Patent ID: 7703384

Claim:
A kitchen appliance comprising: a base with a plurality of downwardly extending wheels, to engage a floor and allow the base to move across a floor as supported by the wheels; a food transfer platform positioned above the base with respect to the floor and providing a generally horizontal and planar uppermost surface of the kitchen appliance, the uppermost surface free of lateral obstructions that would block a horizontal sliding transfer of materials onto the food transfer platform from sides of the food transfer platform, wherein the food transfer platform has a top and a bottom; at least one heating element supported by the top of the food transfer platform and upwardly exposed to receive cooking pans to heat the same; at least one extendible column that is affixed on one end to the food transfer platform and on the other end to the base to extend substantially vertically therebetween so that change in length of the extendible column changes the height of the planar uppermost surface of the food transfer platform above the floor on which the base is supported; a motor in mechanical communication with the extendible column to change the length of the extendible column with operation of the motor; a control panel in electrical communication with the motor, the control panel including electrical switches to control the motor to change the length of the extendible column so that a height of the heating element with respect to the floor may be varied by a user operating the control panel; and a power cord connected to the at least one heating element and having an electrical plug to releasably engage an electrical outlet and provide energy to the at least one heating element.