I still think cast iron beats stainless for most line work

Been running saute station for about 4 years now and I keep seeing people swear by stainless pans. Sure they look pretty and you can deglaze easy but I'll take my beat up 12 inch Lodge over any All-Clad any day. That even heat across the whole surface just makes cooking fish or searing scallops way more predictable for me. Had a new guy try to tell me cast iron is too heavy for service but I've been flipping omelets with mine for 150 covers a night without issue. Any other old school cooks out there still sticking with cast iron?

2 comments

2 Comments

barnes.shane7d ago

Got a 10 inch Lodge Ive been using for about six years now. Works perfect for searing off a couple scallops or a single piece of fish during service. The even heat distribution just makes those quick cooks more predictable than stainless where you get hot spots. Only thing I do different is keep a separate smaller pan for omelets so the seasoning stays slick.

janaw117d ago

My buddy runs a tiny brunch spot and tried using his lodge for everything at first. He got so frustrated when his omelets started sticking after searing a pork chop that he finally gave up and bought a cheap nonstick just for eggs. Idk, I think keeping one pan for delicate stuff and another for the heavy searing makes the most sense long term.