A cooking apparatus includes a frame with an upper section for holding a pot and a lower section for resting upon an underlying support surface. The frame has a burner element that can be a nozzle tube having a commercially available burner nozzle for generating a cooking flame during use. The nozzle can be fueled with propane, butane or the like using a commercially available tank, regulator and supply hose. The frame can include an upper ring, lower rings, the upper ring providing legs, pot support bars or members for holding the bottom of a pot. A heat shield is comprised of multiple specially configured sections that overlap and connect to the frame. The shield is positioned below the flame during use to lessen heat transfer from the flame to the underlying support surface.