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 ; 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 ; 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. <EOS>