A belt cooking apparatus (10) includes a lower frame structure (12) and an upper frame structure (14) in registry with the lower frame structure. A lower cooking conveyor belt (16) is supported by the lower frame structure (12) and correspondingly an upper conveyor belt (18) is supported by the upper frame structure (14). Heating element assemblies (20) are mounted on the lower frame structure (12) just below the lower cooking belt (16) as well as on the upper frame structure (14) just above the upper cooking belt (18). Food products are cooked while positioned between the upper and lower moving cooking conveyor belts (16) and (18) by heat generated by the heating element assemblies (20) while being advanced by the conveyor belts.