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The Daily Dish Life After Bravo

Top Chef Alum George Pagonis Reveals the Best Tool to Level-Up Your Cooking

The Season 12 finalist and restaurant owner suggests adding one of *these* to your kitchen to step things up. 

By Sophy Ziss

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How to Watch

Watch Top Chef Season 21 Wednesdays at 9/8c on Bravo and next day on Peacock.

The Daily Dish recently caught up with Top Chef Season 12 finalist Chef George Pagonis about his new Greek restaurant in New York City, and when asked to share some hacks aspiring home chefs can try in the kitchen, he was ready. The alum swears by one type of product that will change the way you cook, and you can snag one for yourself, below.

"I don't know if this is a hack," the restaurant owner told The Daily Dish, "but it's definitely a word of advice." Technically, two words: Cast iron. Specifically, cast iron pans. According to the chef, "they're the way. They're the best."

Per the Top Chef alum, when working with cast iron, home chefs can "sear off a piece of meat or fish" with ease, and "you don't have to clean off [the pans]," which always makes things easier.

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Plus, it suits his cooking strategy. The chef explains that cast iron pans can retain their heat from the stove, so once you transfer your pan to the oven, "you just kinda let it do its thing!" 

If you've ever had a foodie friend insist that you get a cast iron pan, it seems like they may have been right all along. The good news is, we've made it easy: You can take the advice of Chef Pagonis by shopping for one of your own right here.

Whether you're starting out simple or looking to upgrade to a grill pan or Dutch oven, you'll find a new cast iron bestie right here.

Shop cast iron pans and more

Hungry for more? Top Chef airs Wednesdays at 9/8c. Catch up on past seasons on Peacock.

Additional reporting by Hannah Chambers

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