A control device for an electrical heating device for a cooking field with a cooking field plate comprises an electro-mechanical switching device for adjusting a power of said heating device with different power levels and comprises two different heating element. The switching device is configured so that starting from a zero-position and rotating in a first rotation direction, a power level for a first heating element is adjusted in a cooking-mode. Rotation in the other direction activates a second heating element in a warm-keeping mode with significantly lower power. A relay is closed by a thermomechanical temperature sensing device below a defined switching temperature of 60° C. to 100° C. and opened above the switching temperature. When closed, the relay connects the two heating elements to an operating voltage for common operation. When opened, the first heating element is switched off for exclusive operation of the second heating element.