This Pan travelled 5700kms
I lugged a 10-inch stainless steel pan from Paris to London (refer to this post for more details!) and then traveled over 5,700 kilometres back home with it – and it was absolutely worth the effort.
I’ve known about the hype around stainless steel pans forever: incredible sear, no non-stick coatings, heat tolerant, and easy to clean. And yet, I took a painfully long time deciding on one. My husband often laughs at me for agonizing over relatively “low-cost” purchases — especially when I’m carrying a purse that costs more than I’d like to admit.
I had looked everywhere: Costco, HomeSense, Williams Sonoma. Everything either felt too cheap or far too expensive. Then, while scrolling Instagram, I kept seeing posts about É. Dehillerin in Paris. I was shocked I hadn’t known about it sooner.
Not only is the store featured in Anthony Bourdain’s The Layover (I still remember the iconic duck press he bought), but it’s also rumored to be one of Julia Child’s favorite kitchen stores in Paris. How had I been to Paris this many times and only discovered it now?
The store itself is wonderfully unassuming. Instead of price tags, items are labeled with catalogue numbers you reference in printed price books. With limited time — and my girlfriend browsing Pop Mart across the street – I grabbed a 10-inch stainless steel pan (though I still regret not buying the copper one as well).
When the cashier told me the price was 46 euros, I was genuinely shocked. I had fully expected it to be somewhere between 100 and 200 euros and was mentally preparing myself for an awkward moment of backing out. I even splurged on the five-euro tote just to lug it home.
After three nights in London and a very long journey back, I finally put the pan to use finishing off some sous-vide steaks. I tested the pan’s readiness using the water test — once the water formed dancing beads, I added butter and then my well-dried steaks.
The Results:
The sear was unreal. No non-stick pan could ever compare. The steak released effortlessly, leaving behind a beautiful fond.
After removing the steaks, I tossed in some green beans and cooked them right in the pan. Simple, perfect, and deeply satisfying.
I will absolutely return to É. Dehillerin on my next trip to Paris – though probably not for their famous duck press.
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