Abstract: The problem of properly cooking food and handling heated food so that it retains a fresh-cooked taste, fragrance and appealing appearance is solved by apparatus that includes an inner wall means (15) defining an inner chamber (16) and an outer wall means (17) defining an air circulating passage (18) extending in a loop around the inner wall means. Louvered slots (28) with inclined fins (29) are provided in the inner wall means along said air circulating passage that are sufficiently narrow to confine the circulating air substantially to said passage without a significant amount of airflow in direct contact with the food in said chamber and at the same time arranged to permit moisture and heat to diffuse between the circulating passage in the inner chamber via said apertures to control the moisture and heat in the chamber and establish a substantially uniform temperature throughout said chamber.

Abstract: A method for holding food and the like at desired temperature and moisture levels for an extended period of time wherein a holding chamber confines a volume of air about a food disposed therein, an air flow supply produces a stream of heated humidified air that is directed in a curtain-like vortex pattern around the outer perimeter of the inside of the holding chamber to form a core of relatively still, heated moisturized air about the food to transmit heat and moisture thereto without a significant amount of air flow in direct contact with the food. A power control circuit is used to selectively operate a blower motor that circulates the air in a closed air flow system, a heating element that heats the air, a removable food rack motor that rotates the food in the holding chamber and lights that illuminate the food in the holding chamber.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for holding food and the like at desired temperature and moisture levels for an extended period of time wherein there is provided a relatively still volume of air about the food which is heated by maintaining a regulated, temperature controlled, recirculating flow of heated air in a closed passage with the air heated by a controlled heating element and recirculated by controlled air blowers about said volume of air along at least two pairs of perpendicular axes and about a major portion of the external surface area of the volume of air without a direct contact of heated air flow with the food to provide substantially uniform heating by conduction and convection. A controllable source of moisture in the form of a water pan in open communication with the heated volume of air introduces controlled quantities of moisture into the heated volume of air.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for holding food and the like at desired temperature and moisture levels for an extended period of time wherein a holding chamber confines a volume of air about a food disposed therein, an air flow supply produces a stream of heated humidifed air that is directed in a curtain-like vortex pattern around the outer perimeter of the inside of the holding chamber to form a core of relatively still, heated moisturized air about the food to transmit heat and moisture thereto without a significant amount of air flow in direct contact with the food. A power control circuit is used to selectively operate a blower motor that circulates the air in a closed air flow system, a heating element that heats the air, a removable food rack motor that rotates the food in the holding chamber and lights that illuminate the food in the holding chamber.

Abstract: A heat-holding method and apparatus for heated food and the like wherein a closed, inner heat-holding compartment with a moisture supply has an outer jacket which conveys heated gases in an upward course of travel without the necessity of a forced air system about the top, bottom and side of the compartment in such a way as to provide substantially uniform heating about the food for extended periods of time and maintain a desirable moisture content for the food.