A shrimp heading apparatus comprising: a heading restraint positioned opposite a working surface; a heading restraint actuator configured to move the heading restraint between a stored position and restraint position relative to the working surface, wherein the heading restraint is spaced from the working surface to allow for positioning of a shrimp between the heading restraint and the working surface when the heading restraint is in the stored position, and wherein the heading restraint is closer to the working surface when the heading restraint is in the restraint position than when the heading restraint is in the stored position such that the heading restraint is configured to force a shrimp located between the heading restraint and the working surface against the working surface when the heading restraint is in the restraint position; a spoon; a spoon actuator configured to move the spoon along a spoon path between a ready position and finish position relative to the heading restraint, wherein a working portion of the spoon is proximate a carapace side of the heading restraint when the spoon is in the ready position and wherein the working portion of the spoon is spaced away from the carapace side of the heading restraint when the spoon is in the finish position such that the working portion of the spoon is configured to separate a head of a shrimp on the working surface from an abdomen of the shrimp when the spoon moves from the ready position to the finish position; and a controller operably connected to the heading restraint actuator and the spoon actuator, the controller configured to: operate the heading restraint actuator to move the heading restraint from the stored position to the restraint position, operate the spoon actuator to move the spoon along the spoon path from the ready position to the finish position after operating the head restraint actuator to move the heading restraint to the restraint position, and operate the heading restraint actuator to return the heading restraint to the stored position after operating the spoon actuator to move the spoon to the finish position, characterized in that the working portion of the spoon comprises a spoon notch comprising a spoon notch opening facing the working surface when the spoon is in the ready position and the heading restraint is in the restraint position. a heading restraint positioned opposite a working surface; a heading restraint actuator configured to move the heading restraint between a stored position and restraint position relative to the working surface, wherein the heading restraint is spaced from the working surface to allow for positioning of a shrimp between the heading restraint and the working surface when the heading restraint is in the stored position, and wherein the heading restraint is closer to the working surface when the heading restraint is in the restraint position than when the heading restraint is in the stored position such that the heading restraint is configured to force a shrimp located between the heading restraint and the working surface against the working surface when the heading restraint is in the restraint position; a spoon; a spoon actuator configured to move the spoon along a spoon path between a ready position and finish position relative to the heading restraint, wherein a working portion of the spoon is proximate a carapace side of the heading restraint when the spoon is in the ready position and wherein the working portion of the spoon is spaced away from the carapace side of the heading restraint when the spoon is in the finish position such that the working portion of the spoon is configured to separate a head of a shrimp on the working surface from an abdomen of the shrimp when the spoon moves from the ready position to the finish position; and a controller operably connected to the heading restraint actuator and the spoon actuator, the controller configured to: operate the heading restraint actuator to move the heading restraint from the stored position to the restraint position, operate the spoon actuator to move the spoon along the spoon path from the ready position to the finish position after operating the head restraint actuator to move the heading restraint to the restraint position, and operate the heading restraint actuator to return the heading restraint to the stored position after operating the spoon actuator to move the spoon to the finish position, characterized in that the working portion of the spoon comprises a spoon notch comprising a spoon notch opening facing the working surface when the spoon is in the ready position and the heading restraint is in the restraint position. operate the heading restraint actuator to move the heading restraint from the stored position to the restraint position, operate the spoon actuator to move the spoon along the spoon path from the ready position to the finish position after operating the head restraint actuator to move the heading restraint to the restraint position, and operate the heading restraint actuator to return the heading restraint to the stored position after operating the spoon actuator to move the spoon to the finish position,