The present invention relates to an air-based flyer (10) apparatus comprising a food preparation chamber (140) comprising an outer wall (11), an inner wall (14) defining a food receiving space (141) with an air inlet (142) and an air discharge opening (145), and a circulation channel (113) defined between the outer wall (11) and the inner wall (14). The apparatus also comprises an air heater (13) for heating air in the food preparation chamber (140), a fan (192) for moving a flow of hot air successively through the air inlet (142), the food receiving space (141), the discharge opening (145), and the channel (113). The apparatus also comprises a steam generator (12) comprising at least one nozzle (127) extending into the food receiving space (141) for spraying temperature-controlled steam (18) onto the food； and a controller (15) adapted to control the steam generator to spray steam to food placed in the food receiving space (141) for a first predetermined period, and to control the air heater (13) and the fan (192) to circulate hot air to the food for a subsequent second predetermined period. This apparatus allows keeping the tenderness or crunchiness of the food during subsequent hot air cooking.
