Top Chef Philippe Etchebest Warns Against This Trendy Cooking Tool!

Stockpots, saucepans, sauté pans, skillets… In his latest YouTube video, Chef Philippe Etchebest reviews which cooking tools to favor and which to avoid. Among them, there’s one that’s currently all the rage. It’s become somewhat of a culinary darling recently and is increasingly featured on social media by influencers, like the highly-followed Instagram account @thesocialfood (280,000 followers). This cooking device is visually appealing, but according to Philippe Etchebest, its aesthetic appeal overshadows its practicality. In fact, it’s not the most functional and could even be hazardous.

“It’s not suitable for gas or induction cooktops and it could break at any moment,” Philippe Etchebest explains on YouTube. Interestingly, the chef himself uses this utensil in some of his recipe videos… He has a simple reason for this: “It’s just so you can see what’s happening inside, he explains. It’s purely for visual effect!“. He is referring to the transparent glass pot often showcased in culinary influencer videos. This pot allows viewers to easily see the food they are cooking, making the content much more accessible. While it looks great, it’s not ideal for everyday cooking. “It remains very fragile!“, warns Philippe Etchebest. He adds, “The only material I can recommend as a professional is stainless steel“. Highly durable against heat and wear, and safe for health, stainless steel is the most commonly used material by professional chefs.

For searing food, as well as for stewing dishes or simply boiling water, the chef therefore recommends choosing a stainless steel pot with a diameter of 24 cm and a height of 24 cm (about 10 liters capacity), a size that is perfect for all these types of cooking. And at least, this one won’t risk breaking!