawal in addition to being recycled to the source of heated cooking oil.