We’ve all done it. You make do with a product until you find something that makes you go “Why didn’t I know about this sooner?!” Many people think they’re getting by with the foodservice products they’ve been using until they get a taste of what they’ve been missing. We talked to chefs and grill masters who previously used products like disposable pans, metal sheet pan racks and beverage coolers about how their Cambro products have made all the difference:

1. Lesson: I don’t have to use different containers to prep, store, cook and freeze.

Cleaning up after cooking is arguably the worst part. If you feel like you’re cleaning a ton of containers and pans every night, you’re doing it wrong. Instead of using a different product for prep, storage, cooking and freezing—you could be doing it all in just one pan. Enter the Cambro High Heat H-Pan™. This versatile pan is safe from 40°F to 375°F (-40°C to 190°C) in microwaves, steam tables, and ovens.

“I had been wanting [Cambro High Heat H-Pans] for so long. Several friends had these and told me of their convenience… I use them to prep all my proteins for the grill. The best use is for marinating my beef for jerky! No longer do I have to use the big round steel bowl. As I do large batches. I can now just use 2 or three Cambro H-Pans because they stack so neatly in the fridge because of the convenient lids. 

I can also prepare side dishes in them from start to end. Prep, cook out on my grill, serve in it, put the left overs, if there are any, right in the fridge or freezer still in the same container! Hard to do that with the old foil pans!”

– Lisa Stinson, @lisathehalogriller

2. Lesson: I don’t need to waste money and resources on disposable pans.

Sustainability is no longer a buzzword, it’s a way of life. Both businesses and people in their everyday lives are looking to contribute less waste—and less waste almost always brings a savings. We see a lot of people use disposable pans but they’re doing themselves a disservice. With so many options for durable, reusable food pans, there’s no reason to buy single-use pans again.

Camwear® Food Pans, made of virtually unbreakable plastic, are safe in temperatures -40°F to 210°F (-40°C to 99°C), and resists chemicals for added flavor and freshness protection.

“Before I started using my Camwear Food Pans, I was using disposable aluminum foil pans. Yes, clean up was easier since I would toss them after every use. But that was very wasteful, and after time, also expensive. And I always had to make sure that I had some available. Replacing the foil pans with the Camwear Food Pans was a no-brainer. My Cambro Camwear Food Pans are probably one of the most used tools in my kitchen. They are perfect for marinating proteins, storing leftovers, keeping cut veggies in the fridge and are super easy to clean. They are also very durable and the different sizes that are available make them perfect for every application. The ½ size is my personal favorite. Not too big and not too small, perfect for everyday use.”

– Maciek Zurawski, @grillin_with_dad

3. Lesson: I don’t have to use hard-to-clean, rusty sheet pan racks.

Metal sheet pan racks have been in bakeries and restaurants for as long as anyone can remember. They are all similarly constructed: quick to rust, hard to clean and eventually littering metal shavings on unsuspecting foods when sheet pans were pulled off the rack. This was the harsh reality chefs had to grin and bear—until now. Cambro’s Ultimate Sheet Pan Rack was designed to correct all of the problems caused by traditional sheet pan racks. The Ultimate Sheet Pan Rack is made from the same durable, rust-proof material as Camshelving Elements Series. Heat-resistant rails can accept a sheet pan straight from a 350°F (176˚C) oven and all parts can be removed or replaced.

“When I saw metal speed racks in any kitchen I went in, they were dirty, rusty, [had] broken wheels, and usually had certain areas where pans would fall to the ground. Well, let me tell you, all of this changed when I was introduced to the Cambro Ultimate Sheet Pan Rack. It was a game changer. The wheels on the racks were basically hospital grade wheels and have locks on them that actually work. The racks are made of hardened plastic and they don’t have any cracks or crevices that fill up with grime and debris.  Sheet pans slide easily on and off, and cleanup is a breeze.  Food looks great on them and whether it is in the freezer, the fridge, or next to the oven, it is a great experience every time I use it.”

– Chef Aaron Graham, @firedupchef

4. Lesson: Keep beer in beverage coolers, not prepped food.

If you’re starting a catering business, it can be tempting to use the products you’ve always used at home. However, many foodservice products are designed with a different intent than those used at residences. For example, a caterer would need to be much more aware of a product’s weight, mobility, maximum heat retention and chemical resistance. We designed the Cam GoBox® with off-premise operations in mind. GoBoxes are made of durable yet lightweight expanded polypropylene material that maintains hot (or cold) temperatures for at least four hours. They easily stack on top of each other for easy transport and resist most oils, grease and chemicals.

“For years, I have been using coolers to hold my food to get to events. Even though that method worked well, it didn’t scale and was an inefficient way to transport hot food to my events. When I discovered the Cambro GoBox everything changed. Now, I was able to load my food in an organized way in containers I was already using for food storage i.e. no more wrapping in foil and beach towels! In addition, with special lids that house the Camchiller, I can easily store and transport cold food items as well. Having Cambro GoBoxes available to me changed everything with my catering and pop-up events. I can’t imagine doing it the way I used to, and to be direct, don’t want to.”

– Chris Sussman, @the_bbq_buddha

5. Lesson: Food turns out better when stored in the right container.

Food can be a fickle thing, and it’s important to treat it as such. When it comes to pizza dough, the slightest factors can affect how it turns out. Keep your focus on the composition and not on the tools you’re using by choosing a product made specifically to hold pizza dough. Cambro’s Pizza Dough Boxes and Covers are made from virtually unbreakable Camwear or durable polypropylene. They keep dough fresh to prevent crusting, nest together for space efficiency and easy transport around the kitchen and are NSF-listed.

“Prior to the Cambro Dough Boxes, I was using standard baking sheets to rise my pizza dough. The baking sheets worked okay but were not ideal. They worked fine for short two-hour rises, but as I began experimenting with different hydrations, yeasts, flours and rise times, the baking sheets became a pain. I would cover the dough with plastic wrap and regardless if I dusted the dough with extra flour or sprayed it with nonstick spray, the dough always stuck to the plastic, ultimately ruining the shape of my dough balls. Not only that, but my limited refrigerator space was now even more limited with the dough. The Cambro Dough Boxes changed all of that. The boxes would allow my dough to keep its form, which is extremely important when making pizza. I can also stack multiple boxes on top of each other for more capacity.”

– Craig tabor, @craigtabor

Stop using what’s “good enough” and get the products that were created to make your food great. Find your nearest retailer or contact your Cambro rep to get started today.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: ADRIANA DESIDERIO IS THE DIGITAL CONTENT MANAGER AT CAMBRO.