A cooking appliance comprising: a container that is to receive a food to be cooked, the container having a side wall or walls that provide a periphery surrounding a cavity within which the food is located; and a heating belt configured to apply heat to the container to cook the food in the container , the heating belt including: a flexible elongated base that is to at least partly surround the periphery , so that the heating belt can be urged towards the periphery , wherein the base includes an end extremity that is so that the effective length of the heating belt is adjustable to the size of the container ; at least one heating element attached to the base to enable the heating element to be in thermal contact with the periphery , wherein only one major face of the heating element is exposed to the periphery for heat transfer to the container ; and an elongated power conduit connected to the heating element and to provide for the connection of the heating element to a source of electric power so that upon electric power being delivered to the heating element , the heating element can heat the container , wherein the power conduit is flexible to provide for the elongation of the base . a container that is to receive a food to be cooked, the container having a side wall or walls that provide a periphery surrounding a cavity within which the food is located; and a heating belt configured to apply heat to the container to cook the food in the container , the heating belt including: a flexible elongated base that is to at least partly surround the periphery , so that the heating belt can be urged towards the periphery , wherein the base includes an end extremity that is so that the effective length of the heating belt is adjustable to the size of the container ; at least one heating element attached to the base to enable the heating element to be in thermal contact with the periphery , wherein only one major face of the heating element is exposed to the periphery for heat transfer to the container ; and an elongated power conduit connected to the heating element and to provide for the connection of the heating element to a source of electric power so that upon electric power being delivered to the heating element , the heating element can heat the container , wherein the power conduit is flexible to provide for the elongation of the base . a flexible elongated base that is to at least partly surround the periphery , so that the heating belt can be urged towards the periphery , wherein the base includes an end extremity that is so that the effective length of the heating belt is adjustable to the size of the container ; at least one heating element attached to the base to enable the heating element to be in thermal contact with the periphery , wherein only one major face of the heating element is exposed to the periphery for heat transfer to the container ; and an elongated power conduit connected to the heating element and to provide for the connection of the heating element to a source of electric power so that upon electric power being delivered to the heating element , the heating element can heat the container , wherein the power conduit is flexible to provide for the elongation of the base . <EOS>