Food warming apparatus and method

Abstract

A method of preserving cooked food. Food is cooked in a cooking appliance to provide pre-cooked food and placed in a holding compartment of a food warming apparatus for a duration of holding time. The pre-cooked food is heated in the holding compartment for at least a portion of the duration of holding time by delivering in a pre-programmed manner an amount of radiant heat to the pre-cooked food from a radiant heat source positioned above the pre-cooked food. The amount of radiant heat delivered to the pre-cooked food is varied to maintain the food at a selected holding temperature by delivering radiant heat to the pre-cooked food at a first level during a first phase of the duration of holding time and delivering radiant heat to the pre-cooked food at a second level during a second phase of the duration of holding time.

1 . A method of preserving cooked food, comprising the steps of: 
 cooking food in a cooking appliance to provide pre-cooked food;    placing the pre-cooked food in a holding compartment of a food warming apparatus for a duration of holding time; and    heating the pre-cooked food in the holding compartment for at least a portion of said duration of holding time by delivering in a pre-programmed manner an amount of radiant heat to the pre-cooked food from a radiant heat source positioned above the pre-cooked food;    said heating step comprising varying the amount of radiant heat delivered to the pre-cooked food to maintain the food at a selected holding temperature by delivering radiant heat to the pre-cooked food at a first level during a first phase of the duration of holding time and delivering radiant heat to the pre-cooked food at a second level during a second phase of the duration of holding time.    
   
   
       2 . A method as set forth in  claim 1  wherein said first level and said second level are both less than a maximum level of radiant heat deliverable from the radiant heat source.  
   
   
       3 . A method as set forth in  claim 1  wherein said first level of radiant heat permits said pre-cooked food to cool down to the selected holding temperature and said second level of radiant heat is higher than the first level to hold the pre-cooked food at the selected holding temperature.  
   
   
       4 . A method as set forth in  claim 3  wherein said heating step further comprises delivering radiant heat to the pre-cooked food at a third level less than said second level during a third phase of the duration to maintain said pre-cooked food at the selected holding temperature.  
   
   
       5 . A method as set forth in  claim 1  wherein said pre-cooked food placed in the compartment is at a temperature greater than ambient temperature, and said heating step comprises not delivering any substantial radiant heat to the pre-cooked food until the food has cooled to a temperature approaching said selected holding temperature.  
   
   
       6 . A method as set forth in  claim 1  wherein said pre-cooked food placed in the compartment is at a temperature below ambient temperature, and said heating step comprises delivering radiant heat to the pre-cooked food until the food reaches said selected holding temperature.  
   
   
       7 . A method as set forth in  claim 1  further comprising sensing a characteristic indicative of the temperature of the pre-cooked food in the compartment, and varying the amount of radiant heat delivered to the food according to said sensed characteristic.  
   
   
       8 . A method as set forth in  claim 7  wherein said sensed characteristic is a temperature of a surface in said holding compartment.  
   
   
       9 . A method as set forth in  claim 7  wherein said sensed characteristic is an amount of radiant energy emitted by said pre-cooked food.  
   
   
       10 . A method as set forth in  claim 1  further comprising placing said pre-cooked food in said holding oven at a location within a distance of less then 12 in. from said source of radiant heat.  
   
   
       11 . A method as set forth in  claim 1  further comprising placing said pre-cooked food in said holding oven at a location within a distance of less then 10 in. from said source of radiant heat.  
   
   
       12 . A method as set forth in  claim 1  further comprising placing said pre-cooked food in said holding oven at a location within a distance of less then 8 in. from said source of radiant heat.  
   
   
       13 . A method as set forth in  claim 1  further comprising placing said pre-cooked food in said holding oven at a location within a distance of less then 6 in. from said source of radiant heat.  
   
   
       14 . A method as set forth in  claim 1  further comprising placing said pre-cooked food in said holding oven at a location within a distance of less then 4 in. from said source of radiant heat.  
   
   
       15 . A method as set forth in  claim 1  further comprising placing said pre-cooked food in said holding oven at a location within a distance of less then 2 in. from said source radiant heat.  
   
   
       16 . A method of controlling a food holding oven, said oven comprising a cabinet, a plurality of separate, thermally isolated holding compartments in the cabinet, a plurality of trays for containing pre-cooked food having been previously  5  cooked in a cooking appliance, each compartment being adapted for removably receiving one tray per compartment, and heat sources above respective trays adapted for activation to emit radiant heat to the food in the trays to warm the food, said method comprising: 
 setting a selected holding temperature for each compartment;    setting a duration of holding time for each compartment, said duration of holding time comprising a duration of heated holding time; and    varying the amount of radiant heat delivered to the pre-cooked food during a respective duration of heated holding time to maintain the food in a respective compartment at said selected holding temperature.    
   
   
       17 . A method as set forth in  claim 16  wherein said varying the amount of radiant heat comprises delivering radiant heat to the pre-cooked food at a first level during a first phase of the duration of holing time and delivering radiant heat to the pre-cooked food at a second level during a second phase of the duration of holding time.  
   
   
       18 . A method as set forth in  claim 17  wherein said first level of radiant heat permits said pre-cooked food to cool down to the selected holding temperature during said first phase and said second level of radiant heat is higher than the first level to hold the pre-cooked food at the selected holding temperature.  
   
   
       19 . A method as set forth in  claim 18  wherein said varying the amount of radiant heat further comprises delivering radiant heat to the pre-cooked food at a third level less than said second level during a third phase of the duration to maintain said pre-cooked food at the selected holding temperature.  
   
   
       20 . A method as set forth in  claim 16  further comprising maintaining at least two compartments at different selected holding temperatures.  
   
   
       21 . A method as set forth in  claim 16  further comprising placing said pre-cooked food in a respective compartment at a location within a distance of less then 12 in. from a respective heat source.