It is a fun question! Emily already said my favorites in each category. Only want to add, no Chef's kitchen is complete without a solid Dutch oven!

My Staub oval cocotte with the cute chicken handle is the hardest working pan in my kitchen. The grenadine color is also pretty enough to display.

Oh, that is pretty, pretty, pretty.

I found waterless cookwear was the best....you can stack them to keep food warm....I have an electric frying pan that I can cook without oil

Cuisinart cookware is tough, not too heavy, and their non stick pan has a 10 yrears guaranty. It also much more resistant to scratch. You can get them online, but I know some store in Mtl have them.

Best types to buy are cast iron (such as some of the above that are coated in enamel coating, and Stainless steel. I don't like heavy pans either but stainless steel ones are not as heavy as the cast iron ones.

Boiling, soup, steaming – ALL CLAD stainless inside and out – easy clean dishwasher safe – I have lots of different sizes.

Stews, bread, oven braising – STAUB large enameled steel pot – metal lid handle better than La Creuset

2 sizes cheap non-stick frying pan – for eggs and low cal braising – cheap so easy to toss out when coating starts to peel and they become toxic.

One heavy steel bistro frying pan from E.DEHILLERIN in Paris for shallow oil and butter frying. It’s the coolest store in Paris for us foodies. http://www.e-dehillerin.fr/en/

One large cast iron pot only used for deep frying

One large cast iron skillet for cornbread and shallow oven cooking

Paderno pots and pans are excellent quality. They make a chef's line as well as a residential line and have a wide variety of pieces. They also make some great non-stick pans with non-toxic coating.

They are Canada's only cookware company and have been made on Prince Edward Island since 1979. See their website www.paderno.com

P.S. Welcome to Canada! :)

Cynthia
www.ctaylor-luce.com
ctaylorluce@cogeco.ca

Frankly it depends on the foods you cook, and the numbers you cook for...