Pick POTS
A saucepan is almost an extension of a chef's right arm, so it is not surprising that most chefs have strong feelings about them.
The debate about the relative virtues of copper and stainless steel is on-going; there are aficionados of riveted handles and those of spot welds; and there are chefs who replace their pans every couple of years while others expect their pans to outlive them.
Investment
The number of pans in the average kitchen can be quite substantial. Few can make do with less than 20 or 30 and it is not uncommon to find the number of saucepans running into three figures - which can add up to a substantial investment.
Typically, a four-pint aluminum saucepan might cost ú14, while the same in stainless steel could be ú30, and in copper lined with stainless steel ú100.
Many chefs have a favourite pan - often so old that its origins have been lost in the mists of time. Frequently it is liked because it never burns, or because it is just the right size for almost any job or simply because it feels "right" in the hand.
To find out more, Caterer took a peek at the saucepan shelves and opinions of 10 chefs.
Terry Farr, chef patron, Friends restaurant, Pinner, Middlesex.
Covers: 60.
Pans: 20 - from two pints to five gallons.
Make: Unknown as they are inherited and quite old.
Type: Some stainless steel, some aluminium.
Farr looks for the same qualities in saucepans as he looks for in cars: "Shape, sturdiness and good handling."
He expects any new saucepan to last for a long time as his are at least 10 years old.
Covers: 300-1,000.
Pans: 114 - from 5in to 15in.
Make: WMF, Wagner and Spring.
Type: All are stainless steel with a heavy steel base fused on. They have curved sides and one long handle, with an extra grip handle on the opposite side of the largest.
Edelmann looks for stainless steel for long life, ease of cleaning and hygiene. Curved sides mean the contents can easily be tossed around in the pan, while a heavy bottom is good for both heat distribution and retention. Saucepans at the Savoy are expected to last two or three years.
Edelmann's favourite pan is a wok because it is multi-purpose.
David Nicholls, executive head chef, The Ritz, London.
Covers: 200 in restaurant, 200 afternoon teas and 100 in private rooms.
Pans: 50 - from one pint to 40 gallons.
Make: Wagner.
Type: Stainless steel with copper inlay heat conductors. There are also two or three large copper pans which are gradually being phased out.
Solid pans that can stand up to heavy use, together with good heat distribution and reliability against burning, are needed at the Ritz. Pans are expected to last indefinitely.
Nicholls does not have a specific favourite, but says the hotel buys the best because they are good to cook with. "It's a false economy to buy cheaper pans that will not last," he adds.
Peter Kromberg, executive chef at Le Soufflé in the Inter-Continental hotel, London.
Covers: 100 per day.
Pans: 70-80 - from 3.5in to 8in.
Make: Helvetia and WMF.
Type: Copper pans have straight or sloping sides, while the stainless steel pans are balloon-shaped with thick bottoms.
For small saucepans, Kromberg prefers copper versions with either stainless steel or tin insides, plus a longer handle. He too expects pans to last "forever".
Favourite pans are non-stick, but Kromberg adds: "In a commercial kitchen they don't seem to last for too long."
Nick Nairn, chef patron, Braeval Old Mill, Aberfoyle, Stirling.
Covers: 32.
Pans: 56 - from half -pint to 30 gallons.
Make: Various.
Type: Big pans are aluminium, while the smaller ones are stainless steel. There are also 32 one-pint cheap aluminium pans with plastic handles, used for individual portions of pasta and vegetables.
Shape, conductivity, durability and price are the features Nairn looks for when buying.
He expects good pans to last a lifetime and cheap ones to last three to five years.
Nairn's favourites are six Wagner three-pint pans, made of stainless steel with an aluminium sandwich base. He likes them as they are quick to heat on the solid top and very easy to clean.
He says: "If I could afford it, I would use nothing but stainless steel."
Paul Kitching, head chef, Nunsmere Hall hotel, Sandiway, Cheshire.
Covers: 60.
Pans: 60 - from a half-litre milk pan to 90 litres. (Kitching jokes that the latter seats three commis chefs!)
Make: GW Pearce's Battle British brand, plus a few from Wagner and Bourgeat.
Type: Mainly copper with riveted handles. Stock pans are iron, again with riveted handles.
Kitching is confident the hotel's saucepans will outlive him. "I expect them to use our present pans to dig the hole to bury me in about 80 years' time," he quips.
His favourite is an ancient two-pint Aga cast-iron pan that he says he "stole" from Shaun Hill's kitchen at Gidleigh Park. "Every time I need a special sauce, that's the pan I look for."
David Dorricott, executive chef, SAS Portman Hotel, London.
Covers: 200 a day.
Pans: 80 - from half-litre to 25 gallons.
Make: Various.
Type: 8in and 10in are non-stick and capable of going into ovens; sauté pans are all copper with fixed handles.
Durability, price and heat conductivity are the main features Dorricott looks for.
He expects just six or ight months' life from his non-stick pans, but says the copper ones should last a lifetime, although they have to be re-tinned regularly.
His favourite pans are the non-stick ones because of their wide range of uses, weight, and because they can be put in the oven.
Michael Coaker, executive chef, May Fair Inter-Continental, London.
Covers: Average 70 per day in restaurant, 100 breakfasts, and 50-60 room service.
Pans: 64 - from 7in to 16.5in.
Make: Spring, Helvetia and Wagner's Pyrogan.
Type: Some aluminium, some stainless steel and Spring copper pans.
Aesthetic qualities and good heat holding are what Coaker looks for in saucepans. He expects his stainless and aluminium pans to last for three years and the coppers for at least five years.
Favourite pan is a wok because of its size and ease of use.
Paul Gayler, executive chef at the Lanesborough, London.
Covers: Up to 800 per day.
Pans: 95 - from 14cm to 36cm.
Make: Spring.
Type: Stainless steel.
Features Gayler looks for are a good solid base, a pan that is hard-wearing yet light to handle with a firm handle that has a rivet construction. He expects pans to last at least 10-15 years.
Favourites are Meyer Steelon pans which are stainless steel or non-stick blends.
Chris Suter, head chef, Bishopstrow House, Warminster, Wiltshire.
Covers: Up to 70.
Pans: 30 from 1.5 pints to 16 pints.
Make: Mainly Bourgeat.
Type: Some stainless steel with copper bases and spot-welded handles plus some copper pans with cast-iron handles fixed with a heavy-duty rivet.
Suter expects pans to be hard wearing and, if they are stainless steel, to have a good heat-conducting copper bottom. Lifespan, he says, should be a minimum of 10 years and possibly longer if they are properly looked after.
"My favourite pan is what we call in our kitchen the poached egg pan.
"It's so versatile. It's a round-bottomed pan made of stainless steel with a copper base and we use it to make just about everything."
