Editorial

Sardel is the Cookware Company Helping Home Chefs Find Their Michelin Potential

We’re cooking by Sardel’s standards from now on.

When we say that we were stuck inside these past two years, what we really mean is that we’ve been in the kitchen this whole time and now we don’t necessarily want to leave it. As we baked sourdough and feta through quarantine, we became more aware of the tools we were using. We weren’t too impressed with the scratched up teflon pans we’ve been hoarding since dorm life. That’s where Sardel, a premium cookware brand, swoops in to save not only the day, but the quality of our French omelettes.

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Pots and pans are not all the same. We’re not just talking about sizes and uses. Anybody who loves to cook deserves to fancy themselves a chef in their own kitchen. Sardel allows us to crown ourselves the title with carbon steel skillets fit for Rita Sodi and Jody Williams. The brothers behind the pans, Daniel, Andrew and Ross, grew frustrated with what was available to home cooks and decided to do something about it.

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What resulted from extensive research, including trips to Italy to meet with generational manufacturers, was a line of approachable essentials for anybody looking to upgrade their kitchen’s arsenal.

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Beyond the production of 5-ply stainless steel pots, pans and skillets, Sardel seeks to educate. You’ll learn how to properly care for your fleet of pots and pans. You can browse a library of recipes to figure out what to cook. You may even reference a glossary of cooking terms to understand the recipes. Sardel sets us all up to advance in the kitchen.

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Esquire and Food & Wine are obsessed with Sardel’s design and ability, and so are we. We’re certain that once you scramble eggs in the honeycomb non-stick skillet you will be too. We chatted with Daniel, Andrew and Ross to learn more about why it’s necessary to break up with your scratched up skillets, the only pan you need (if you had to choose just one), and pasta. If you need us, we’ll be in the kitchen.

The Brands

Sardel

Chatting Andrew Kamhi, Daniel Kamhi, and Ross Kamhi

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with co-op: For those who don't yet know you, can you tell us a little bit about yourselves?

Andrew Kamhi, Daniel Kamhi, and Ross Kamhi: We are three brothers who grew up in a family that has always loved to cook together. As we got older and moved out on our own, one of the things that always continued to bring us together was heading back home and cooking together as a family. When we identified a gap in the cookware market (after having trouble finding high-quality cookware at an accessible price), we put our heads together and ultimately started this family business, with the goal of inspiring others to enjoy cooking as much as we do.

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co-op: Sardel creates high quality cookware accessible to home cooks. What inspired the creation of this collection?

AK, DK, & RK: We started Sardel because we grew frustrated with the cookware options available on the market. Consumers either must splurge and overpay for high-quality cookware, or settle for cheap, poorly made cookware that wears out quickly and in some cases is unsafe to use. We set out to change that, with the goal of selling high-quality stainless steel cookware at a more affordable price than traditional premium brands. We also wanted to build a kitchenware brand that encourages people to feel comfortable in the kitchen. As our company has grown, we’ve expanded into other product categories, including our pantry line (such as our extra virgin olive oil), with the goal of introducing other types of high-quality products to our customers. Because we grew up cooking together as a family, we have always understood the power that cooking has to bring people together. We made it our mission to inspire people to cook more often.

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co-op: Over the past year and a half, have you noticed people's relationship to cooking change?

AK, DK, & RK: Absolutely. The early days of the pandemic forced everyone to spend a lot more time at home than they previously did. This also meant that people spent more time eating at home. We think this changed people’s experience with home cooking––some people who always liked to cook had more time to devote to it, deeping their passion for it; others who never cooked at home started to do so, developing a newfound interest in it. As we continue to emerge from the pandemic, it seems that some habits have changed for good––including, in our view, a deeper appreciation and interest in cooking at home. This is a good thing! After all, we started this company because we believe that home cooking is one of the best ways to spend quality time with family and friends.

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co-op: What makes cookware high quality? Why does having high quality cookware instead of generic cookware matter?

AK, DK, & RK: When we say our cookware is high-quality, we are referring to the manufacturing process used to create our stainless steel cookware. Our stainless steel cookware products (all of which are manufactured in Italy) are all “5-ply,” which refers to the five layers of metal used to manufacture our products: three inner layers of aluminum, called the “core” and two outer layers of stainless steel. The reason we use both aluminum and stainless steel is because each metal serves a different purpose. Aluminum is great at conducting heat, meaning it heats up quickly and distributes heat evenly. Stainless steel is not as good at conducting heat, but is more durable and easier to maintain than aluminum, which makes it a better choice for the outer layer. When these metals are combined and layered properly, the result is a highly effective, durable, and versatile cookware product––one that heats evenly, adjusts to temperature changes quickly, and lasts a lifetime. Less expensive cookware, on the other hand, does not perform as well (for example, it will heat unevenly) and tends to wear out fast.

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co-op: If a person could only have one pot and one pan, what are the bare essentials everyone must own?

AK, DK, & RK: A high-quality stainless steel skillet or saute pan. This is one of the most versatile pieces of cookware you can own, because it can be used to make almost anything, especially if it is oven safe. We always grab for our 4QT saute pan, which we use for sauteing, searing, shallow braising, oven roasting, poaching, cooking sauces, making pasta, and a whole lot more.

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co-op: What would you say are the must-have ingredients for all home cooks?

AK, DK, & RK: This list will vary a bit depending on what types of food you like to cook. For us, some of the ingredients we always have on hand are high-quality kosher or sea salt (not table salt), high-quality extra virgin olive oil, lemons, chicken stock, canned San Marzano tomatoes, and Parmigiano Reggiano.

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