Apparatus for removing a part from a vegetable piece, the apparatus comprising: a conveyor including a plurality of vegetable support elements, each vegetable support element comprising at least one opening therein; a vegetable securing mechanism situated above the conveyor and including means to secure a vegetable piece in position over the at least one opening such that the centre of the at least one opening and the centre of the vegetable piece are substantially aligned; and a cutting mechanism including at least one cutting blade aligned with the at least one opening in one of the plurality of vegetable support elements, and configured to pass through the at least one opening from below the vegetable support elements; a drive means driving the vegetable support elements of the conveyor towards the vegetable securing and cutting mechanisms (10, 60); timing means configured to advance the conveyor in steps of pre-defined distances and to halt forward movement of the conveyor for predetermined periods of time with the centre of the opening of the vegetable support element substantially aligned with a central axis of the vegetable securing mechanism, and to control the actuation of the vegetable securing mechanism and cutting mechanism to: i) secure a vegetable piece in position on the vegetable support element; ii) activate the cutting mechanism to move through a cutting cycle; iii) to release the vegetable piece from the vegetable securing mechanism; and iv) move the conveyor through another step. a conveyor including a plurality of vegetable support elements, each vegetable support element comprising at least one opening therein; a vegetable securing mechanism situated above the conveyor and including means to secure a vegetable piece in position over the at least one opening such that the centre of the at least one opening and the centre of the vegetable piece are substantially aligned; and a cutting mechanism including at least one cutting blade aligned with the at least one opening in one of the plurality of vegetable support elements, and configured to pass through the at least one opening from below the vegetable support elements; a drive means driving the vegetable support elements of the conveyor towards the vegetable securing and cutting mechanisms (10, 60); timing means configured to advance the conveyor in steps of pre-defined distances and to halt forward movement of the conveyor for predetermined periods of time with the centre of the opening of the vegetable support element substantially aligned with a central axis of the vegetable securing mechanism, and to control the actuation of the vegetable securing mechanism and cutting mechanism to: i) secure a vegetable piece in position on the vegetable support element; ii) activate the cutting mechanism to move through a cutting cycle; iii) to release the vegetable piece from the vegetable securing mechanism; and iv) move the conveyor through another step. i) secure a vegetable piece in position on the vegetable support element; ii) activate the cutting mechanism to move through a cutting cycle; iii) to release the vegetable piece from the vegetable securing mechanism; and iv) move the conveyor through another step.