Why don't professional chefs use nonstick cookware?

(1) They are really good at knowing how long they can sear something, enough to make it crispy, but not long enough that it sticks. (2) They can add as much oil or butter as they want - people go to restaurants to indulge, not to eat healthy. (3) They have really good steel pans (and copper, alumninium, cast iron…). read more

There are a couple of things the non stick is good for. Eggs, in particular, stick to other cookware but work great in non-stick. You don’t want them to brown and you don’t want them to stick and that’s what you get. I took a cooking class and the teacher, when asked about non-stick, said use it just for eggs. read more

That said, there was an article in the SF Chron on nonstick cookware, and 3 out of 5 well-known professional chefs they polled use nonstick to some extent in their kitchens (see link). For instance, Gary Danko says that about 10% of his cookware is nonstick. read more

The relative expense of nonstick cookware and their generally short lifetime (even when used in the home) make them largely ineligible for commercial use. Well-seasoned pans develop a specific surface finish that acts almost identical to non-stick coatings. read more