Ask a professional chef what they cook in nonstick pans, and you’ll likely get a short list — a very short list. While nonstick ceramic and PTFE-coated pans have their place in the modern kitchen, most foods do better when cooked with some sort of metal frying pan.
Cast iron, stainless steel, copper and carbon steel do a far better job of imparting heat to food, which is the best way to get coveted char and a reliable sear on meat, fish and vegetables.
Nonstick pans top out at medium heat — which is exactly why your rack should be stocked with mostly pans made from other materials. Searing a steak or chicken thigh in a nonstick pan means fighting for a crust you’ll never quite get. That browning isn’t cosmetic. It’s the Maillard reaction, and it’s where the real flavor lives.
So, what foods should never be cooked in nonstick cookware? I
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