A gas fryer for cooking food products, comprising: a fry pot including an interior casing defining a cooking chamber configured to receive cooking medium that is heated to cook the food products, the interior casing including a bottom wall, front and rear end walls (226, 228) extending from the bottom wall, and opposing sidewalls connected to the front and rear end walls (226, 228) and also extending from the bottom wall, the fry pot also including an exterior casing spaced apart from the interior casing in several locations to define a plenum for air flow around an external surface of the interior casing; a plurality of heat exchange fins connected to the interior casing at portions of the opposing sidewalls and the rear end wall, the heat exchange fins extending between the interior casing and the exterior casing to form flow channels for air flow in the plenum; and at least one infrared burner that generates heat energy by combustion of gas for heating cooking medium in the fry pot, wherein the heat energy from the at least one infrared burner is transferred by radiation into the interior casing and also by convection into the interior casing based on air flow through the plenum that is heated by the at least one infrared burner, and the plurality of heat exchange fins is arranged in a configuration that guides the air flow to make transfer of the heat energy into the interior casing and the cooking medium generally uniform across at least the opposing sidewalls and the rear end wall, wherein each of the opposing sidewalls of the interior casing further comprises: an upper sidewall panel extending generally vertically from an opening into the cooking chamber; a central sidewall panel connected to and extending at an angle from the upper sidewall panel, thereby defining a flank of the cooking chamber; and a lower sidewall panel connected to each of the bottom wall and the central sidewall panel, and extending at an angle from the central sidewall panel, thereby defining a well of the cooking chamber, wherein the heat exchange fins are positioned along the central sidewall panels and the upper sidewall panels of the opposing sidewalls. a fry pot including an interior casing defining a cooking chamber configured to receive cooking medium that is heated to cook the food products, the interior casing including a bottom wall, front and rear end walls (226, 228) extending from the bottom wall, and opposing sidewalls connected to the front and rear end walls (226, 228) and also extending from the bottom wall, the fry pot also including an exterior casing spaced apart from the interior casing in several locations to define a plenum for air flow around an external surface of the interior casing; a plurality of heat exchange fins connected to the interior casing at portions of the opposing sidewalls and the rear end wall, the heat exchange fins extending between the interior casing and the exterior casing to form flow channels for air flow in the plenum; and at least one infrared burner that generates heat energy by combustion of gas for heating cooking medium in the fry pot, wherein the heat energy from the at least one infrared burner is transferred by radiation into the interior casing and also by convection into the interior casing based on air flow through the plenum that is heated by the at least one infrared burner, and the plurality of heat exchange fins is arranged in a configuration that guides the air flow to make transfer of the heat energy into the interior casing and the cooking medium generally uniform across at least the opposing sidewalls and the rear end wall, wherein each of the opposing sidewalls of the interior casing further comprises: an upper sidewall panel extending generally vertically from an opening into the cooking chamber; a central sidewall panel connected to and extending at an angle from the upper sidewall panel, thereby defining a flank of the cooking chamber; and a lower sidewall panel connected to each of the bottom wall and the central sidewall panel, and extending at an angle from the central sidewall panel, thereby defining a well of the cooking chamber, an upper sidewall panel extending generally vertically from an opening into the cooking chamber; a central sidewall panel connected to and extending at an angle from the upper sidewall panel, thereby defining a flank of the cooking chamber; and a lower sidewall panel connected to each of the bottom wall and the central sidewall panel, and extending at an angle from the central sidewall panel, thereby defining a well of the cooking chamber, wherein the heat exchange fins are positioned along the central sidewall panels and the upper sidewall panels of the opposing sidewalls.