Stainless steel cookware is experiencing a cultural renaissance. This is not to say that the category of cookware ever truly disappeared from the market, but there was a distinct era—particularly during the height of pandemic-related lockdowns—when scrolling through social media felt like an endless encounter with advertisements for nonstick cookware brands.
Now that the dust has settled from the post-pandemic online shopping boom, consumer habits are shifting noticeably. Today, people investing in cookware sets want to ensure that what they purchase will endure both in terms of functional performance and aesthetic appeal year after year. For many home cooks, and especially for those working inside professional kitchens, that is where the enduring craftsmanship of great stainless steel truly pulls its weight.
To understand why virtually every commercial kitchen is heavily stocked with stainless steel cookware, one only needs to look at professional operations. Eater recently spoke with Carlye Lester, the sous chef at HAGS, a queer fine dining restaurant located in the East Village of New York City, about why she consistently reaches for stainless steel at her restaurant, and why so many other chefs and culinary professionals do the same in theirs.
The primary benefit, according to Lester, comes down to sheer reliability.
"I love that it gets super hot and heats evenly; it is easy to get a good sear on whatever you are making," Lester says, explaining that she frequently relies on stainless steel pans to sear and crisp a mustard-marinated cod at HAGS. "And I love that stainless steel can be more reliable than a nonstick if you’re using the correct methods."
That dynamic points directly to one of the greatest and most persistent misconceptions about stainless steel cookware: the widespread belief that it is entirely incapable of acting as a nonstick surface. In reality, if you heat up stainless steel cookware to the correct temperature—typically around 400 degrees Fahrenheit, or to the point where a few water droplets flicked into the pan start dancing and beading instead of immediately evaporating—and add a modest amount of cooking oil, it creates a remarkably effective nonstick cooking environment. This phenomenon is driven by a thermodynamic principle known as the Leidenfrost effect.
When it comes to maintaining and caring for the equipment after cooking, the process is straightforward but requires specific habits. Chefs and kitchen staff must make sure to let the pan cool down completely before washing it, and then dry it thoroughly with a microfiber cloth afterward to prevent unsightly water spots from forming. Beyond those basic steps, quality stainless steel—ideally at least 3-ply, though 5-ply construction is heavily recommended for tasks involving heavy oven use and sustained high heat—serves as the gold standard for commercial kitchens.
This preference exists largely because stainless steel is entirely nonporous, meaning the material will not react negatively when coming into contact with highly acidic ingredients like tomatoes, citrus juices, or wine. Furthermore, home cooks can whisk liquids to their heart’s content in a stainless steel saucepan and use metal spatulas, tongs, and other tools without worrying about damaging a delicate nonstick coating, simply because there is no synthetic coating present to scratch or peel away.
Unsurprisingly, that exceptional ability to withstand rigorous daily wear and tear is precisely why Eater chose to develop its own 5-ply stainless steel cookware line when collaborating with Heritage Steel. The publication sought to create a collection bearing its name only if it was entirely chef-approved, hardy enough to handle every conceivable type of kitchen use, and fundamentally built to last for generations.
If you allow it to, Lester notes, stainless steel cookware can actually transform into a phenomenal cooking teacher in its own right.
"I think people think it is hard to use," Lester says, addressing the hesitation that novice home cooks often feel when contemplating a switch to stainless steel. "But there are countless YouTube videos, TikToks, and Instagram reels out there, and if you’re friends with a chef, we are always happy to pick up the phone and walk you through it."
As for the broader consumer migration back toward traditional stainless steel, Lester views the trend as an entirely natural evolution after the initial selling points of conventional nonstick pans began to lose their luster. Countless home cooks have grown frustrated as their slippery pans eventually lose the efficacy of their chemical nonstick coatings, rendering them frustrating to use and stripping away their primary point of appeal.
"I think we are entering a new era of cooking," she told Eater, "where people are less interested in the shortcuts."
In that context, she explains, the appeal of steel is not merely that it looks sleek and professional on a stovetop, but that it holds the immense potential to last for decades if it is cared for correctly.
Even the trend-driven, design-focused cookware companies that were once staunch sellers of ceramic nonstick surfaces have taken notice of this cultural shift. Many of these brands have recently started offering titanium and stainless steel collections that promise both modern style and enduring craftsmanship. Stainless steel never truly went out of style inside professional commercial kitchens, but as the cost of living continues to skyrocket and consumers look for long-term value, its enduring, buy-it-for-life appeal becomes increasingly difficult to ignore.
"It is a pan that asks for your attention and intuition," Lester says, "but that is always my favorite way to cook."
