My flat top grill taught me something after 11 years of abuse

Last Tuesday I was scraping down my flat top after service and noticed these deep grooves near the front edge. I always thought those were just wear and tear, but turns out I've been dragging my scraper at the wrong angle the whole time. A buddy who runs a food truck in Portland told me to push at 45 degrees instead of pulling flat, and the difference was night and day. It took me 11 years to figure out something that simple, what's a basic move you wish someone told you earlier in your kitchen career?

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1 Comment

craig.max11d ago

Is that really a mistake though? I have a twenty year old flat top and those grooves are just part of it, as long as the surface is clean and food cooks even I never saw the angle as the issue. Maybe your buddy was right about his grill, but on mine a flat pull works fine and pushing at an angle just feels awkward in my wrist. I'd say the real trick is seasoning it properly after each scrape, not how you hold the tool.