Experienced chefs and cooks often use their hands over the stove top while cooking, especially in professional kitchens. They do this for several reasons:
Sensory Evaluation: Chefs use their hands to feel the intensity of the heat coming from the stove. By hovering their hands over the burners, they can gauge the temperature and make adjustments accordingly. This technique allows them to have a better understanding of the heat distribution and how it might affect the cooking process.
Control and Precision: Professional chefs often need precise control over the cooking process. By feeling the heat with their hands, they can quickly assess the level of heat and adjust the intensity as needed, allowing for more accurate cooking results.
Time Efficiency: In fast-paced kitchen environments, chefs need to work quickly and efficiently. Using their hands to sense the heat helps them save time by avoiding the need to continually check with a thermometer or wait for visual cues.
Developing Instinct: Seasoned chefs develop a kind of "instinct" for cooking over time. By working with heat day in and day out, they become familiar with how different intensities of heat feel. This allows them to cook with intuition and expertise, relying on touch to determine when food is cooked to the desired level.
Task Coordination: Chefs often have multiple tasks happening simultaneously on the stove and in the oven. Using their hands to sense the heat allows them to coordinate various elements of a dish effectively.
It's important to note that chefs' hands are accustomed to the high heat and are less sensitive to burns compared to someone who doesn't regularly work in a professional kitchen. Attempting to use the hand-over-stove technique without the necessary experience and familiarity with heat can be dangerous and lead to burns or injuries. For home cooks, it's best to use other methods to gauge heat, such as using a thermometer or observing visual cues, and always exercise caution when handling hot cookware or appliances.