An automatic cooking system for frying food products, comprising: a cooking vat (12, 54, 74, 144, 212, 232, 252, 272) configured to hold a cooking medium and to receive food product, the cooking vat defining at least one lane extending between an inlet end where the food product is inserted into the cooking vat and an outlet end where the food product is removed from the cooking vat, wherein each of the at least one lane of the cooking vat includes a bottom surface and sidewalls extending along the at least one lane, with chamfered corner surfaces connecting to the bottom surface and the sidewalls at an angle, wherein the bottom surface of each of the at least one lane in the cooking vat is angled upwardly along at least a portion of a length from the inlet end to the outlet end; a heating element (28, 72, 86, 92 112, 192, 1104) coupled to the cooking vat and configured to transfer heat into the cooking medium to uniformly heat the cooking medium; an oil recirculation and filtration system including a pump in communication with the inlet end and the outlet end of the cooking vat, the oil recirculation and filtration system configured to generate a continuous flow of cooking medium from the inlet end to the outlet end; and at least one gate (24, 66, 122, 130, 256, 1120, 1122, 1124) located in the cooking vat and separating the at least one lane into separate portions, each of the at least one gate being configured to allow cooking medium flow therethrough, and also being configured to move between a closed position blocking flow of food product between adjacent portions of the at least one lane and an open position permitting flow of food product driven by the continuous flow of cooking medium past the at least one gate to an adjacent portion of the at least one lane, wherein the heating element and at least one gate are positioned and configured to reduce impeding of the continuous flow of cooking medium in the at least one lane in such a manner that would generate turbulent flow, such that the flow of cooking medium over the bottom surface and chamfered corner surfaces and through the at least one lane reduces turbulence that can oxidate and reduce life span of the cooking medium, wherein each of the at least one gate includes a plurality of flow apertures to allow the continuous flow of cooking medium through a length of the at least one lane. a cooking vat (12, 54, 74, 144, 212, 232, 252, 272) configured to hold a cooking medium and to receive food product, the cooking vat defining at least one lane extending between an inlet end where the food product is inserted into the cooking vat and an outlet end where the food product is removed from the cooking vat, wherein each of the at least one lane of the cooking vat includes a bottom surface and sidewalls extending along the at least one lane, with chamfered corner surfaces connecting to the bottom surface and the sidewalls at an angle, wherein the bottom surface of each of the at least one lane in the cooking vat is angled upwardly along at least a portion of a length from the inlet end to the outlet end; a heating element (28, 72, 86, 92 112, 192, 1104) coupled to the cooking vat and configured to transfer heat into the cooking medium to uniformly heat the cooking medium; an oil recirculation and filtration system including a pump in communication with the inlet end and the outlet end of the cooking vat, the oil recirculation and filtration system configured to generate a continuous flow of cooking medium from the inlet end to the outlet end; and at least one gate (24, 66, 122, 130, 256, 1120, 1122, 1124) located in the cooking vat and separating the at least one lane into separate portions, each of the at least one gate being configured to allow cooking medium flow therethrough, and also being configured to move between a closed position blocking flow of food product between adjacent portions of the at least one lane and an open position permitting flow of food product driven by the continuous flow of cooking medium past the at least one gate to an adjacent portion of the at least one lane, wherein the heating element and at least one gate are positioned and configured to reduce impeding of the continuous flow of cooking medium in the at least one lane in such a manner that would generate turbulent flow, such that the flow of cooking medium over the bottom surface and chamfered corner surfaces and through the at least one lane reduces turbulence that can oxidate and reduce life span of the cooking medium, wherein each of the at least one gate includes a plurality of flow apertures to allow the continuous flow of cooking medium through a length of the at least one lane.