A multifunctional griddle having hinged top and bottom heating plate assemblies which receive reversible cooking plates or, alternatively, interchangeable cooking plates for cooking different types of foods such as waffles, pancakes, and hot sandwiches. In one embodiment the reversible cooking plates are nested in face-to-face contact with mating top and bottom heating plates to improve heat transfer to the cooking plates. This is accomplished by forming a mating waffle grid in the heating plates for receiving the waffle iron surfaces of the cooking plates in intermeshing engagement. The intermeshing engagement of the cooking plates with the heating plates also reduces the overall vertical height of the appliance providing a slimmer profile. In an alternative embodiment a set of interchangeable cooking plates is provided having a sliding interface with modified heating plates. In this embodiment the cooking plates are conveniently interchanged to vary the cooking configurations of the appliance.