A sandwich press and grill apparatus. The apparatus comprising a lower housing and an upper housing, each hingedly interconnected. The lower housing is adapted to releasably engage a lower cooking plate, the lower housing including a first temperature sensor adapted to be in thermal communication with the lower cooking plate when engaged. The upper housing is adapted to releasably engage the upper cooking plate, the upper housing including a second temperature sensor adapted to be in thermal communication with the upper cooking plate when engaged. The lower housing has a first releasable power coupling element for providing electrical power to a lower heating element integrally formed with the lower cooking plate, and the upper housing has a second releasable power coupling element for providing electrical power to an upper heating element integrally formed with the upper cooking plate. A temperature controller adapted to receive at least one temperature set point signal and to independently control the temperature of the lower cooking plate and the upper cooking plate.