A cooking and/or heat-maintaining unit comprises a main heating element and an auxiliary element adjacent thereto. A control therefor comprises a regulating or control device having a rotary setting member with a shaft for adjusting the power or temperature, as well as a switching member for switching an additional heating system on or off, the switching member having a switching shaft arranged coaxially with the shaft on the setting member. The switching member is operable by rotation of the setting member to a given angular setting, the setting member and switching member being independent until the angular setting is reached. The switching member preferably further comprises a quick-action switch with stable limiting positions, operable by the setting member, and which in one of the limiting positions operates a contact for switching the additional heating system on.