An apparatus and method are described for integration of an RF antenna in an appliance. For example, one embodiment of an apparatus includes: a dielectric having a specified length and width defining an area; a ground plane made of conductive material directly adjacent to the dielectric, the ground plane formed from one or more components of a handle or a door of a heating device; an antenna element made of conductive material forming a plane adjacent to the dielectric and parallel to the ground plane, the antenna having a first dimension defining a first end and a second end, the first end electrically coupled to the ground plane; and an antenna feed electrically coupled to the antenna element at specified distance from the first end, the distance from the first end selected in accordance with a wavelength of a radio frequency (RF) signal to be transmitted and/or received by the antenna.