Common materials include stainless steel, aluminium, copper, and non-stick coatings. Stainless steel is durable and non-reactive, aluminium is lightweight and conducts heat well, and copper offers excellent heat control but requires more maintenance.
Beloved by professional chefs, stainless steel pans are lightweight, durable, and easy to clean (they're one of the few truly dishwasher-safe pan types).
Gordon Ramsay endorses and exclusively uses HexClad cookware for both his professional restaurants and home kitchens, praising its hybrid technology that combines stainless steel durability with nonstick functionality, allowing metal utensils and dishwasher use while delivering perfect searing and easy cleanup. He also occasionally uses other high-end cookware like carbon steel (Mauviel) and Scanpan for different tasks, but HexClad is his primary brand, seen across his shows like Next Level Chef.
Heat tolerance and sear: Most non-stick coatings degrade at relatively low temperatures and won't sustain the high, dry heat needed for proper searing and caramelization. Chefs use high heat to develop texture and flavor that non-stick can't deliver safely.
Professional chefs prefer stainless steel pans because they perform well under high heat and help achieve a perfect golden color on food.
HexClad—the only brand of cookware that Gordon Ramsay uses—isn't just fancy marketing. It's tri-ply, Hybrid ceramic nonstick cookware.
You should avoid cooking highly acidic foods (tomatoes, citrus, vinegar) for long periods, and delicate items like eggs, fish, and pancakes in stainless steel, as they tend to stick, potentially causing pitting or damage, though proper preheating and oiling can help with the latter. Also, avoid overheating past the smoke point of oils, which creates sticky, hard-to-clean polymer residue.
Get the temperature right. If your pan is too hot, your eggs will most definitely stick. If your pan is too cool, they will stick because they have been sitting in the pan too long. One way to tell if your pan is ready is the water drop method.
Well-seasoned carbon steel is one of our favorite swaps for non stick cookware. Once seasoned, carbon steel repels water and oil nearly as effectively as traditional non stick cookware, providing a similarly slick cooking surface.
Gordon Ramsay is known to use stainless steel and cast iron pans in his kitchens. He prefers stainless steel for its responsiveness, durability, and versatility—perfect for high-heat cooking and precision techniques.
Gordon Ramsay was diagnosed with basal cell carcinoma (BCC), a common and treatable form of skin cancer, which required surgical removal from his jawline near his ear in late August 2025, leading him to share his experience online to urge fans to use sunscreen and protect their skin. He posted photos of his bandages, emphasizing sun safety and thanking his medical team.
Try turning down the heat. For low-fat foods like eggs, pancakes, or potatoes, lower heat = better results 🔥 HexClad pans conduct heat very well, so unlike traditional cookware, you don't need high heat to get a great sear or flip. In fact, high heat can sometimes cause sticking with delicate foods.
Scanpan is a Danish company, but you can buy the cookware from various retailers worldwide —also online; pricey though. It's made of steel-clad aluminum, so it works on induction cooktops, uses a PFOA and PFOS-free non-stick coating.
You should avoid frying pans with damaged non-stick coatings, uncoated aluminum, and unlined copper due to potential chemical leaching and health risks; also steer clear of pans with chipping ceramic coatings or those containing PFAS/PTFE (Teflon) that can release harmful fumes when overheated, opting for stainless steel, cast iron, carbon steel or quality ceramic alternatives instead.
since 2003. Jamie Oliver and Tefal are a winning combination: Jamie brings the knowledge and passion for food; Tefal brings the quality and technology. Together they make products that make cooking from scratch a joy. “I've been working with Tefal for nearly two decades now.
Top cookware brands vary by material and need, with All-Clad, Hestan (stainless steel), Le Creuset, Staub (enameled cast iron), GreenPan, Caraway, Our Place (non-stick/ceramic), and Lodge (cast iron) frequently praised for quality, performance, and durability, offering excellent choices for different cooking styles, from professional results to eco-friendly options.
Busy professional kitchens need pots and pans that can withstand years of heavy-duty use, meaning durable, uncoated metal items. It's just not practical or cost-effective from a business perspective to buy non-stick pans when that means frequently replacing them as they get damaged.
Ceramic coatings typically withstand temperatures higher than traditional nonstick surfaces. This makes ceramic cookware suitable for a wider range of cooking techniques, including some high-heat applications.
As a result of the lawsuits concerning the PFOA class-action lawsuit, DuPont began to use GenX, a similarly fluorinated compound, as a replacement for perfluorooctanoic acid in the manufacture of fluoropolymers, such as Teflon-brand PTFE.
Perhaps the most pervasive myth is that cooking eggs in stainless steel inevitably results in a sticky, burnt mess. This belief often stems from improper cooking techniques rather than inherent flaws in the cookware.
The "555 egg method" is a popular technique for making easy-peel hard-boiled eggs in an Instant Pot or other pressure cooker, involving 5 minutes of high pressure, a 5-minute natural pressure release, and a final 5-minute ice bath to stop cooking and loosen the shell, though results can vary, with some finding it perfect and others needing adjustments.
Constant exposure to high heat—both when cooking or in the dishwasher, neither of which we recommend—can cause your pan's non stick coating to degrade or even start to peel off. We advise sticking with medium heat or below to extend the lifespan of your non stick pan.
If you've tried all of the above cleaning methods and your stainless steel cookware is still scratched, stained, dented, or rusted beyond repair. Then you'll want to replace it. This is especially so if your pots and pans have been scratched to where the material beneath is showing.
Whilst there are many advantages to stainless steel, there are also some disadvantages.
For truly non-toxic cookware, focus on stainless steel, bare cast iron, carbon steel, pure ceramic, and enamel-coated cast iron, as these materials are free from harmful PFAS "forever chemicals" found in traditional nonstick coatings. While ceramic-coated pans (like those from Caraway or GreenPan) are a great nonstick alternative, ensure they specifically advertise being free of lead, cadmium, and PFAS/PTFE for true non-toxicity.