Any kitchen is incomplete without its assortment of pans. Chefs heavily rely on their cookware to deliver delicious meals, especially in restaurants. Restaurants have to keep up with customer demands. Therefore, chefs require cookware that can withstand constant and demanding use. So what pans do chefs use?
This article will guide you through the types of pans chefs use and their preferred choice of material.
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Types Of Pans Chefs Use
Even home cooks have a variety of pans in their kitchens. These pans serve as a cooking tools for various tasks. With the higher demands in a professional kitchen, chefs keep around a wider variety of pans.
These pans come in all shapes, sizes, and materials and are used for many different cooking processes.
Saucepans
In the 17th century, this common cookware had only one purpose—to make sauces. It has since evolved to include various food preparations. The vessel has a round deep base with a long handle.
Chefs use saucepans to prepare sauces, simmer liquids, stew curries, make pasta, etc. They are quite durable and handy in a busy kitchen environment. They come in different sizes, materials, and even shapes sometimes. The versatile saucepan is usually crafted in stainless steel.
Sauté Pans
Saute pans have a flat circular base with straight sides and a long handle. These sides ensure nothing spills from the pan as you move the food around. It is also deeper than frying pans.
The extra volume allows chefs to easily braise chicken, shallow-fry meatballs, etc., in minimal oil.
Frying Pans
Frying pans are a common sight in all households. These pans feature a flat base with slightly elevated sides. As their name states, they are excellent for frying food. Chefs use frying pans for searing, roasting, and frying.
They are used to stir-fry, shallow fry, and prepare the breakfast items like eggs and ham. Chefs prefer aluminium or carbon steel frying pans due to their lightweight nature. They allow for a good flip.
Skillets
Skillets are the heavier version of frying pans. They are ideal for preparing larger quantities of food. They are like frying pans in design but thicker and heavier.
Chefs love a good skillet made of carbon steel or cast iron. Skillets need to be seasoned as part of their maintenance and use.
Griddle Pans
Chefs at diners like to use griddle pans to grill meats, burgers, and vegetables. These pans have a ridged base that gives a grilled effect to food cooked on a stove. They infuse a smoky flavour and char marks on the food in the pan.
Chefs opt for cast iron pans for the heavy base and uniform cooking abilities. They are designed to work with high heat.
Brazier Pans
Brazier pans have a round wide base with angled sides. They have a lid that helps to lock in flavour and two side handles that make it easier to move the pan around. Chefs use these versatile pans for simmering, browning, braising, and shallow-frying.
They are commonly designed in enamelled cast iron since the material is great at retaining heat.
Woks
You may be familiar with woks if you frequent Asian restaurants. The bowl-shaped pan with a deep round bottom is mostly used to stir-fry food. They can also be used to steam and fry. They are commonly designed with carbon steel for their light-weightedness and quick heating ability.
What Pan Materials Do Chefs Prefer?
Just as the type of pan is crucial when approaching different cooking processes, so is the material. Chefs have fast-paced jobs and require highly durable cookware. This cookware should be relatively low maintenance while being able to withstand the bustle of a busy kitchen.
Low-quality materials affect the cooking process and the intended flavour. While price is not an indicator of quality, chefs lean towards certain materials and brands more than others to bring out the best of their dishes.
Below is a list of materials usually preferred by chefs.
Stainless Steel
Stainless steel is ideal for whipping up all kinds of dishes because it is inert. An inert material does not react to acidic foods. In terms of durability, it takes on high heat, and there are no issues with rust.
They are easy to clean and dishwasher safe. Chefs like stainless steel to prepare their sauces and sauté their meals. They love a thick base over a light one. A stainless steel pan with a thick base is much safer to use than a thinner base. A thick-based pan heats well and is not prone to warping.
Ceramic
Ceramic pans are commonly spotted in domestic kitchens. However, they are also a boon in professional kitchens. Chefs prefer them due to their durability. They are a great alternative to non-stick pans.
The natural non-stick material can handle high heat, making it useful in various cooking processes. Ceramic pans require minimal care and are quite easy to clean.
Carbon Steel
Carbon steel pans are popular in French restaurants. They are preferred over cast iron cookware for their durability and lightweight. Carbon steel can handle some rough use quite well without getting a mark on them. They are also capable of infusing a smoky flavour into the dishes.
While they are non-stick, they do not handle acidic dishes well. Therefore, you will not see any tomato-based dishes cooked in pans of this material. Besides acidic food, chefs can use carbon steel pans to whip up multiple foods in one go.
Aluminium
Aluminium pans are a popular choice among all chefs. They are convenient for quick recipes. Besides being lightweight, they are easy to clean and allow even heat distribution while cooking.
For their resilience, professional chefs prefer anodized aluminium or enamel-coated pans over traditional aluminium.
Cast Iron
Cast iron pans are heavy-duty cookware. They handle high heat with even distribution. They allow efficient cooking in a professional kitchen.
With proper care, they can last a long time. However, they are prone to rust. These traditional pans are high maintenance. Therefore, they are not extensively a part of a professional chef’s kitchen.
If they are part of a commercial kitchen, they are commonly used in preparing fried rice or making eggs.
What Pans Do Chefs Use? The Final Word
A lot of dishes get prepared in restaurants. These dishes owe their delightful flavour profile not only to the expertise of the chefs but also to the type and quality of cookware they use.
One such important cookware is the pan. A pan comes in various forms and delivers tons of meals if wielded right. This article summarized the types and materials of pans preferred and used by chefs everywhere.
