Frying Pans
Professional frying pans are necessary in almost any commercial kitchen. KaTom carries a broad selection of restaurant frying pans to ensure your kitchen is outfitted with the best long-lasting cooking equipment. More
Fry pans are available with solid, hollow, or vented metal handles. Induction-ready as well as oven-safe pans are available.
Silicone is a heat-resistant material that makes it ideal for use as a fry pan handle. On some pans, the silicone is removable.
Fry pans with plastic handles provide insulation but are not oven-safe. Plastic handles are lightweight and the most economical choice.
Restaurant Frying Pans: What You Need to Know
Professional frying pans are simple but vital pieces for almost every style of commercial kitchen. These commercial skillets must be made of sturdy materials, put together well, and safe for repeated commercial cooking. We carry a variety of materials, each with their own pros and cons, as well as several different styles of handle to best suit the individual chef using it.
Different coatings also are available, including nonstick commercial skillets, which make serving cooked food and cleaning used pans more convenient. Operators can choose from various pan shapes, sizes, and depths as well, depending on what type of food they cook. We even carry commercial induction skillets for operators who want to implement fast, safe induction cooking.
Common Questions About Commercial Frying Pans
What material should I choose for my restaurant skillet?
Aluminum, stainless steel, and cast iron are the three most popular materials for restaurant frying pans, with aluminum being the most common of the trio. Aluminum is sturdy, lightweight, and affordable. It transfers heat quickly, meaning you'll be able to go from a standstill to finished food faster than with the two heavier materials. However, it's not as sturdy as the other two and doesn't usually last as long. Aluminum restaurant skillets can also pit or discolor when exposed to acidic ingredients over long periods of time, so if you'll cook lots of tomato-based dishes, it might be worthwhile to upgrade to a stainless steel commercial frying pan.
Stainless steel is more expensive and heavier than aluminum, but these drawbacks are offset by greater durability. Stainless steel can take a great deal more abuse before denting or warping, though it still isn't invulnerable. If you handle your commercial frying pans roughly, no material will last. Stainless steel is not subject to the same potential discoloration that aluminum is and is similarly easy to clean. However, it takes more energy to heat stainless steel because it is denser, so it doesn't cook the first entree quite as quickly as aluminum. Uneven heat distribution can cause hot spots, as well.
Commercial cast iron skillets are a favorite of many chefs because of their durability and incredible heat retention. However, cast iron is very heavy and not dishwasher safe, meaning you'll have to invest more time in caring for it.
Read more about restaurant cookware materials here.
Should I get a nonstick professional skillet?
Nonstick pans are incredibly popular in residential settings but have gained use in commercial settings too. The benefits of nonstick pans are obvious: You won't have product sticking to the pan, lessening its aesthetic appeal, and cleaning the pan is quicker and easier. These benefits come at a cost, though, as you need to use silicone or plastic utensils to avoid scratching the nonstick coating. While many nonstick pans are dishwasher safe, they don't last as long as a commercial aluminum frying pan, for example, meaning you'll have to spend money to replace them more often. Each operator will need to decide whether the benefits outweigh the detriments.