The Chef's Press and Cooking Weights, Explained

If you like to watch cooking content on social media (such as the Borough Kitchen instagram), you might have spotted a small, vented stainless steel weight sitting atop a searing steak or a piece of fish. This is The Chef’s Press, a tool that has a 'cult classic' status in the food world. The Chef's Press is an ingenious tool that belongs to a larger category of burger presses and cooking weights. 

So: What does a cooking weight actually do, and why is The Chef's Press unique?

Note: The Chef's Press is currently out of stock – which tends to happen with products this popular! Be the first to hear when they are back by signing up for a back-in-stock notification for the The Chef's Press 3-Piece Rectangular Set, The Chef's Press 4-Piece Complete Set, or The Chef's Press 3-Piece Starter Set. 

What a Cooking Weight?

A cooking weight goes by many names – grill press, burger press, steak weight, and so on. But all these tools have a primary function: To maximise contact between the ingredient and pan. Designed to sit directly on top of food as it sears, it ensures even heat distribution by forcing full contact between the ingredient and the pan’s surface, preventing edges from curling. This results in a superior crust on tofu, crispier skin on poultry, deeper carmelisation on meat, and perfectly pressed sandwiches. Beyond browning, a high-quality cooking weight also speeds up cooking times by applying gentle pressure, making it an essential tool for any home cook looking to achieve professional, restaurant-grade results at home.

What Is The Chef's Press?

Created by San Francisco chef Bruce Hill, the Chef’s Press is a cooking weight made from stainless steel. Unlike standard cooking weight designs, it is relatively lightweight and features vents. The Chef's Press is stackable by design; so if you want to apply extra pressure, or press a larger quantity of ingredients at once, you can use multiple Chef's Presses. (The stackable design makes them easy to store.) The rectangular Chef's Press comes in three different weights – 8oz, 13oz, 18oz – while the round Chef's Press comes in a 17oz weight. 

What Makes The Chef's Press Different From Other Cooking Weights?

The Chef’s Press uses clever design to circumvent the flaws typical of standard cooking weights. Here's what makes it special:

  • Vented (Prevents Steaming): Most cooking weights are solid, heavy blocks. While these are great for exerting weight, they can trap moisture underneath the weight, generating steam. Since The Chef’s Press is vented, it allows steam to escape for superior searing. This ensures your food stays more dry, resulting in a superior, crispier crust. 

  • Light and Stackable (Versatile, Easy Storage and Wider Area of Use): A traditional cooking weight is often too heavy for a delicate piece of fish, like sea bass, and too small for a large ingredient, like a ribeye steak. Because The Chef's Press is stackable, you can store multiple easily, often in less space than a single traditional cooking weight. So in addition to multiple units of The Chef's Press being storage efficient, you can use them simultaneously for large pieces of meat. You can use one for lighter ingredients like fish or toasties, or three or four together to cover a whole pan of ingredients (like bacon on Brussels sprouts) or a large cut of meat. 

  • Dishwasher-Safe (Made From Easy-to-Clean Stainless Steel)Traditional weights often feature wooden handles, or are made from seasoned cast iron or carbon steel. These materials cannot go in the dishwasher, and are welded together. The Chef’s Press is made from a single piece of rust-proof 18/10 stainless steel – it can be cleaned in the dishwasher, and there is no risk of the parts coming apart.

Chef’s Press Alternatives

While the Chef’s Press is wonderful and well worth its viral status, it is far from the only way to achieve the perfect sear. Our collection of tried-and-tested cooking weights includes traditional styles made from cast iron, as well as other burger presses that offer their own unique advantages. 

  • Blok Burger Press: Hand-forged in a Derby workshop, this is burger press is made from 5mm mild steel, which is a type of carbon steel. Its heavy-duty construction provides the pressure needed to create the craggy, crispy edges of a professional smash burger, and is particularly great for barbecuing meat. It’s a lifetime tool that requires seasoning, developing a natural patina, just a your carbon steel pan. As it's made from raw iron, this press should be regularly rubbed with a thin layer of oil to prevent rust. It should be handled with gloves or a tea towel. Shop here.

  • Netherton Foundry Flat Cooking Iron Press: Also made in England, this spun iron press comes pre-seasoned with flax oil. It is lighter than a standard cast iron weight, but provides steady, even pressure for bacon, sandwiches, and more, with a wooden handle that stays cool as you cook. As it's made from raw iron, this press should be regularly rubbed with a thin layer of oil to prevent rust. Shop here.

  • Lodge Cast Iron Round Flat Grill Press: This round cast iron cooking weight perfectly suited for round frying pans and skillets, especially Lodge cast iron skillets, ensuring that there are no awkward corners. Because it's solid cast iron, it retains heat brilliantly, effectively cooking your food from the top and bottom simultaneously. As it's made from raw iron, this press should be regularly rubbed with a thin layer of oil to prevent rust. It should be handled with gloves or a tea towel. Shop here. 

  • Rosle BBQ Meat Press: Specifically designed with barbecuing in mind, this enamelled cast iron press features a high-quality walnut handle that stays cool as you cook. It does not need to be seasoned. The enamel coating makes it more resistant to the elements than raw iron, and the elevated wooden handle keeps your hands well away from the searing heat of a BBQ grill or high-flame hob. Shop here.

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