Cooking in France is considered a high art. French industrial design has great traditions and is appreciated by professionals and ordinary consumers. Together, these factors led to the emergence of utensils and kitchen equipment of the highest class.
A non-stick pan made under the Tefal brand is an example of just such a product.
Tefal Brand History
More than half a century ago, engineer Mark Gregoire began work on the use of a polymer with a complex name and unique properties. Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) is a strong, chemically inert, heat-resistant plastic. It is said that cooks and housewives owe the appearance of non-stick coating on pans to Gregoire's wife, who asked to find a way to save her from the tedious cleaning of pans from burnt products. PTFE became the basis for the non-stick coating of Teflon pans, and Tefal began to produce the first pans with Teflon coating .
Subsequently, the company became a part of larger manufacturers of kitchen appliances, but its name was preserved, and the Tefal pan became a symbol of the high quality of containers for frying, cooking and stewing products.
Teflon: more pros than cons
A pan made at Tefal's factories quickly became popular with professional cooks and simple housewives. Cooking on it and especially cleaning it after use is much easier than in the case of traditional steel and cast iron products. The Teflon surface allows you to do without a large amount of oil during heat treatment, which improves the dietary quality of food. Therefore, almost every kitchen has a Tefal pan. Reviews about her are almost always positive.
The problem for some cooks was the mandatory use of wooden or plastic shovels when mixing the components of the dish, for example, when turning pancakes. On the protective coating there were scratches from steel forks and knives, from abrasive sponges and brushes when washing dishes. But subject to the simplest recommendations, the Teflon pan did not lose its properties and did not deform for a long time.
It turned out that when exposed to very high temperatures, polytetrafluoroethylene can emit toxic volatile substances. But it turned out that this only matters for the production process, because such temperatures are used in the process of applying a non-stick coating. When cooking, the chemical composition of the polymer does not change. There are no traces of harmful substances in the finished Tefal coating; the pan is safe for the human body.
New technologies, new materials, new design
In laboratories and design bureaus, work continues on new product samples that facilitate work in the kitchen and improve the quality of dishes. Both at home and at restaurants are not only gas and electric stoves and their various combinations. Induction hobs and ovens are widespread. Different kitchen appliances require the use of pots, pans, stoves of a special type, special design, from special materials. For example, a Tefal Talent pan is for induction cookers.
Now on sale you can find products with several types of coatings: Prometal Pro, Titanium, Expert Pro, Intensium, etc. Differing in their composition and application methods, they are safe and durable. All this is the result of many years of development by physicists, chemists, and Tefal technologists. The pan can be made of cast iron, steel, aluminum, and ceramics. It can have a two-layer bottom, a flat or corrugated surface, a removable ergonomic handle, etc. For different types of heat treatment and the type of finished dish, you can find your pan. The crepe maker is round, with low sides, and rectangular with longitudinal relief ledges - for grilling (baking without oil). Each product, even the simplest in appearance, is accompanied by a description and instructions for use and care of it.
Red circle
One of the innovations introduced by Tefal is the Termo-Spot heating indicator.
A disk with a pattern mounted on the surface of the pan changes appearance when heated to the optimum temperature. Usually it is about 180 degrees - ideal conditions for preparing a wide variety of dishes. Meat, fish, vegetables reach readiness and do not overheat, preserving useful substances. The Tefal pan itself signals the optimum temperature. Reviews of such a useful function are invariably good, especially among young housewives.
High technology for comfort in the kitchen
In perestroika times, when large domestic producers lost state orders, mainly military ones, and were forced to think about other types of products, the following phrase was popular: “We used to make helicopters, now what do we produce pans for?” Of course, the analogy is incorrect, but it says a lot. For a long time, neglect of the quality of everyday goods was practiced in our country. The example of Tefal suggests that in the production of even the most mundane items it is necessary to use the most advanced ideas and materials. This is the only way to earn a high reputation and succeed.