Stopped at a diner outside Waco and saw the cook working a flat top from 1978 with a grill brick, made me think about my own setup

Grant Green · 2026-10-09T14:10:02.728166+00:00

Was driving back from a catering gig last Saturday and pulled into this little diner off I-35 near Waco for a late breakfast. The line cook had a flat top that looked older than me, all black and seasoned, and he was scraping it down with a grill brick before every single order. I asked him about it and he said he does that 40 to 50 times a shift, keeps the surface even so eggs don't stick. Meanwhile back at my place I've got a 3 year old griddle I baby with a plastic scraper and it still has hot spots. Made me wonder if I've been overthinking the upkeep on my own equipment this whole time. What'd y'all learn from the old school cooks at your first spots?

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Stopped at a diner outside Waco and saw the cook working a flat top from 1978 with a grill brick, made me think about my own setup | Chefs - The Community Guide