Heard a line cook say 'the pan is telling you something' and it clicked

I was prepping veg at my station yesterday and the new grill guy was searing off some scallops. He was moving them around a lot, and the sous chef just walked by and said, 'Listen, the pan is telling you something. If it's not sizzling right, it's too cold. If it's smoking like crazy, it's too hot. Let it talk.' I mean, I've known about heat control, but framing it like that, like the pan is giving you a sign, it just stuck with me. I tried it tonight with some chicken thighs, and instead of just going through the motions, I actually paid attention to the sound and the smoke. It made me slow down a half second and adjust the flame. The sear was way more even. Maybe it's just me, but turning a basic skill into listening for a cue feels different. Has anyone else had a simple piece of kitchen advice change how you do a routine job?

2 comments

2 Comments

victor_taylor3224d ago

Ever think about listening to your knife too?

keith94324d ago

Yeah it's like how you learn to hear when a car engine isn't right. You start noticing the sound of your knife on the cutting board, if it's dragging or gliding. That little change in sound tells you it's time to sharpen up before you even feel it getting dull.