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Appliances Used by Professional Chefs

Black and white image of a busy kitchen. Man is seen standing at a range cooker scooping food into a bowl. Woman filling jug with water from sink.

If you’re looking to kit your kitchen out with appliances of the best professional quality, what better place to start looking than inside the homes of professional chefs.

The first thing to look for is the types of appliances that professional kitchens have. By doing this, you ensure that you have the equipment necessary to create restaurant-quality meals.

Professional chefs have vast experience using various brands of appliances. So, if a chef has partnered with or, better yet, uses a particular brand in their own home, you know it has to be fantastic quality. Why else would they associate themselves with them?

In this article we’ll take you through all the appliances that professional chefs use within their kitchens, as well as the brands they have used.

Appliances used by professional chefs

Induction hobs

Induction hobs use direct electrical induction heating. This works by passing alternating electric currents through copper coils. This creates a magnetic field when a magnetised pan is placed on the hob. This will then cause the pan to quickly heat up. This means that the pan is heated and not the hob surface. However, please bear in mind that the heat from the pan will heat the surface.

So why are professionals using induction hobs? Induction hobs are more accurate and controllable than gas, safer, and heats food up quicker than both gas and electric hobs.

In 2021, Which tested the speed in which different hob types boiled a big pan of water. The results were the following:

Gas: 9.69 mins

Electric Ceramic: 7.47 mins

Induction: 4.81 mins

Furthermore, induction hobs are far more energy efficient than any other alternative. This happens because 90% of the energy channels directly into the pan itself, resulting in a 70% reduction in energy consumption. With this drastically reduced heat waste, food will cook faster with less power.

It is clear to us that induction hobs are becoming more and more popular amongst professional cooks and within homes. And all thanks to these incredible benefits.

Combination ovens

Combination ovens, or combi ovens, are multi-functional appliances. They combine multiple appliances into one, saving you space, time, and most importantly, money. Depending on the type of combination oven you get, you don’t need to spend extra cash on a steamer, bread maker, or microwave.

It’s fairly easy to figure out why professional chefs would use a combination oven. The versatility of their functions means that chefs can prepare a multitude of dishes using the same oven. This saves on their time, and creates an extremely efficient cooking process.

Combination ovens are also often more consistent than other ovens. You can accurately control both temperature and humidity levels, ensuring each dish cooks to perfection.

Some other benefits of combi ovens are:

  • Can be compact
  • Perfect for cooking for a large amount of people
  • Retains moisture, nutrients, and colour of food
  • 25% – 30% quicker than the average oven
  • Reduces shrinkage of meats
  • Lower energy usage
  • No cross contamination of smells & tastes

These benefits are the reason that most professional kitchens now include a combination oven. Because professional kitchens are often serving large amounts of food for many people, it makes sense that professional chefs would require an appliance like this. But that doesn’t mean that they wouldn’t also be great for home kitchens.

These ovens mean that you can spend less time in the kitchen, and more time spending time with your family. All whilst being able to serve them perfectly cooked meals. It also makes meals such as roasts extremely easy. You’ll be able to cook multiple things within your oven, rather than needing to use many different appliances at once. Finally, combi ovens allow you to cook healthier meals by retaining a much higher amount of nutrients in your food than other traditional cooking methods.

Range Cookers

Close up of an open oven door on a range cooker. A grill tray with frilled shrimp shows.

It’ll be rare to find a standard cooker in a professional kitchen. Instead, you’ll find an impressive looking range cooker. But they don’t just look impressive, they’re bursting with impressive functions and features.

Range cookers are bigger, and more multifunctional and convenient than a regular cooker. Professionals don’t just prefer them; they consider them a necessity. With multiple oven cavities, hobs, separate grills, and features such as a pizza setting, quick-start and fan assist (depending on model), they’re great when you’re cooking many different types of food at the same time.

If you often find yourself needing more oven or hob space, you would also benefit from a range cooker. And even if you do have plenty of space, it’s difficult to resist their charm. Due to their size and many functions, a range cooker will look impressive in any kitchen.

Sous Vide Cooking

Invented by French chef Georges Pralus in 1974, sous vide (pronounced sue-veed) is a method of cooking. It traditionally involves vacuum-sealing food in a plastic container and then immersing it in warm water. Many professional chefs will use a sous vide machine that will keep the water at a constant temperature.

The result of sous vide cooking is exquisitely moist, juicy and tender food. This ingenious method of cooking also means that you won’t lose any volume in your food, such as your steak. Furthermore, it only loses 3% of nutrients (compared to a 20% nutrient loss with other cooking methods).

Sous vide steak cut into slices

Many chefs around the world now use this method of cooking to create high-end dishes. For a long time, it was difficult for home cooks to effectively recreate this style of cooking. That is until now.
With an AEG SteamPro oven, you can now use this technique and cook your meals to perfection every time. AEG SteamPro ovens are equipped with a sous vide function, so you can cook just like a professional.

Appliance brands used by professional chefs

Next we’ll explore popular appliance brands used by professionals, and stocked by us.

Miele

Open Miele oven with raw chopped bell peppers in trays inside.

Where else to start other than Meile. Miele is a high-end brand that consistently delivers outstanding quality. It’s no wonder that so many professional chefs have partnered with Miele. This list includes the following fantastic chefs:

  • Sarah Graham
  • Harry Sideropouslos
  • Chef Shannon Bennett
  • Andrew Draper
  • Renette Vosloo
  • Franco Lambiase
  • Sybil Doms
  • Zinzile Mkhosi
  • Parkhurst Kitchen

Miele is known for their innovative technology, clean lines, and timeless designs. So those who choose to cook with their appliances aren’t just getting a stylish design, but an intuitive and effortless cooking experience.

Fisher & Paykel

Kitchen with black wooden cabinets, all black Fisher & Paykel appliances, a white marble splashback, and a large window showing a city.

Chef Ludo, one of the most influential chefs in the United States, has equipped his home kitchen with Fisher & Paykel. This really does speak volumes to the quality you get with this brand.

In particular, Chef Ludo uses a Fisher & Paykel 5 zone induction hob. This brand’s induction hobs feature functions such as PowerBoost and GentleHeat. These are specialised cooking techniques that you can simulate effortlessly.

Along with these brilliant additional features, Fisher & Paykel induction hobs have consistent temperature controls and immediate heat response times. So, you’re able to create restaurant quality food every time.

Hotpoint

Grey kitchen with 3 built in ovens, a Hotpoint induction hob, hanging pendant lights and rose gold pans on the counter.

Jamie Oliver has partnered with Hotpoint for many years. With years of experience in various appliances, Hotpoint has become very well known. Their appliances are designed to be reliable, affordable, and to make your life easier.

Although Hotpoint has established themselves as a household brand, it doesn’t mean they’re incapable of creating professional quality meals. Their intelligent appliances can provide you with outstanding performance that you can trust.

ILVE

Kitchen with large floor to ceiling windows on two walls, a black marble island, and a large Ilve range cooker.

Talented and experienced chefs, Chef Giovanni Pilu and Chef Mario Buccellati have created incredible dishes using Ilve.

Ilve boasts an incredible collection of range cookers with exceptional energy ratings. With a variety of hob and fuel options, you’ll be spoilt for choice with the many professional level functions you will receive with an Ilve range cooker. All this whilst keeping your costs down with A and A+ energy ratings.

AEG

Black kitchen with AEG appliances

AEG appliances are used by many talented chefs, as well as in many professional kitchens. These include the following:

  • The HelloFresh Kitchen
  • The Big Bakes
  • Double Michelin star chefs Daniel Clifford & Sat Bains
  • Michelin star holders Jonray & Peter Sanchez-Iglesias
  • Chefs Simon Hulstone, Atul Kochhar, Francesco Mazzei and Tim Anderson

It isn’t surprising that award winning brand AEG has so many professional chefs dedicated to them. Founded over 135 years ago, AEG’s appliances are packed with modern technology and style. Effortlessly cook restaurant quality food with their easy to use cooking appliances with various innovative cooking functions (such as sous vide).

Bosch

Bosch built in ovens

Australian celebrity Chef Curtis Stone has partnered with Bosch due to their level of quality, attention to detail, and simplicity. He believes that Bosch appliances can bring the family together with delicious meals, cooked in minimal time.

With over 130 years of experience, Bosch has had plenty of time to create astonishingly good appliances. And that’s exactly what they have done. Renowned for their quality, reliability and performance, there’s little that can go wrong when cooking with Bosch.

Smeg

Smeg blue appliances including two kettles, a toaster and a juicer. A basket of toast is in front.

Smeg are known for their distinctive style and exceptional quality. Not only have they collaborated with Dolce & Gabbana, Disney and Fiat (as well as many other big brands), they also find themselves in the homes of YouTube sensation Rosanna Pansino and incredible pastry chef Angela Garbacz.

Rosanna Pansino owns both a kettle, toaster and coffee machine from Smeg. These appliances have not only been made with high quality materials and offer fantastic results, but they look amazing in her kitchen. With her career requiring her to often show off her kitchen, it’s important that everything she has not only works great, but looks the part too. Luckily, Smeg’s retro style appliances have style, and a range of beautifully chosen colours to perfectly match.

Pastry chef Angela Garbacz also owns a Smeg kettle. She has said that she looks forward to using it every day, and that she loves how it fits perfectly within her home décor. She has also been quoted saying “it’s extra special to have a few really cute items in my home kitchen that are fashion-forward and work super well too” regarding the kettle.

Bertazzoni

Large white kitchen with white pendant lights and lots of plants. Fresh ingredients are on top of a white marble island. A Bertazonni range cooker is on the right.

Bertazzoni is well known by Chef Carcangiu who often uses their appliances. He believes that Bertazzoni are the perfect link between amateur and professional cooking due to the level of detail that they are made with.

This Italian brand combines sleek design with culinary craft and engineering. Bringing a professional touch to your cooking, Bertazzoni has a focus on bringing professional functionality such as induction cooking and food probes into your kitchen, along with a unique design.

Neff

White kitchen with two built in Neff ovens, bright fruit and veg on the counters, and a black sink.

Year after year, the Great British Bake Off chooses Neff ovens for their show. With such a high-stakes competition, it’s important that the contestants are equipped with high quality appliances. This way, the judges know that those soggy bottoms are due to mistakes in time management or preparation, and not due to inconsistent baking.

Neff have created a wide range of appliances, so no matter how you like to cook, they have something perfectly suited for you. With innovative features such as the Slide&Hide® disappearing door, pyrolytic cleaning and CircoTherm® technology, professional quality food is at your fingertips.

Conclusion

Professional chefs rely on a variety of top-quality appliances to elevate their cooking. From induction hobs for precision to combination ovens for versatility. These tools play a vital role in creating exceptional dishes.

Additionally, trusted brands like Miele, Fisher & Paykel, AEG, and others have earned the respect of renowned chefs for their innovation and performance. By following their lead, you can enhance your home cooking experience with confidence.


For more information on specific models or Multibuy deals please feel free to call our friendly and knowledgeable sales team on 0115 965 1937.

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