A method for heating a food item includes providing a structure for supporting a food item, a heater capable of heating the structure and the food item, a sensor for sensing a temperature of at least one of the structure and the food item, and a controller for controlling the operation of the heater. The sensor senses the temperature of at least one of the structure and the food item. In one embodiment, the heater is operated on a rethermalization cycle to raise the temperature sensed by the sensor to a cook temperature. The rethermalization cycle may be initiated manually or automatically upon the temperature sensed by the sensor falling below a lower limit temperature. The heater is operated to cook the food item on a cook duty cycle as a function of the temperature sensed by the sensor.
