Need advice on industrial strength pots and pans.....new to forum

In the US, De Buyer is more of a supplier of carbon steel pans than stainless.

Without question, the very best, truly professional, multi-ply stainless is Vollrath Tribute.  It's actually fairly reasonably priced as those things go -- except for the lids which are pretty pricey.  But they do have some pretty great handles -- worth it?  Can't say.  You can always buy lids made by someone else.

I really like Vollrath Tribute.  I don't own any, but if I were replacing my "core" set of non-reactive pots and pans that what I'd buy.  Highest recommendation.

We might as well add some context.  While it's better than what you have it's not actually much better, and won't substantially help your cooking.  It's not really superior to any good multi-ply -- say Cuisinart for instance.

That said, once you're into quality multi-ply you're really choosing on the basis of appearance, handle comfort, and price.  So, if you like it, that's one.  Vollrath handles are great.  Price is ... not cheap.

One thing you don't see much of in commercial cookware is "helper handles."  If large, filled pans are daunting for you, and you prever to move them with two hands -- you might think of going residential cookware for that one.

As you complete your set, I suggest getting a few pieces of carbon steel (omelette pan, paellera), cast iron (chicken fryer), and enamel over cast iron (dutch oven, rondeau or oval casserole) as necessary.  Also that you not waste your money on super quality big pots -- buy an inexpensive "spaghetti set" and large stock pot.

BDL

 

Virtually every professional kitchen I've worked in used no major brand of cookware.  Nor was there anything that was ceramicized or teflon-ized or such.

Cooking shows (FoodTV) use beautiful home-grade cookware because they've been given it by the manufacturers for "promotional" purposes.  That is, the chef's show it off in their demonstrations and the viewers (home cooks) want to buy it.

A commercial kitchen is not a nice place for home-grade, advertised cookware.  The pots and pans are stacked and tossed and clanked and left on high heat and run through a mean industrial dishwasher and more and worse.  They end up charred and spotted and chipped and scratched and bent and dented.  And they are used again and again, with all their dents, spots, etc..

Mostly, they are heavy-duty, thick aluminum with steel handles.  No coatings, no anodizing (the "black"), no copper implants.

They last a long time but they are cheap enough that if they need to be replaced, the accountant doesn't cry.

You can find these pots and pans at almost every commercial restaurant supply warehouse.

I am sure there are a great many chefs who will chime in with their favorite cookware that they use at home.  I have a great mix and match set.

Joe

 

I'm neither a current nor former chef. Like you, I'm an enthusiastic home chef. Here's my two cents:

1. Read this very useful article on eGullet called Understanding Stovetop Cookware.

2. Don't pay attention to what you see chef's on tv use, for the reasons gardenguru explained. I once saw Jacques Pepin on a PBS pledge drive. He was taking questions from callers (and he seemed a bit lit up from all of the wine he was drinking). Someone asked why he used stainless steel tongs and spatulas with non-stick cookware; doesn't that scratch up the non-stick coating? He laughed and said that he gets as many pans as he wants free from the sponsors and so it doesn't matter if he scratches them. He said he doesn't do this at home.

3. If you pay attention to what restaurants use, realize that they have very different constraints and uses.

4. Only go high-end where it matters. You don't need a $300 pot to boil water. You appreciate the difference that a great saute pan can make.

boar_d_laze said "That said, once you're into quality multi-ply you're really choosing on the basis of appearance, handle comfort, and price". This is correct. I'd add that one difference between better and worse multi-ply pans is the thickness and type of metal inside the pan. For example, the most common multi-clad pan is probably a layer of aluminum sandwiched between layers of stainless steel. For more money, you can get the same pan with copper instead of aluminum. You can get pans with more or less aluminum, etc.

To appreciate the difference between these options, you really have to use the pans and that isn't always practical. But you can at least feel them to see which is more comfortable.

In my case, when I bought my first "good" pans, the the ones with copper inside were just too expensive for me.

 

I am NOT a big fan of  aluminum in any residential or commercial cooking appliation.

1) It oxidizes (turns black) and this crud will smear off on hands, clothing, shelves, stove ranges, and of course, food--like acidic tomatoes or wine.

2) It will warp, fairly quickly, and heaven help you if it warps convex.

What you see in 5 star and better commercial kitchens is s/s pots with "sandwich" bottoms, and carbon steel for sauting.   Pans are another story.

Carbon steel pans are cheap, and responds well, but warps almost as badly as aluminum.  I've done millions of a'la minute pan sauces and pasta sauces in carbon steel pans.

Performance wise, there isn't a whole lot of difference between a 10" "restaurant grade" commercial pot, and a "high end" residential one.  Cosmetically, the much pricier residential looks classy, and it is--it's highly polished s/s .  The commercial grades don't bother with the mirror finish, as this will dissapear the first time  it sees the dishpit and a scotch-brite scrubbie......

I suggest trotting off to a restaurant supply store and check out their wares.  Buy one or two pieces and see how you like it.

Buy only what you need and don't get suckered into "sets".  Your choice depends on your cooking style, your stove and it's output, and your budget.

The cat's meow is copper ware with a s/s lining, expensive and very heavy, and the copper begs for regular maintainence.  Not for everyone.

Cast iron skillets can't be beat for a lot of applications, and are fairly cheap.  Again, though, they are heavy and do require a bit of maintainence.

 

beeswax:

At home, I have, as I said, a "great mix and match" set.

I have some stainless, some cast iron, some aluminum (which has never warped nor oxidized for me at home; it's pretty thick stuff), a couple of copper bottomed pots/pans, a couple of hammered-steel woks, three anodized paella pans and one ceramic-coated-iron lasagna pan (weighs a TON). All of it is my "weight/feel".

Joe

 

beeswax,

de Buyer makes a line of pans they call "mineral".  They are 99% iron (I assume the other 1%  carbon making them high carbon steel).  These are relatively inexpensive pans that are very heavy, durable, and will take high heat.  They are easy to season and easy to clean.  After a few uses they will be black inside and out.  This may be exactly what your looking for.

 

I recently did the same thing you are now doing, Beeswax. I was very torn because I saw all the Food Channel personalities using All Clad.  When I went to the store to buy it, I noticed the Viking line of cookware and compared the two. After that, I had to get the Viking. Although it is more expensive than All Clad, I felt they would be the last set of pans I would have to buy.  I believe Viking is made by Demeyer.

I still need to add the 8 qt sauce pan for my meat sauce.

I think I will take the advice of others on this thread and buy a spaghetti set for boiling and draining pasta

 

What is your second choice?

 

I've got a big frypan from Calphalon that I really like.  It wasn't really that great until I stripped the coating and put my own season on it though.  (probably not the smartest or safest thing to do).  It's big, it's heavy, it's got a grip opposite the handle, I can put it in the oven, and it's tiding me over until I can get my big nostalgic cast iron pan.

 

I have a 3qt Mauviel splayed saute that I cook almost everything in. I've had it 5 years and it still looks new, although I don't polish the copper. It's lined with stainless steel and washes up easily. I expect to leave it in my will to a lucky recipient!

 

Beeswax,

You might try here for the de Buyer pans.  Don't know if they ship to Australia or not.

http://www.chefscatalog.com/product/25200-De-Buyer-Mineral-Fry-Pan.aspx?sourcecode=AW4PF4070

Good Luck!

Dean

 

I've got a big cast iron pan.It's big, it's so heavy and got a grip opposite the handle.Though stainless steel things look great but are quick to get burnt marks on them and if you don't clean immediately it's hard to clean later.

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