# Why don't real professional chefs use super heavy duty "professional" cookware? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 9, 2006, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-real-professional-chefs-use-super-heavy-duty-professional-cookware/379717 "2006-11-09T16:15:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![DesertDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desertdog/32/11503_2.png) [@DesertDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DesertDog)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2008, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-real-professional-chefs-use-super-heavy-duty-professional-cookware/379717/81 "2008-02-09T15:02:49Z")
[QUOTE=Attack from the 3rd dimension] And in the spirit of the thread, what’s the best tool for getting them out of their container? [/QUOTE] Why, a skull spoon, of course. Think grapefruit spoon, only bigger. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2008, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-real-professional-chefs-use-super-heavy-duty-professional-cookware/379717/82 "2008-02-09T15:22:30Z")
[QUOTE=DesertDog] Why, a skull spoon, of course. Think grapefruit spoon, only bigger. [/QUOTE] Sounds like a unitasker to me. What else can it do? ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2008, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-real-professional-chefs-use-super-heavy-duty-professional-cookware/379717/83 "2008-02-09T16:39:55Z")
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**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2008, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-real-professional-chefs-use-super-heavy-duty-professional-cookware/379717/84 "2008-02-09T17:25:15Z")
I didn’t read the three pages of replies, so someone else may have said this about the knives, but here’s another thing. Most(all) restaurants send their knives out to be resharpened ever week or so. This means they don’t have to hold their edge as well. It also means that every few months they have to be replaced since there isn’t much of a blade left. All this means they don’t need to have $75 chef’s knives. The cheaper knives will be just fine since they only need to last a year or so before they get replaced. ---
**Author:** ![StarvingButStrong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/starvingbutstrong/32/335_2.png) [@StarvingButStrong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StarvingButStrong)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2008, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-real-professional-chefs-use-super-heavy-duty-professional-cookware/379717/85 "2008-02-09T17:40:00Z")
[QUOTE=Alessan] Sounds like a unitasker to me. What else can it do? [/QUOTE] Well, mine is the deluxe model. It has a small protruding lip that is just _perfect_ for popping out the eyeballs whole. It makes such a difference to your buffet table when you can offer whole undamaged eyes, instead of pathetic partially crushed ones. ---
**Author:** ![furt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/439d5e/32.png) [@furt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/furt)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2008, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-real-professional-chefs-use-super-heavy-duty-professional-cookware/379717/86 "2008-02-09T18:20:47Z")
Based on several conversations with chefs (I work in a culinary school): In their home, or on a private chef gig, they might bust out the big-bucks equipment. In a crowded, chaotic restaurant kitchen, a good knife is just going to get nicked. And yes, I do mean “nicked” in both ways – $8 an hour employees and $400 knives do not mix. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2008, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-real-professional-chefs-use-super-heavy-duty-professional-cookware/379717/87 "2008-02-09T19:47:36Z")
[QUOTE=Argent Towers] Know any recipes for brains? [/QUOTE] Actually, yes. My grandfather used to like chopped brains mixed with scrambled eggs for breakfast. Not sure if he preferred those from specific animal or if any would do. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2008, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-real-professional-chefs-use-super-heavy-duty-professional-cookware/379717/88 "2008-02-09T20:01:48Z")
[QUOTE=Wee Bairn] So no one like the sets Ron Popeil hawks that can cut through a hammer head? [/QUOTE] You mean [Ginsu knives?](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ginsu_knife) I have a ginsu chef knife, filet knife, and two carving knives. There was a product demonstrator at a local store where I was shopping who was using one to saw up a wooden cutting board then slicing tomatoes with it, after which he said “who wants to buy a set”? I realize it’s heresy to some folks, but I like my ginsu knives. They’re cheap, they work, they never need sharpening… Yes I’ve used fancy chef knives and yes, in some ways they are better, but if something bad ever happened to the ginsu’s - lost, broken, used to saw masonry blocks, whatever - they would be easy to replace. And I don’t have to fuss with sharpening them. Look, I’m a competent cook but I don’t get off on elaborate kitchen gadgets. Gimme really basic, durable stuff that gets the job done and doesn’t require a lot from me in regards to TLC. Then again, I’m the person who once started a thread on which wine to drink with a bolonga on white bread sandwich. Yeah, I’m a barbarian. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-real-professional-chefs-use-super-heavy-duty-professional-cookware/379717.md?page=4)