Apparatus and method for contactless cooking of food using alcohol

Abstract

The invention relates to a device for cooking or heating food (1), comprising a container (2) intended to contain food (1), a reservoir (3) placed below said container (2) and capable of containing a burning liquid (4), and a holding support (5) for holding said container and said reservoir, characterized in that said container has a bottom (6) and at least one side wall (7), the thickness of the bottom (6), measured in the centre of the bottom (6), being at least twice the smallest thickness measured on the wall (7). The invention also relates to a method of cooking or heating food with the appliance according to the invention.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of food preparation, more particularly to an apparatus and process for cooking with alcohol, preferably adapted for showing the cooking before eating. [Background technology]

[0002] Many alcohol cooking devices and processes have been proposed. There are many issues to consider when cooking with alcohol.

[0003] The first problem concerns the alcohol used. To allow controlled cooking, it is necessary to define the exact amount of alcohol that should be consumed to release the heat required for cooking. In some prior art processes, the alcohol is ignited, but the flame goes out after a certain time because the residual alcohol is too diluted in the water. In other processes, the released heat is not properly directed towards the food being cooked. In still other processes, safety is not properly ensured and if the appliance is tipped over, the ignited alcohol can spill and cause damage.

[0004] French patent 2 897 521 describes a food preparation or heating appliance of the type comprising a support on which rests a reservoir suitable for containing a burning liquid, the support being suitable for holding a container at a given height relative to the reservoir, however this appliance does not provide reliable cooking since much of the generated heat is dissipated.

[0005] French Patent No. 3004095 describes a cooking device that makes better use of heat. However, it does not eliminate the risk associated with ignited alcohol if the device is dropped. Furthermore, the support of the container is visible, which obscures the food being cooked.

[0006] French Patent No. 3029094 describes a cooking device that allows a better view of the food being cooked, however the cooking is not distributed evenly within the container. Summary of the Invention

[0007] The present invention aims to remedy at least some of the above-mentioned drawbacks, providing a solution that makes it possible to obtain homogeneous cooking of food placed in a container by the combustion of alcohol placed in a reservoir outside the container.

[0008] It is a further object of the present invention to provide an apparatus which allows a clear view of the cooking in progress.

[0009] Another object of the present invention is to provide an arrangement for improved safety.

[0010] Another object of the invention is to propose a cooking method that allows good control over the amount of alcohol used while improving safety during use.

[0011] The object of the present invention is to at least partially meet the aforementioned objectives by proposing an appliance comprising a container for placing a food product therein and a reservoir for placing a combustible liquid therein.To this end, the invention proposes an appliance for cooking or heating food, comprising a container designed to contain said food product, a reservoir placed below said container and designed to contain a combustible liquid, and a holding support for holding said container and said reservoir, characterized in that said container has a bottom and at least one side wall, the thickness of the bottom measured in the centre of the bottom being at least twice the smallest thickness measured on the wall.

[0012] Thanks to these configurations, food items may be cooked or heated with heat that is more evenly distributed throughout the container in which the food item is placed.

[0013] According to further characteristics, - the thickness of the bottom, measured in the centre of the bottom, may be greater than or equal to 6 mm, typically equal to 9 mm, and the minimum thickness, measured on the wall, may be between 2 and 4 mm, typically equal to 3 mm, which constitutes a simple and robust implementation of the invention. - The container can be provided with at least one shoulder and the holding support has at least one bearing surface on at least one of the at least one shoulder, which is a simple way of stably holding the container in a correct position relative to the reservoir. - the holding support may comprise at least two upwardly extending support elements, each support element comprising at least one of the at least one support surface, the holding support comprising a free space between two support elements configured to make the container visible over its entire height, the container being preferably transparent, thereby giving good stability of the container and the possibility to show the preparation of the food to the customer. - The at least two support elements can be inclined upwards towards the inside of the appliance, thereby making it possible to direct the flame resulting from the combustion of the combustion liquid in the reservoir towards the side wall of the container and to optimise the use of the heat released by the combustion of the combustion liquid. - The reservoir can be wider than it is deep so that the burning liquid can be ignited over a large surface area, resulting in more even cooking of the food. The reservoir may have a protrusion extending upwardly from the bottom of the reservoir, which is a simple means of metering the amount of combustion liquid placed therein. - The reservoir may be attached to the retaining bracket by at least one arm, at least one of said at least one arms including a chute with a bottom sloping towards the reservoir to facilitate filling of the reservoir with combustion liquid when it is not readily directly accessible. - the burning liquid may be ethanol with a percentage between 85% and 99%, the ethanol containing hydroxyalkylcellulose, the amount of hydroxyalkylcellulose being limited to obtain a dynamic viscosity of less than 100 Pa-s, which makes it possible to have a burning liquid with sufficient viscosity to easily ignite, be completely consumed and avoid splashing.

[0014] The invention also relates to a method for cooking or heating food by means of a device according to the invention, said method comprising the following steps: - The process of putting food into containers - placing the container on a holding support; - injecting a combustion fluid into the reservoir; These first three steps may be performed in any order. - The process of igniting a burning liquid - Food cooking or heating processes Thanks to these configurations, food items can be cooked or heated with heat that is more evenly distributed across the bottom of the container in which the food items are placed. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0015] The present invention will be better understood from the following detailed description when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. [Figure 1] 1 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of an apparatus according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the reservoir and retaining bracket of the device shown in FIG. 1. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0016] The appliance shown in Figures 1-2 can be used for cooking or heating food 1. The appliance comprises a container 2 designed to contain the food during cooking or heating and a reservoir 3 arranged below the container 2 and designed to contain a burning liquid 4. Finally, the appliance comprises a holding support 5 for maintaining the respective positions of the container 2 and the reservoir 3.

[0017] The container 2 has a bottom 6 and at least one side wall 7. The thickness of the bottom 6 measured at the centre of the bottom 6 is at least twice the minimum thickness measured on the wall 7. Reservoir 3 is preferably located below the bottom 6, such that this thickness provides mechanical reinforcement to ensure that the bottom 6 withstands the flames generated by the combustion of the liquid 4. In addition, the placement of a thick bottom 6 between the flame and the food 1 ensures a better heat distribution throughout the bottom 6 and thus a more even cooking of the food 1. The thickness measured at the centre of the bottom 6 is preferably greater than or equal to 6 mm, for example 9 mm. The minimum thickness of the walls 7 is preferably between 2 and 4 mm, for example 3 mm.

[0018] Container 2 is preferably transparent to allow observation of the cooking of food 1. Container 2 may be made, for example, from a glass having a low coefficient of expansion, such as a borosilicate glass known under the trade name Pyrex®, to withstand the temperature changes caused by cooking.

[0019] In order to hold the container 2 above the reservoir 3 , the container 2 can be provided with at least one shoulder 8 suitable for resting on a bearing surface 9 of the holding support 5 in question.

[0020] The holding support 5 can be made of cast iron, ceramic, or any other heat-resistant material. It may comprise at least two upwardly extending support elements 10. Each support element 10 has a bearing surface 9 on which a shoulder 8 rests. The container 2 may comprise a single shoulder 8, two parts of which each rest on one of the bearing surfaces 9. Alternatively, the container 2 may comprise multiple shoulders 8, each shoulder 8 resting on one of the bearing surfaces 9.

[0021] 2, the support elements 10 are preferably arranged to form free space between them, which is sufficient to make the entire height of the container 2 visible. In this way, diners around the table can clearly see the cooking of the food in the container 2, which is preferably transparent.

[0022] The support element 10 is preferably oriented upwards towards the inside of the appliance so that the flame resulting from the combustion of the burning liquid 4 can be directed towards the side wall of the container 2. This prevents the flame from bypassing the container 2 and losing too much of the heat it generates.

[0023] The reservoir 3 is preferably wider than it is deep. Thus, when combustion of the burning liquid 4 is caused, the surface area which is ignited is relatively large compared to the amount of liquid 4 within the reservoir. This allows heat to be generated over a larger surface area, promoting more even cooking of the food 1 located within the container 2.

[0024] In the preferred embodiment shown in Figure 1, the reservoir 3 features a protrusion 11. The protrusion 11 can be used as a marker for filling the reservoir 3 with the combustion liquid 4. This makes it easy to fill the reservoir 3 with a predetermined amount of combustion liquid 4, for example 5 mL, by simply pouring the combustion liquid precisely until the protrusion 11 is covered by the combustion liquid.

[0025] The reservoir 3 can be connected to the holding support 5 by at least one arm 12. As shown in FIG. 2, the device can have two arms 12, which increases its stability. However, one arm 12 is sufficient and may be preferred, for example, for aesthetic reasons. The arm 12 can be fitted with a chute 13, the bottom of which is inclined towards the reservoir 3. Thus, when the combustion liquid 4 is poured into the end (distal end) of the chute 13 that is furthest from the reservoir 3, the combustion liquid 4 flows naturally into the reservoir 3. This makes it possible to place the combustion liquid 4 in the reservoir 3, for example, when the reservoir 3 is difficult to access due to the presence of a container 2.

[0026] The combustion liquid 4 used in the present invention may be ethanol with a percentage between 85% and 99%. This range ensures that the ethanol is ignited and burned completely, and also avoids the expensive ethanol production process aimed at removing the remaining water portion. This ethanol preferably contains hydroxy-alkyl-cellulose, for example hydroxy-propyl-methyl-cellulose, to increase the viscosity of the combustion liquid 4, the amount of hydroxy-alkyl-cellulose being limited so as to obtain a dynamic viscosity of less than 100 Pa-s and so that the ethanol is always liquid. The combustion liquid 4 can then be easily and uniformly placed in the reservoir 3 without the risk of splashing.

[0027] This also makes it possible to transport the device safely. For example, the device according to the invention can be used in a restaurant to serve meals to customers. The cooking area can then choose to ignite the burning liquid 4 and transport it to the table in an ignited state. Due to its increased viscosity, the ethanol does not risk spilling and safety is guaranteed.

[0028] The device according to the invention can be used to cook or heat food according to a process comprising the following steps: - A process of putting food 1 into container 2 - if necessary, placing the container 2 on the holding support 5 by pressing the shoulder 8 of the container 2 against the bearing surface 9 of the holding support 5; - injecting the combustion liquid into the reservoir via a chute 13 as required; These first three steps may be performed in any order. - The process of igniting a burning liquid - Food cooking or heating processes.

[0029] For example, it may take 3-5 minutes to cook an egg in the container. Due to the transparency of the container 2 and the space between the two support elements 10, the guest, i.e. the customer, can preferably observe the cooking progress.

[0030] Once the flames are out, you may choose to wait a few more minutes before eating, in which case heat accumulated in the bottom and sides of the container will continue to be transferred to the food, which may cause an egg, for example, to harden a little.

[0031] The result is a show effect that can contribute to the atmosphere created around a meal enjoyed by many.

[0032] For example, the above process can be used to make "soft boiled eggs" or "sharded eggs." It can be used to prepare "cocotte".

[0033] You can also make poached oysters on leek fondue.

[0034] Also known as fondant au chocolat (chocolate mi-cuit) or moelleux You can also create a

[0035] Additionally, you can have Irish coffee made by the bartender at the bar.

[0036] Although the above description is based on specific embodiments, this in no way limits the scope of the invention, which may be modified, in particular by the substitution of technical equivalents or by different combinations of all or part of the features developed above.

Claims

1. 1. A device for cooking or heating a food product (1), the device comprising a container (2) designed to contain said food product (1), a reservoir (3) placed under said container (2) and suitable for containing a burning liquid (4), and a holding support (5) for holding said container and said reservoir, said container comprising a bottom (6) and at least one side wall (7), the device being characterized in that the thickness of said bottom (6), measured at the centre of said bottom (6), is at least twice the minimum thickness measured on said wall (7).

2. 2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the thickness of the bottom (6), measured at the centre of the bottom (6), is greater than or equal to 6 mm, typically equal to 9 mm, and the minimum thickness measured on the wall (7) is between 2 and 4 mm, typically equal to 3 mm.

3. 2. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the container (2) comprises at least one shoulder (8) and the holding support (5) comprises at least one bearing surface (9) on at least one of the at least one shoulder (8).

4. 4. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the holding support (5) comprises at least two upwardly extending support elements (10), each support element (10) comprising at least one of the at least one bearing surface (9), the holding support (5) comprising a free space between the two support elements (10) configured to make the container (2) visible over its entire height, the container being preferably transparent.

5. 5. The device according to claim 4, wherein the at least two support elements (10) are inclined upwards towards the interior of the device.

6. 2. The device of claim 1, wherein the reservoir (3) is wider than it is deep.

7. 2. The device of claim 1, wherein the reservoir (3) has a protrusion (11) extending upwardly from the bottom of the reservoir.

8. 2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the reservoir (3) is fixed to the holding support (5) by at least one arm (12), at least one of which comprises a chute (13) whose bottom is inclined towards the reservoir (3).

9. 2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the combustion liquid (4) is ethanol having a proportion of 85% to 99%, the ethanol containing hydroxyalkyl cellulose, the amount of hydroxyalkyl cellulose being limited to obtain a dynamic viscosity of less than 100 Pa-s.

10. A method for cooking or heating food by means of a device according to any one of claims 1 to 9, comprising the steps of: - placing the food product (1) in said container (2); - placing said container (2) on said retaining bracket (5); - injecting a combustion liquid (4) into said reservoir (3); These first three steps may be performed in any order, - igniting said combustion liquid (4); - cooking or heating the food product (1).

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