Stove Toppers
September 1, 2005
With so many high-end cookware lines available, it is hard to know which ones will best suit your cooking needs. We asked a handful of professional chefs—the finest judges of pan and pot performance—to disclose their favorite kitchen helpers. Though most choose stainless steel (with copper-integrated bottoms) for its durability and looks, copper purists steadfastly maintain that the pricey metal—though heavy and notoriously difficult to clean—is still the best heat conductor on the market.
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(Click image to enlarge.)Sitram
For 40 years, cookware company Sitram has been forging its
professional-grade stainless steel pots and pans in its factory in France.
“Coming up as a kid chef, I was at Le Cirque and all their pans were Sitram from
the Catering line,” says Michael Cimarusti, head chef at Providence in Los
Angeles. “It’s just a well-made pan and also very light and durable.”
11.6-quart saucepan, $187.
800.515.8585, www.sitramcookware.com, www.chefsresource.com
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(Click image to enlarge.)Matfer-Bourgeat
Diane Forley, chef-owner of Verbena in New York, is a
longtime fan of Matfer-Bourgeat copper pots, as is Collin Crannell, chef at the
Argyle Hotel’s Tower Bar in Los Angeles. “I inherited four large Bourgeat copper
pots from the last chef, and they are probably 20 years old,” Crannell says,
“but they are still the best.” Depending on the size, casserole pan with lid,
$339 to $475, saucepan with lid, $49 to $387.
818.782.0792, www.matferbourgeatusa.com
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(Click image to enlarge.)All-Clad
Before becoming one of the hottest cookware lines on the market,
All-Clad’s pots and pans spent decades under the radar as the tools of choice
for top chefs. Longevity of use is a key reason why the company’s trademark
stainless steel line is still found in upscale restaurants. “We have All-Clad
pots that have been here for 15 years, and they’re still holding up,” says Vince
Manna, head chef at Maple Drive in Beverly Hills. “All-Clad stainless steel is
lightweight, but thick. And it doesn’t discolor food.” Copper Core 7-piece set,
$679.
800.255.2523, www.allclad.com
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