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.