Cooking shows have exploded in recent years, and more and more of us are not only taking an interest in cooking but in the equipment and appliances being used by our favorite chefs.
Typically, chefs look for flexibility, durability, and performance in their home appliances. When it comes to stoves, flexibility is key.
Many chefs want burners that go as high as 15,000 B.T.U.s for fast stir-frying, and as low as 300 B.T.U.s for gentle simmering.
Space is also key when it comes to stovetops.
Chefs are often cooking multiple dishes at once, and therefore need more burners than your average consumer – which is why most professional stoves and ranges come with 6-8 burners – to allow for easy multitasking.
What range do chefs use at home?
But, when it comes to ranges – so stovetops and ovens combined – which ones do chefs opt for in their homes?
Viking Professional Custom Series
Viking’s professional custom series is used by chefs such as Debra Ponzek of Aux Delices in Connecticut and Giada De Laurentiis, and this comes as no surprise, seen as Viking has been a frontrunner in the cooking industry for many years.
The company’s VGCC series offers 6 VSH sealed burners that offer up to 18,500 BTUs and infinite settings of easy-to-clean high-performance sealed burners.
These provide superior performance at any temperature setting and also feature the VariSimmer™ setting on all 6 burners to provide gentle, even simmering at controlled, low temperatures.
The restaurant-quality Gourmet-Glo™ Infrared Broiler allows you to cook meats and fish to perfection, locking in juices thanks to the intense heat, while the ProFlow™ Convection Baffle allows your cakes and loaves of bread to rise to perfection with the exceptionally even heat circulation system engineered specifically for each oven cavity to maximize even cooking.
The halogen oven lights found on Viking’s professional ranges also allow you to effortlessly check on your favorite baked dishes, while cleaning is made easier thanks to the one-piece cooktop and porcelainized cooking surface which minimizes cleanup time after each use.
Thermador Pro Grand Steam
The 60-Inch Pro Grand® Range is raved about by legendary TV chef Julia Child , and it’s easy to see why, as it’s equipped with seven distinct cooking options so you’ll never find yourself limited by your appliances ever again.
These ranges offer maximum flexibility and versatility, from the Thermador ExtraLow® for gentle simmering, to the powerful 22,000 BTUs available for high heat cooking.
Maximum durability is ensured thanks to the scratch-resistant coated surface griddle and grill or double griddle, and you’ve got plenty of space for all your holiday cooking needs with an impressive 5.7 cubic feet of oven to work with.
The Steam and Convection Oven allow chefs a variety of cooking solutions including steam, true convection, steam and convection, broil, and more, while Thermador’s 60-Inch Pro Grand® Range offers a Steam Convection Oven, meaning you get to reap the health and taste benefits of Steam, but infused with the power and efficiency of a Convection oven.
BlueStar
In terms of brands, BlueStar is huge and is the range of choice of Iron Chef and Restaurateur Jose Garces.
BlueStar’s Heritage Classic series offers battleship-like durability thanks to their heavy-duty, commercial stainless steel construction, while their 60” width offers generous space – and more – for any holiday roast or dinner party feast.
The flexibility is pretty unrivaled when it comes to BlueStar’s extremely powerful UltraNova burners. Made from cast iron and porcelain-enameled, the Nova burner provides up to 15,000 BTUs of cooking power, while the ULTRANOVA™ boasts an amazing 22,000 BTUs.
With this, you’ll have endless flexibility, whether you need a rapid boil or stir fry, or a gentle simmer or sauté.
The gentle 130ºF simmer feature allows you to create delicately balanced sauces and soups with ease thanks to the superior temperature control and flame disbursement.
BlueStar ranges don’t come cheap. They start at several thousand dollars and can go as high as $20,000, however, it’s also worth bearing in mind that they’re likely to increase the value of your home just by being installed, as the BlueStar name is huge.
What ranges do professional chefs use?
In a survey conducted among 100 professional chefs across the U.S., 96 percent reported that they preferred using gas cooktops, while 68% also preferred gas ovens.
In terms of the types of ranges used by professional chefs, gas is usually preferred over electric.
Gas ranges tend to work better with a larger variety of cookware, and they allow chefs better control over temperature and have a faster heat-up time.
Gas ranges are also preferred for the reason that they’re generally easier to clean and maintain than electric ones.
