Tbh the way some line cooks season their pans is driving me up the wall

I work at a spot in Portland and I swear every new guy treats a stainless steel pan like it's non-stick. They throw oil in cold, then wonder why everything sticks and burns. Or worse, they dump salt in before the pan even gets hot. I had to throw out a batch of scallops last Friday because someone didn't let the pan heat up properly and they came out gray and mushy. How do you learn this stuff if nobody ever shows you? Anyone else deal with this at their kitchen?

2 comments

2 Comments

jamie77013d ago

Three years in a row I worked a kitchen that used only aluminum pans and the whole "heat it first" gospel got totally thrown out because those things warp if you look at them wrong. Scallops come out gray and mushy way more often from overcrowding the pan or buying wet-packed ones than from a cold start, at least in my experience. Maybe your new guys are just used to different gear and a little patience (like letting the pan come up to temp while the oil's in there) would save more product than getting mad about technique.

jamesroberts12d ago

Yeah letting the pan preheat with the oil in is fine, just don't crowd the scallops and they'll sear up nice.