The Perfect Pan: An Overview Of Cooking Pan Types And Materials

High-quality cookware is, no doubt, a vital part of every restaurant’s kitchen, that’s why it’s important to put enough thoughts and effort into choosing the best. First thing to do is consult with your chef. He or she is likely to know exactly the types and number of cooking pans your kitchen’s gonna need.

Ultimately, the right choice for your restaurant will depend on what you’re cooking. Read on to learn about the most common and best types of cooking pans. We’ll help you make an informed decision when choosing your cookware.

Types of Cooking Pans

Restaurants have several different types of cooking pans and different pan sizes, including:

• Frying pans, or skillets, are essential to any restaurant kitchen. They usually come in a variety of sizes, but are not likely to come with lids.
• Saucepans have rounded bottoms and tall, straight sides. An essential part of cookware if you’re planning to serve soups and sauces.
• Sauté Pans are just as essential as skillets, and their designs are similar. They can be used for a variety of tasks, from deep frying to searing, sautéing and preparing some sauces.
• If your restaurant serves breakfast and you don’t have a range with a built-in griddle, you’ll likely need a griddle pan. This kitchen pan has a large, flat cooking surface, making it ideal for preparing pancakes, eggs, hash browns and other breakfast foods.

What’s the Best Material for Professional Cooking Pans?

Finding the right types of pans for cooking is just the start. You’ll also need to consider materials. We’re going to cover the most common materials and their benefits for both cookware and food pans.

• Carbon-Steel sears like cast iron, has a slick surface like a non-stick pan, and performs like stainless steel tri-ply.
• Stainless Steel is one of the most popular choices for restaurant cookware and food pans. This material is easy to clean and resistant to warping and denting. Besides, it’s not very reactive, so acidic foods maintain their color and taste.
• Although not as common as it once was, copper is still favored by many classically-trained chefs because of its superior heat conduction. It heats and cools quickly, which makes it ideal for dishes that require precision temperature control.
• Aluminum is affordable, it heats and cools quickly, and it transfers heat quickly. Because it’s soft and porous, aluminum pans can transfer flavor between dishes and be stained by acidic foods.
• Clad combines two materials to get the benefits of both. Typically, clad pans are a combination of aluminum and stainless steel. The aluminum offers excellent heat conductivity, while stainless steel prevents corrosion and is easy to maintain. The only drawback with clad pans is that they’re heavy and expensive.

Professional cooking pans are worth every penny, but it’s important to make your investment wisely. Consult with your chef to ensure that you’re meeting the needs of your cooks without overspending on unnecessary pans.

Source: https://mcdonaldpaper.com/blog/choosing-professional-cooking-pan