A radiant heater is provided, which is subdivided into three concentric areas and which can be mounted under a glass ceramic cooking area. It has a rod controller and the two innermost heating areas are jointly protected against excess temperatures by means of the rod controller. The outermost heating area has a low surface power of 2.5 W/cm2, for example, and consequently does not have to be monitored by the rod regulator with regards to the danger of an excess temperature for a glass ceramic cooking area.