The second generation of All-Clad's Master Chef line (MC2), this cookware combines brushed aluminum with stainless-steel accents for a contemporary look. Like All-Clad's other renowned cookware collections, Master Chef provides serious and professional cooks with all the virtues that make All-Clad's worldwide reputation unsurpassed. Key to its high performance is a three-ply, bonded construction. Sandwiched between the exterior and an 18/10 stainless-steel interior is a thick aluminum core that spreads heat evenly across the bottom of the pan and all the way up its sides. The interior is highly polished so it's stick- as well as corrosion-resistant. Handles, rivets, and tight-fitting lids are all gleaming stainless steel. This classic, versatile 3-quart saucier pan, whose sides are rounded so the amount of food it can contain relative to the diameter of its bottom is increased, illustrates the Master Chef line's stylish yet practical design. Because the aluminum core extends up the sides, foods cook uniformly in the pan, even though it's 3-1/4 inches deep. And because the interior is nonreactive, tomato-based sauces and other acidic foods won't taste metallic. Its polished 18/10 stainless-steel pan and lid handles are riveted for strength and grooved on the top for comfort. The long handle (holed for hanging on a hook or peg) stays cool on the stovetop but won't be harmed by an oven's highest heat. Master Chef cookware carries a lifetime warranty against defects and should be hand washed. --Fred Brack
