Radiation

Radiation is one of the three major basic cooking methods (along with conduction and convection) in which heat is emitted from a source (like a fire) and is absorbed directly by something else. In this case, heat takes the form of electromagnetic radiation. While a majority of this radiation is in the infrared wavelengths, energy of a wide spectrum is present. In radiative cooking, no other mediums are necessary to transfer heat from the source to the sink (the food.) The source emits the radiation and the sink absorbs it.

Radiation is a fast way to move energy from one place to another, however, it will often focus the transmitted energy densely in a single area. This focus on a single area leads to food that may be cooked in one part, but completely raw in another.