Professional chefs prioritize durability and performance over flashy non-stick coatings. Their arsenals are built around unreactive stainless steel (for even heating and saucing), high-heat carbon steel (the chef’s alternative to cast iron), and a reliable Dutch oven.
What Pans Do Professional Chefs Use?
Chefs overwhelmingly recommend multi-ply stainless steel and cast iron for the majority of their cooking, as these materials offer superior heat retention and durability. For specific tasks like eggs or fish, they suggest high-quality non-stick or carbon steel.
Gordon Ramsay exclusively uses and endorses HexClad Hybrid Cookware for both his home kitchen and his studio/YouTube sets.
Michelin-star chefs prioritize functional, durable cookware built for precision and high-heat tolerance. They primarily use multi-clad stainless steel, carbon steel, and specialized titanium or hybrid pans. Top brands in professional kitchens prioritize heat control, responsiveness, and resilience over flashy materials.
GreenPan X Bobby Flay Professional Grade Ceramic Nonstick 13-Piece Cookware Set.
Non-stick pans may be an ideal choice in home kitchens, but in professional commercial kitchens, their safety, heat resistance, service life and cooking effect limitations make them unpopular with chefs.
HexClad pans combine stainless steel and non-stick surfaces, but come with notable drawbacks. Key cons include a very steep price tag, lackluster non-stick performance compared to dedicated non-stick pans, staining, and controversy regarding prior PTFE marketing.
Gordon Ramsay was diagnosed with basal cell carcinoma, the most common form of skin cancer. He underwent successful surgery to have the cancerous cells removed from his jawline and used the opportunity to share photos of his stitches and a public service announcement encouraging fans to wear sunscreen.
Chefs often prefer durable, heavy-gauge nonstick pans that can withstand high-volume use, frequently choosing brands like All-Clad (D3/D5 Pro), Scanpan, and Mauviel for their superior heat distribution and robust coatings. For high-heat searing or a truly nonstick, long-lasting surface, many chefs choose seasoned carbon steel pans.
Avoid traditional non-stick pans with worn coatings or synthetic "forever chemicals" (PFAS), as well as unlined copper and reactive aluminum. Scratched or overheated pans release toxic fumes or leach heavy metals into your food.
AMT Gastroguss - Quality cookware you'll reach for every day
It's even been dubbed the "world's best pan" by VKD, the largest German Chefs Association. Talk about non-stick all-stars! AMT Gastroguss products have an average rating of 4.8 out of 5 stars from 245 reviews. 95% of customers would recommend.
There is no single "best" cookware in the world because performance depends on your cooking style and maintenance preferences. The global gold standards are divided by material, each excelling in different culinary tasks:
Well-made stainless steel pans can last a lifetime, which means you want a pan that heats evenly, has sturdy and comfortable handle construction, and has a general shape that's easy to cook with. Plus, when you consider the versatility of a stainless steel pan, spending a little more isn't a bad value proposition.
Made for every kitchen - and trusted by chefs - All-Clad is where premium materials meet performance-first design.
Comparing HexClad and Le Creuset is like comparing an electric sports car to a vintage cast-iron Dutch oven; they serve entirely different purposes in the kitchen. The best choice depends on what you cook most and how much maintenance you are willing to handle.
Bobby Flay exclusively uses his own signature Bobby Flay by GreenPan cookware collection. This line includes a variety of materials and finishes that he helped design for both professional and home use, which span several key lines:
Because traditional non-stick coatings degrade over time, no single pan is perfect forever. However, the best performing non-stick pans in the world right now are the Le Creuset Toughened Nonstick PRO, the affordable OXO Good Grips Pro, and the innovative Our Place Titanium Always Pan Pro.
Professional chefs do not use a single brand, but rather gravitate towards commercial-grade, highly durable cookware. Their kitchen arsenals generally feature All-Clad, Made In, and heavy-duty restaurant-supply brands like Vollrath and Winco.
Gordon Ramsay speaks out about tragic death of his son Rocky | Her.
Gordon Ramsay was held at gunpoint in 2011 while filming a documentary for the UK’s Channel 4 about the illegal and unregulated shark finning industry.
Gordon Ramsay has been married exactly once. He tied the knot with Cayetana "Tana" Ramsay in December 1996, and the couple has been together ever since.
The healthiest pans to cook with are made from cast iron, carbon steel, stainless steel, or pure ceramic. These materials are free from toxic synthetic coatings (like PFAS and Teflon) and will not leach harmful chemicals or microplastics into your food when heated.
The lawsuit against HexClad is a false advertising class action over claims that its cookware was "PFAS-free," "PFOA-free," and "non-toxic," despite allegedly containing per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS or "forever chemicals") and PTFE.
HexClad cookware is PFOA-free, but it depends on the specific line you own. Traditional lines use a PTFE-based coating, while newer releases utilize a PFAS-free ceramic surface.