A cooking appliance for processing food, more specifically a cooking appliance of the type that include a body housing an electric motor, a shaft for actuating a processing tool, and an integral handle, the various processing tools being coupled to the body by means of an arm that comprises an implement, such as a grinding, whisking or mixing implement, where the operating control of the appliance (on, off, rotating speed of the implement, etc.) is carried out by means of a sensor system that can detect a characteristic or predetermined movement performed on the appliance and can interpret said movement as an operating instruction, for example, turning the implement on, turning it off, and establishing and controlling the rotating speed thereof, etc.