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Chefs interviewed by Bon Appétit and Foodservice and Hospitality name these 12 cookware and knife brands for specific tasks. They are useful examples, not a ranked list or proof that professional kitchens stock all 12. Restaurant cookware may be shared equipment; knives are more often personal choices because comfort and balance differ from person to person.
How to read a chef’s brand recommendation
A chef’s preferred pan or knife tells you what works for that person and task—not that the same item is standard across restaurants or automatically right for home cooking. Bon Appétit’s March 2026 reporting notes that restaurant pans are often whatever equipment is available, while chefs may have personal preferences for pans they use regularly. Its knife reporting emphasizes that chefs often bring their own knives because fit is subjective. The best comparison is therefore by task, material, weight and comfort, rather than brand prestige alone.
Cookware brands and the jobs they suit
| Brand | Chef-named cookware | Why it was chosen |
|---|---|---|
| All-Clad | Stainless-steel pans | Named by New York chefs in Bon Appétit’s pan reporting; a 2018 trade article also says chef Matt Stowe favors an eight-inch All-Clad stainless-steel frying pan. [Sources] |
| Made In | Saucier | Jackie Carnesi of Kellogg’s Diner says its sloped sides help with whisking and scraping, while its lighter weight makes tossing and flipping easier. |
| Le Creuset | Small braiser | Chef Neel Kajale uses one for cooking and serving, citing its searing and heat retention. |
| Kama-Asa | Carbon-steel skillet | Aska chef Fredrik Berselius describes its balance and says the pan can become nonstick with use. |
| Hestan | NanoBond cookware | Foodservice and Hospitality’s 2018 trade report discusses the range and attributes durability comments to foodservice sales director and corporate chef Chris Moreland. The performance figures were company claims, not independent comparisons. |
All-Clad stainless steel: a flexible frying-pan option
Stainless-steel pans are among the types New York chefs named to Bon Appétit. The 2018 trade report adds one specific preference: Matt Stowe, then director of Culinary Operations for the Joseph Richard Group, favored an eight-inch All-Clad stainless-steel frying pan. That is an individual example, not evidence of a universal restaurant standard.
Made In saucier: for whisking and scraping
Jackie Carnesi chose a Made In saucier for tasks that call for whisking or scraping around the pan’s sloped sides. She also values its lighter weight when tossing and flipping. A saucier’s shape is the practical distinction here; the recommendation is tied to those movements rather than a claim that this brand is best for every pan task.
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Le Creuset braiser: searing and serving
Neel Kajale of Adda uses a small Le Creuset braiser for cooking and serving. He points to searing and heat retention. The example makes sense when a pan needs to move from cooking into presentation, but the reporting does not establish it as a standard restaurant purchase.
Kama-Asa carbon steel: balance and seasoning
Fredrik Berselius of Aska uses a Kama-Asa carbon-steel pan and describes its balance. He says it can become nonstick with use. Carbon steel is not identical to stainless steel or cast iron, and the chef reporting does not provide a controlled comparison of their performance or care requirements. Berselius’s preference is about the particular pan he uses.
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Hestan NanoBond: consider the evidence behind the claims
Foodservice and Hospitality’s 2018 article reports that Hestan claimed NanoBond pans had 35 percent greater heat conductivity than aluminum-clad cookware and were four times harder than stainless steel. Those are manufacturer claims relayed by the trade publication, not independently verified test results. Treat them accordingly when comparing cookware.
Knife brands and the jobs they suit
| Brand | Chef-named knife or style | What the reporting supports |
|---|---|---|
| Wüsthof | Classic 6-inch chef’s knife | Bon Appétit lists this German-style knife alongside reporting on Neel Kajale’s preference for a short, stocky knife. |
| Masanobu | VG-10 gyuto | Jackie Carnesi’s choice; the gyuto is described as lightweight and sharp, with a pointed tip for precise cuts. |
| Misono | Swedish Carbon honesuki; UX10 chef’s knife | Mary Attea likes a honesuki for removing meat from bones and maximizing yield. A separate 2018 trade report records a chef’s preference for a Misono UX10 chef’s knife. |
| Mercer | Renaissance serrated knife | Miro Uskokovic of Hani’s says serration is essential for slicing crusty bread and delicate pastry with less downward pressure. |
| Miyabi | Japanese knife | Named in Bon Appétit’s chef-knife feature; the report does not support attributing it to a particular chef. |
| Sabatier | French knives | Daniel Boulud names Sabatier as one of his preferred French knife brands. |
| Michel Bras | Paring knife | Boulud recommends its knives to readers drawn to Japanese-style tempered steel, describing a blend of Japanese and French influences. |
Wüsthof: a shorter German-style chef’s knife
Neel Kajale prefers a short, stocky German-style knife. Bon Appétit’s feature lists a Wüsthof Classic 6-inch chef’s knife and connects heavier German knives with leverage for forceful jobs such as breaking down poultry. The useful takeaway is the style and size, not a claim that every chef prefers a heavier blade.
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Masanobu: a gyuto for precise cuts
Jackie Carnesi favors a Masanobu VG-10 gyuto. Bon Appétit describes gyuto knives as lightweight and sharp, with a pointed tip that suits precise cuts. The named model is an example of a chef’s personal choice, not a ranking against other Japanese knives.
Misono: choose the knife for the cut
Mary Attea of the Musket Room likes a honesuki for removing meat from bones and maximizing yield; Bon Appétit lists a Misono Swedish Carbon model. Separately, Foodservice and Hospitality reported a chef’s preference for a Misono UX10 chef’s knife in 2018. These are different knife types and attributions, not evidence that one model serves both jobs.
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Mercer: serration for bread and delicate pastry
Miro Uskokovic of Hani’s calls a serrated knife essential in a bakery or pastry shop because it can cut crusty bread and delicate pastry with less downward pressure. Bon Appétit lists Mercer’s Renaissance serrated knife. The feature is the blade’s serration and its use, rather than a claim that Mercer is the only suitable maker.
Miyabi: a named brand without a specific chef attribution
Miyabi appears in Bon Appétit’s chef-knife coverage as a named knife brand. The reporting does not identify a particular chef as its user, so it should be read as a brand included in the feature, not a specific chef endorsement.
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Sabatier: Daniel Boulud’s French-knife preference
Daniel Boulud identifies Sabatier as one of his preferred French knife brands. That is his stated preference; it is not a measured consensus among chefs.
Michel Bras: a paring knife with mixed influences
Boulud recommends Michel Bras knives to readers drawn to Japanese-style tempered steel, describing the design as combining Japanese and French influences. His recommendation concerns a paring knife and a particular design approach, not all knife work.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How to choose among them for your kitchen
- Start with the job. A saucier’s sloped sides help with whisking and scraping; a braiser suits cooking and serving; a gyuto is described as suited to precise cuts; a honesuki addresses meat removal from bones; and a serrated blade helps with crusty bread and delicate pastry.
- Handle the knife before buying if you can. Bon Appétit’s knife feature points to handle shape, blade shape, weight, balance and material as factors that make a universal “best knife” judgment impossible. A chef’s preference may not match your hand or working style.
- Compare cookware by material and maintenance, not just label. The reporting names stainless steel, carbon steel, cast iron and nonstick among pan types, but does not offer a complete controlled comparison of performance or care. Confirm the care requirements for the specific pan and cooking surface you plan to use.
- Weigh durability against cost in context. Foodservice and Hospitality’s 2018 trade reporting says professional operators consider affordability and durability, and that chefs look for thick cookware bottoms and warranties. These are trade observations from 2018, not a current price survey.
- Separate a chef’s personal tool from a restaurant’s standard equipment. An item used by a chef at home or in one restaurant is not necessarily used throughout professional kitchens.
What the available recommendations do—and do not—show
These 12 names are attributed examples drawn from chef interviews and trade reporting, not a popularity ranking. No representative industry-wide statistic establishes what share of chefs use any one brand. The sources also do not show that buying a premium label alone produces professional results.
Foodservice and Hospitality reported Tyler Shedden, culinary director for Chase Hospitality Group, estimating in 2018 that outfitting a new kitchen cost $150,000 to $250,000 for major appliances, plus $25,000 to $50,000 for smallwares. This is an attributed estimate from a trade interview, not a survey result or a current budget guide.
Quick Recap
Sources
- Bon Appétit, chef-favorite pans
- Bon Appétit, best pans
- Bon Appétit, chef knives
- Bon Appétit, Daniel Boulud and Sardel cookware
- Foodservice and Hospitality, kitchen tools and equipment
- Ideal Home, knife types and choices
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
