An apparatus, system and method are provided for flattening and searing a food product wherein a searing and flattening roller is heated to a temperature of at least 600° F. and the heated searing and flattening roller is used to sear an upper surface of the food product and produce a flatter thickness profile of the food product by contacting and applying a pressing force to the upper surface of the food product. Alternatively, the roller can be a flattening and steam ejection roller which flattens the food product and sterilizes the upper surface of the product.
