How important is ventilation for you when you cook?

Courtesy of Broan

When you cook like the pros, ventilation is usually important.

Chef Holmes: Honestly at my home, I don’t like using ventilation appliances. I have a stove with a downdraft, but I really like to infuse the house with the scent of whatever I’m cooking. In a restaurant you need something so you don’t smoke out the place. But at home, I think you want to come into a kitchen that smells good. And if you burn something, live with your mistake.

Chef Matthews: Ventilation is really important, when pro chefs cook at home we generally use much higher heat than the home cook, this results in way more than just aroma.

Chef Vizethann: I think if you cook a lot at home they are very important, especially if you are cooking something like fish. Right now I don’t have anything in my home, but I don’t cook at home that often.

Verdict: With the exception of Chef Holmes, all our chefs thought ventilation units were important for anyone that frequently cooks at home. While Chef Holmes idea of “living with your mistakes” has a certain charm to it, everyone else in your house dealing with the smell of burnt food might not think so. Your wood cabinets might not want to be covered in grease, either.