Special issue on particle swarm optimization

An apparatus for slicing and cooking potatoes in a chip form is disclosed herein having a cylindrical base with electrical heating elements in the sidewall thereof for holding a quantity of cooking oil. A removable basket is immersed in the cooking oil and is disposed directly beneath a potato slicing mechanism. The mechanism is operably carried in a pivoting lid and includes a rotating slicing blade driven by a motor. A potato hopper carried on the lid includes a plunger for feeding a raw potato to a slicing table or ledge in registry with an opening for passing potato slices into the cooking oil beneath after cutting by the blade.