Tuesday, March 20, 2012

Commercial Cookware









What is the difference between ordinary, inexpensive cookware and top commercial cookware? The price. But there's a good reason behind this. Commercial cookware is designed to withstand the use in hotels, restaurants, canteens, bakeries, and other commercial and/or industrial kitchens. 

Because of this, commercial cookware can't be made of inferior and non-durable materials. They need to last a long time and serve the user well. Commercial-grade cookware is usually made with aluminum, which is preferred because it is non-reactive and won't contaminate the food you are cooking. 

High-grade commercial cookware is made of several layers of aluminum and some other material such as copper. It can withstand a lot of banging and washing and is also great for conductivity. Chefs regard this property highly as speed in cooking matters a lot now when you're running a restaurant. 

However, it is not a very good heat conductor. So, they put a layer or layers of highly conductive metal like aluminum or copper between layers of stainless steel. This maximizes the good qualities of both.

It is not only the ability of a metal to conduct heat that makes for a top quality cookware. More important is its ability to distribute heat evenly. This assures that the food would be cooked evenly as well. 

Clad cookware also does this - some are layered all the way to sides of the pot or pan, while others have highly conductive metal plates at the bottom. Other chefs and professional cooks prefer another kind of cookware called cast iron. 

It is therefore also important that handles are ergonomic. Some commercial cookware have heatproof handles to make life easier for the professional chef. They also do a lot of flambes so commercial cookware must have exterior surfaces that are easy to clean.

So how can you overcome this problem when looking for stainless steel commercial grade cookware? Look for stainless steel cookware that is lined with a secondary metal. Most of your better quality stainless cookware will be lined with copper or aluminum. This secondary metal will cause even heating and will help stop the food from sticking.

Pots and pans that make it to the top of the list have cooking surfaces made of non-reactive metal such as stainless steel, which assures that the metal does not affect the food and its taste. Top commercial cookware is also usually easy to maintain. They are durable, sturdy, and are tested to last for a long time.


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