A food preparation system includes a non-contact power supply for
energizing a cooking appliance. The food preparation system includes a
communication system for enabling communication between a food appliance
and the system. The appliance transmits an identifier to the system. If
the appliance does not have a transmitter, the system attempts to
determine the type of appliance from a characterization of the power
consumption by the appliance. If the appliance cannot be characterized,
the food preparation system can be operated manually.