AU2013202494B2

AU2013202494B2 - Multi function cooking device

Info

Publication number: AU2013202494B2
Application number: AU2013202494A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Jurg Werner
Original assignee: V-Zug AG
Current assignee: V-Zug AG
Priority date: 2012-04-18
Filing date: 2013-04-04
Publication date: 2017-02-02
Anticipated expiration: 2033-04-04
Also published as: AU2013202494A1; EP2653788A1; CH704191A2; CN103375826A; CN103375826B

Abstract

Abstract In a method for cooking food in a cooking s chamber for receiving the food at least the following steps are executed within a cooking process: - supplying of steam into the cooking cham ber, - heating the food in the cooking chamber by io means of microwaves, - heating the cooking chamber by means of a hot air generator or a heater respectively. Figure 2 3-\ 12 4Fig.1I 5b21

Description

Australian Patents Act 1990 - Regulation 3.2 2013202494 04 Apr 2013

ORIGINAL COMPLETE SPECIFICATION STANDARD PATENT

Invention Title Multi function cooking device

The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me/us:- 5102 a 1

Background of the Invention <►

The invention refers to a cooking device for cooking food and to a method for operating a cooking device.

Conventional cooking devices differ with respect to the energy source used for cooking: Microwave devices generate microwaves for radiating food. Conventional baking ovens use heater elements for heating the cooking chamber. Steam cooking devices in turn generate steam in the cooking chamber to which steam the food is exposed.

Summary of the Invention

It is an object of the invention to provide a method and a cooking device for improving the cooking result .

The object is solved by a cooking device according to the features of claim 1 and by a method for operating a cooking device according to the features of claim 8.

The cooking device comprises a cooking chamber for receiving food. In the context of the invention, cooking shall encompass all kinds of heating food, hence, including warming, heating, also defrosting of food including comestibles, dishes, liquids, etc. The cooking chamber typically is defined by walls of a hollow body also referred to as muffle in the context of baking ovens. An open side of the hollow body is closable by a door. In addition, a steam generator is provided for supplying steam, and in particular water steam, into the cooking chamber. External steam generators generating steam outside the cooking chamber shall be included which P108136AU00 MT/ 18.03.2013 2 steam then is passed into the cooking chamber via a supply pipe. The claimed steam generator, however, shall also encompass an internal steam generator wherein the steam is generated inside the cooking chamber, for example by heating water. For doing so, preferably a vessel for receiving water is attached to the cooking device.

In addition to the steam generator a micro-wave generator is provided for heating food in the cooking chamber. By means of providing two different heating modes for the food the present cooking device is a so-called multi function cooking device. Further, a hot air generator and / or a heater is provided. The hot air generator typically includes a heating element for heating the air in the cooking chamber and a fan for distributing and / or circulating the heated air in the cooking chamber. Alternatively or in addition to the hot air generator a heater may be provided, for example in form of a resistive heating, which is known from conventional baking ovens as top heater, bottom heater or grill heater subject to its arrangement in / at the cooking chamber.

In case the hot air generator and the heater are provided at the same time, the resistive heating of the heater preferably is provided in addition to the heating element of the hot air generator.

Further, a control unit is provided for operating the cooking device, which preferably is an electronic control unit. The control unit activates the steam generator, the microwave generator and the hot air generator or the heater respectively within a cooking process for cooking the food. Hence, it is provided that all three different cooking modes, i.e. the steam cooking, the microwave cooking and the hot air cooking or the heater cooking are applied in a common cooking process. The chronological use of these cooking modes may at least partly be effected simultaneously, or may be effected displaced in time with respect to each other. The cooking process for cooking food arranged in the cooking chamber P108136AU00 MT/ 18.03.2013 3 preferably is determined by a cooking programme, which cooking programme is executed by the control unit and in-eludes the usage of these three cooking modes which rely on different energy sources and on different impact on the food.

In doing so, the control unit preferably automatically controls, i.e. without an interaction of the user, the sequence of the cooking modes. This may include activating and / or deactivating and / or changing operational parameters of the respective generator. The control unit determines in particular the application point in time and the duration of the respective cooking mode and for this reason the beginning and the termination of the associated generator operating. In this context "determining" not only includes activating and / or deactivating at predefined points in time but also includes activating and / or deactivating dependent on signals of sensors of the cooking device, or subject to operational states of the generators themselves, or subject to other factors. A user of such a cooking device may input the desired cooking programme via an input unit such as one or more selection switches. A cooking programme may thereby represent a cooking preparation of a dish. A sample cooking programme may be "potatoes au gratin'' . A cooking programme may on the other hand also stand for a desired character of cooking, for example, for cooking "energy efficient" or "conserving", or stand for a desired food class. Finally, a cooking programme may be defined by a multilevel selection of the user, for example as a "conserving" and "fast" cooking programme.

In a method for cooking food in a cooking device with a cooking chamber for receiving the food the following steps are provided within a cooking process: - Supplying steam into the cooking chamber, - Heating the food in the cooking chamber by means of microwaves, and

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Heating the cooking chamber by means of a hot air generator or a heater respectively.

The listing of the steps by no means defines their order. Subject to the cooking programme, the hot air 5 generator may be operated first before the microwave generator and the steam generator are switched on. The method shall encompass any combination and order of the cooking modes in time. In particular, a cooking process may be comprised in which the different cooking modes are 10 executed one after the other without any overlapping interval, i.e. one generator first is switched off before the next generator is switched on. Instead, in another preferred embodiment all three generators may be operated simultaneously at least temporarily, for example. 15 According to a further aspect of the present invention there is provided a computer program element containing computer program code, which code when executed on a processor in a cooking device initiates a cooking process with the following steps: 20 a) supplying steam into the cooking chamber, b) heating food in the cooking chamber by means of microwaves, c) heating the cooking chamber by means of a hot air generator or a heater respectively, 25 wherein a control unit automatically activates and/or deactivates at least one of the steps a) to c) dependent on a sensor signal of a sensor for detecting steam escaping from the cooking chamber.

As to the course of the individual steps it is 30 referred to the above comments. Such a programme element preferably is executed by a control unit of the cooking device which control unit may comprise a microprocessor for 2013202494 22 Dec 2016 H:'dcr\Iiiicn\ovcn'.NRPortbl'DCC\DER\l2''X47(IX_l docs-22/l 2/2016 - 4A - executing the steps, as much as a memory for storing the programme element. The control unit controls the various actuators of the cooking device, and in particular the generators for the steam, the microwave and the hot air or 5 the heater.

In particular, the three above mentioned cooking modes may be activated concurrently at the beginning of the cooking process. This effects a very fast cooking process. Alternatively, the steam cooking may 10 5 solely be activated at the beginning of the cooking process. Here, a conserving cooking may be achieved while the cooking result is achieved rather fast at the same time. Alternatively, the microwave cooking may solely be activated at the beginning of the cooking process. This effects a fast cooking result. In a further embodiment of the invention, in hot air / heater cooking the temperature in the cooking chamber is closed-loop controlled in two stages to a first target temperature first and then to a second different target temperature which for example exceeds the first target temperature. This way a cooking process is implemented conserving the surface of the food. In another embodiment the second target temperature is less than the first target temperature.

The cooking device and the method of the invention respectively allow for considerably improving the cooking result given that by using three different cooking modes during a single cooking process the food may be cooked as individual as possible. In a sample cooking programme, it may, for example waited for adding the microwave until at least a certain steam level is achieved in the cooking chamber under the assumption that the steam is considered primarily as a transmission medium for the microwave towards the food. This may result in an improved acceptance of energy in the food. Moreover, the-power distribution may be improved and a local drying out of the food may be prevented. In another example, the hot air cooking and the steam cooking are determined as core cooking modes and the corresponding generators are activated at the beginning of the cooking process, which cooking process again may be accelerated by adding micro-waves. The hot air / steam combination, also denoted as superheated steam generates a nice and uniform browning whereas the microwave heats the food from its inside. Hence, the dish not only is heated from the outside which leads to a saving in time. Hot air may also support steam cooking: During a preheating phase of the water in the P108136AU00 MT/ 18.03.2013 6 2013202494 04 Apr 2013 external steamer the cooking chamber may be preheated by hot air. Even in this operational mode the microwave may be used as accelerator. In particular, energy may be supplied into the food at the beginning of the operating. 5 However, heat may also be supplied into the interior of the food in a continuous heating mode. The cooking chamber may also initially be heated by steam and hot air for regenerating food before the microwave is switched on for the real refining. Here, the steam ensures that the food ίο does not dry out; the hot air reduces the residual water on the plate. Hence, combining all three cooking modes leads to food that is less dried out, is more "al dente". There is less residual water and there is savings in time . 15 The operating of the cooking device may pref erably be selected by means of a selection switch thereby selecting a certain cooking programme. Such a cooking programme preferably automatically executes the cooking process and causes the automatic addition of steam, mi-20 crowave and hot air at the desired point in time. The user is relieved by the programme controlled operating.

He / she no longer is required to take care for dosage, duration, etc. of the various cooking modes during the cooking process, for example between a beginning of the 25 cooking process which may start with his / her programme selection and the subsequent beginning of the programme and the end of the cooking process as a result of the end of the programme.

Advantageous embodiments of the invention are 30 characterized in the sub-claims.

Embodiments disclosed in the connection with the cooking device are considered to be disclosed in association with the method, too, and vice versa. 35

Brief description of the drawings P1O8136AU00 MT/ 18.03.2013 7

Further embodiments, advantages and applications of the invention can be derived from the dependent claims and the following description which refer to the figures in which: FIG. 1 shows a cut of a cooking device according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 to 4 show flow charts for methods according to embodiments of the present invention.

Detailed description of the drawings

The cooking device according to Fig. 1 comprises a cooking chamber 1 confined by walls 2 and a door 3. The cooking chamber 1 may, for example, contain 50 litres and more, for example 56 litres. The cooking device as shown may at least be operated as a steam cooking device, as a microwave device and as a hot air cooking device and/or baking oven, and may also be operated as a combined steam / microwave cooking device, as a combined steam / hot air cooking device, as a combined microwave / hot air cooking device, and as a combined steam / micro-wave / hot air cooking device. In this section as well as in the following, the hot air may always comprise alternatively or in addition the conventional heating with a top and / or bottom heater and / or a grill heater. In this context, "combined" shall encompass the use for the various cooking modes during a cooking process with respect to the food to be cooked. The cooking modes may be applied simultaneously or deferred in time,· in any case an activation of the corresponding generators is triggered within a cooking process for the food to be cooked, and preferably may be applied fully automated without the intervention of a user of the cooking device. In case the cooking device offers a selection / input of cooking programmes, the various cooking modes may be applied within a selected cooking programme which determines the cooking P108136AU00 MT/ 18.03.2013 8 process. For example, at the beginning of a cooking process it may be cooked by steam in combination with hot air while the microwave cooking may only be switched on later on in the cooking process.

The cooking device according to Figure 1 contains a schematically illustrated steam generator 4 separated from the cooking chamber 1, whose steam is supplied to the cooking chamber 1 via a supply pipe 41. A micro-wave generator referred to by 11 schematically is arranged at the ceiling and, for example, may provide a maximum power of 700 Watt. The cooking device 1 further includes a hot air generator 12 for generating and distributing hot air in the cooking chamber 1. This hot air generator 12 only is schematically illustrated at the back wall. Alternatively or in addition the cooking device may comprise heaters known from a conventional baking oven, for example a resistive top heater 5a arranged at the ceiling and a resistive bottom heater 5b arranged at or below the base, or a grill heater not shown. Alternatively or in addition hereto heaters may be arranged laterally at walls for heating the cooking chamber 1.

Outside the cooking chamber 1 a fan 6 is arranged in an exhaust shaft 9 serving as a blower, which may be embodied as radial flow fan or as cross flow blower, for example. On the rear side, the exhaust shaft 9 protrudes the cooking chamber 1 and contains an opening at the bottom of this protrusion to which a pipe 7 is connected. The pipe 7 ends in an opening 21 of the cooking chamber 1. A schematically illustrated sensor 8 is contained in the pipe 7 for measuring an escape of gas, and in particular for measuring steam escaping from the cooking chamber 1. This sensor 8 presently is embodied as a temperature sensor, for example as an NTC resistor, and is arranged in a lower portion of the pipe 7 for measuring the temperature of water steam passing there through.

In the ceiling of the cooking chamber 1 a further opening 20 is arranged optionally. The further P108136AU00

Ml/ 18.03.2013 9 opening 20 comprises a diameter of about 2.5 cm and maybe closed or opened by means of a flap 93. In case the flap 93 is opened, steam may be extracted from the cooking chamber 1. In addition, a temperature sensor 25 is provided in the cooking chamber 1 for measuring a temperature in the cooking chamber 1. Further, a core temperature sensor (not shown) may be provided, for example in the form of a needle which may be pierced into the food. Moreover, a humidity sensor 26 may be arranged optionally in the cooking chamber 1 for measuring the relative humidity in the cooking chamber 1 and by which alternatively or additionally to the gas escape sensor 8 the generation of steam by the steam generator 4 or the supply of steam respectively may be controlled. A control unit 10 is provided for controlling the steam generator 4, the microwave generator 11, the hot air generator 12, the top and bottom heater 5a, 5b and the radial flow fan 6 and further components of the cooking device. In case a cooking programme is entered by a user at an input unit, for example at a selection switch, in the following a corresponding cooking programme in form of a software is automatically called by the control unit 10, which cooking programme controls the chronological operating of the individual generators. Within a cooking programme determining the cooking process the steam generator is activated at least once, as is the microwave generator 11 and the hot air generator 12 or the heater 5a, 5b. This mode of operating represents the combined steam cooking / hot air / microwave operating as mentioned above.

The switching on / activating and / or switching off / deactivating of the individual generators may be triggered by sensor signals, by operational stages of the individual generators, or at fixed points in time. Insofar, the control unit 10 preferably controls the entire cooking process by using all three generators 4, 11 and 12 automatically and preferably without user interac- PI 08136AU00 MT/ 18.03.2013 10 tion. The course of the programme may be predetermined, or may be variable dependent on the above mentioned determining factors .

Cooking programmes may either be aligned with the kind of dish, or may be aligned with the way of cooking, The way of cooking may, for example, encompass "swift cooking", "conserving cooking", " energy efficient cooking", "refining" or similar.

Figure 2 illustrates a flow chart for a method according to an advantageous embodiment of the invention. In step SO the user of the cooking device selects a cooking programme, preferably by means of an input or selection switch calling a stored cooking programme the execution of which cooking programme starts the cooking process. In the present case, this cooking programme shall comprise the refinement of dishes. "Refinement" refers to prepared cold or cooled dishes that are warmed for eating. By selection of the refinement cooking programme und in combination with operating a start button if applicable a control unit of the cooking device automatically starts with the execution of the cooking programme in step SI by switching on the micro-wave generator at a first power of 500 Watt, for example, in step SI. Simultaneously, the steam generator is switched on as is the hot air generator. In step S2 it is verified e.g. by means of the temperature sensor 25 of Figure 1, if a temperature in the cooking chamber reaches a first target temperature of 130° Celsius, for example. In case this is not true, all three generators remain active (for illustration purposes it is abstained from showing all No-loops in the flow chart). Else (Y) in step S3 only the hot air operating is modified in that the cooking chamber temperature remains controlled to the very first target temperature. The microwave is added unchanged with the first power; also the steam is added by the steam generator without a change. P108136AU00 MT/ 18.03.2013 11

In step S4 it is verified if a signal of the gas escape sensor 8 of Figure 1 reaches an assigned threshold. If this is not the case, steam is continued to be supplied, microwave is continued to be supplied and the temperature in the cooking chamber is controlled to the first target temperature by means of the hot air generator. However, if sufficient steam was generated such that the signal of the gas escape sensor exceeds the assigned threshold (Y), the addition of steam will be reduced in step S5 as will be the addition of microwaves, while the cooking chamber temperature remains to be controlled to the first target temperature by the hot air generator. The reduction of the steam supply in the present case is made dependent on the signal of the gas escape sensor. Here, the steam generator will only be operated in case the assigned threshold is underrun by the signal of the gas escape sensor, for example, and is reactivated until the threshold is exceeded again. Insofar, the addition of the steam is pulsed, a pulsing of which is determined by the above mentioned threshold. The reduction of microwaves is made dependent on the pulsing of the steam: The higher the pulsing of the steam is, i.e. the longer the intervals between two steam supply events are, the more the microwave is reduced. The reduction of the microwave power may for example be proportional to the pulsing of the steam.

In step S6 it is then verified if the intervals between two pulses exceed a predefined threshold, and hence the pulsing has fallen below a predefined measure. If this is the case (Y), in step S7 the microwave power will be reduced to a second target value, in the present case to about 200 Watt. The addition of steam will be deactivated, and the temperature of the cooking chamber is controlled by the hot air generator to a second lower target temperature, e.g. to 100° Celsius.

In step S8, the control unit terminates the operating of the still active microwave generator and hot P108136AU00 MT/ 18.03.2013 12 air generator, either initiated by the user or time-controlled.

Figure 3 shows a flow chart for a method according to an advantageous embodiment of the invention.

In step S10 a user of the cooking device again selects a cooking programme, which cooking programme presently is "potatoes au gratin'' aligned with cooking a special dish or at least a dish species. In step Sll the control unit of the cooking device again starts automatically with the execution of the cooking process by activating the micro-wave generator at a first high power of 700 Watt, for example. At the same time the steam generator and the hot air generator are activated.

In step S12 it is verified if the cooking chamber temperature, which for example is measured by the temperature sensor 25 of Figure 1, has reached a first target temperature of, for example, 200° degrees Celsius. If this is not the case, all three generators remain active. Else (Y), in step S13 the measured cooking chamber temperature is controlled to the first predefined target temperature. The microwaves are reduced to a second power of about 400 Watt; the steam is added by the steam generator unchanged.

In step S14 it is verified if the signal of the gas escape sensor 8 according to Figure 1 reaches an assigned threshold. If this is not the case, the steam continues to be supplied, the microwave continues to be supplied, and the air in the cooking chamber is controlled to the first target temperature by means of the hot air generator. However, if there was generated sufficient steam such that the signal of the gas escape sensor exceeds the assigned threshold (Y), a pusher is operated in step S15 which pusher opens an opening in the cooking chamber such that steam may escape from the cooking chamber through the opening. Moreover, the steam supply of the steam generator is switched off and the microwave is reduced to a second power of a about 100 Watt. P108136AU00 MT/ 18.03.2013 13

In step S16 it is verified if a period in time x has passed since the threshold was exceeded by the sensor signal of the gas escape sensor, which period in time x may, for example, be 12 minutes. If this is the case (Y) the microwave generator is switched off in step S17. The supply of steam remains switched off and the hot air generator controls to a second target temperature of 210° degrees Celsius. In step S18 the control unit then terminates the operating of the still active hot air generator .

Figure 4 illustrates a flow chart for a method according to a further advantageous embodiment of the invention. In step S20 the user of the cooking device again selects a cooking programme, which in the present case is the programme "Power Steam" for a conserving cooking of the food. By way of selecting the "Power Steam" programme a control unit of the cooking device automatically starts the execution of the cooking process in step S21 by activating the microwave generator at a first power of 400 Watt, for example, and by activating the steam generator and the hot air generator at the same time too. In step S22 it is verified if the cooking chamber temperature, which for example is measured with the temperature sensor 25 of Figure 1, has reached a first target temperature of 100° degrees Celsius for example.

If this is not the case, all three generators remain active. Else (Y), in step S23 only the operating of the hot air generator is modified in that the hot air generator now is operated at a reduced level. In particular, the reduced level hot air operating may comprise a pulsed operating in this and other embodiments. The hot air energy supplied is reduced by no longer permanently supplying hot air but by supplying hot air in pulsed manner. In particular, as is the case in the present embodiment, the duration of adding hot air may depend from the duration of adding steam. In particular, a ratio between the supply of steam and the supply of hot air may be defined for P108136AU00 MI/ 18.03.2013 14 the reduced operating. This ratio may refer to the time duration of supplying hot air and supplying steam, or may refer to the ratio of energies supplied as steam and as hot air. The supply of microwaves remains unchanged at the first power of 400 Watt; the supply of steam by the steam generator remains unchanged, too.

In step S24 it is verified if the signal of the gas escape sensor 8 according to Figure 1 has reached an assigned threshold. If this is not the case, steam is continued to be supplied. So are the microwaves. The hot air generator is operated as described in step S23. However, if sufficient steam was generated such that the signal of the gas escape sensor exceeds the assigned threshold (Y), the supply of steam is reduced in step S25 by operating the steam generator in a pulsed manner dependent on the signal of the gas escape sensor. The supply of microwaves remains unchanged. The hot air generator is operated unchanged, too.

In step S26 it is verified if the intervals between the steam supply pulses exceed an assigned threshold, i.e. if the pulsing has fallen below a defined measure. If this is the case (Y), the supply of micro-waves is reduced in step S27 the longer the intervals become, and preferably is reduced proportional to the length of the intervals: The hot air generator and the steam generator remain in operating as defined in step S23. In step S28 the user terminates the operating of the still active generators at a desired point in time.

While there are shown and described presently preferred embodiments of the invention, it is to be distinctly understood that the invention is not limited thereto but may be otherwise variously embodied and practised within the scope of the following claims.

Throughout this specification and the claims which follow, unless the context requires otherwise, the word "comprise", and variations such as "comprises" and "comprising", will be understood to imply the inclusion of P108136AU00 MT/ 18.03.2013 15 2013202494 04 Apr 2013 a stated integer or step or group of integers or steps but not the exclusion of any other integer or step or group of integers or steps.

The reference in this specification to any 5 prior publication (or information derived from it) , or to any matter which is known, is not, and should not be taken as an acknowledgment or admission or any form of suggestion that that prior publication (or information derived from it) or known matter forms part of the common general knowl-10 edge in the field of endeavour to which this specification relates .

P108136AU0O MT/ 18.03.2013

Claims

THE CLAIMS DEFINING THE INVENTION ARE AS FOLLOWS:

1. Cooking device for cooking food, comprising: a cooking chamber for receiving the food, a steam generator for supplying steam into the cooking chamber, a microwave generator for heating the food, a hot air generator and/or a heater for heating the cooking chamber, and a control unit for activating the steam generator, the microwave generator and the hot air generator or the heater respectively within a cooking process for cooking the food, wherein the control unit is adapted to automatically activate and/or deactivate at least one generator out of the steam generator, the microwave generator, the hot air generator or the heater respectively dependent on a sensor signal of a sensor for detecting steam escaping from the cooking chamber.
2. Cooking device according to claim 1, comprising an input unit for entering a cooking programme, wherein the control unit is adapted to automatically activate the steam generator, the microwave generator and the hot air generator or the heater respectively dependent on the cooking programme entered.
3. Cooking device according to claim 2, wherein the control unit is adapted to automatically deactivate the steam generator, the microwave generator and the hot air generator or the heater respectively dependent on the entered cooking programme.
4. Cooking device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the control unit is adapted to automatically change an operational parameter of at least one generator out of the steam generator, the microwave generator, the hot air generator or the heater respectively during its operating, wherein the operational parameter in particular comprises one or more operational parameters out of: - a power of the microwave generator, - a pulsing of steam supply intervals by means of the steam generator.
5. Cooking device according to one or the preceding claims 2 to 4, wherein the control unit is adapted to automatically activate and/or deactivate and/or change the operational parameter of at least one generator out of the steam generator, the microwave generator, the hot air generator ort he heater respectively dependent on a sensor signal of a temperature sensor for detecting a temperature in the cooking chamber.
6. Cooking device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the heater comprises: - a top heater, and/or - a bottom heater, and/or - a grill heater.
7. Cooking device according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising a flap for closing an opening in the cooking chamber, wherein the control unit is adapted to automatically move the flap for opening and/or closing the opening during the cooking process.
8. Method for cooking food in a cooking device with a cooking chamber for receiving the food, comprising the following steps within a cooking process: a) supplying steam into the cooking chamber, b) heating the food in the cooking chamber by means of microwaves, c) heating the cooking chamber by means of a hot air generator or a heater respectively, wherein a control unit automatically activates and/or deactivates at least one of the steps a) to c) dependent on a sensor signal of a sensor for detecting steam escaping from the cooking chamber.
9. Method according to claim 8, wherein a concurrent or deferred sequence of the steps a) to c) is automatically initiated dependent on a selected cooking programme.
10. Method according to claim 8 or claim 9, wherein the steps a) to c) are initiated simultaneously at the beginning of the cooking process.
11. Method according to claim 8 or claim 9, wherein solely the step a) is initiated at the beginning of the cooking process.
12. Method according to claim 8 or claim 9, wherein solely the step b) is initiated at the beginning of the cooking process.
13. Method according to any one of the previous claims 8 to 10, wherein in step c) the cooking chamber is heated in a first phase to a first target temperature, and wherein in step c) the cooking chamber is heated in a second phase to a second target temperature which differs from the first target temperature.
14. Method according to any one of the preceding claims 8 to 13, wherein the control unit automatically begins with the steps a) and c) and terminates dependent on the entered cooking programme, and wherein the beginning and the ending of each of the steps a) to c) is triggered by one or more of the following events: - a beginning of the cooking process by means of entering a cooking programme, - a signal of a sensor for detecting steam escaping from the cooking chamber, - a signal of a temperature sensor for detecting a temperature in the cooking chamber, - a signal of a core temperature sensor for insertion into the food, - an operational parameter of a steam generator for supplying steam into the cooking chamber, - an operational parameter of a microwave generator for generating microwaves, - an operational parameter of a hot air generator or a heater respectively, - a pulsing of a steam supply by the steam generator, - the achievement of a predefined point in time, - the end of a predefined interval in time.
15. Computer program element containing computer program code, which code when executed on a processor in a cooking device initiates a cooking process with the following steps: a) supplying steam into the cooking chamber, b) heating food in the cooking chamber by means of microwaves, c) heating the cooking chamber by means of a hot air generator or a heater respectively, wherein a control unit automatically activates and/or deactivates at least one of the steps a) to c) dependent on a sensor signal of a sensor for detecting steam escaping from the cooking chamber.